Flashback to Ephesus

Most people know Ephesus (or Efes) from the New Testament book Ephesians, and while you might not find the Sword of the Spirit or Shield of Faith here, you will find an incredibly preserved ancient Aegean city. The Ephesian ruins are easily one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Turkey.

Lots of people visit Ephesus from Izmir, but I decided to stay in nearby Kusadasi for a quicker trip to the ruins -- maybe 15 minutes and a few bucks by minibus. Historically, it was home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and at one point it was the most important Byzantine city after Constantinople (Istanbul). Religious folks know the city for the Pauline epistle and as one of the churches in Revelations, and some say First Corinthians and the Gospel of John were both written here. It's also proposed that Mother Mary spent her final years in a nearby house. Though I visited Ephesus for its cultural significance, there was a Christian tour there the same day singing religious hymns in The Theater (below left), believed to be the largest such outdoor venue in the ancient world.

The most famous Ephesian sight is clearly the Library of Celsus, which is featured in the photo above right and on the cover of most tourist materials. This library, built around 125 A.D., once held about 12,000 scrolls. Among the other ruins, only one column remains from the Temple of Artemis, while the Temple of Hadrian has been rebuilt using original fragments. Other highlights include the Odeon, the Fountain of Pollio and the Temple of Domitian.

A trip to Ephesus requites a lot of walking and battling pesky taxi cab drivers, but it's certainly a worthwhile visit. Ephesus is one of the best-preserved classical cities in the world, and it certainly inspires the imagination. And hey, it gives you an excuse to wear that Peter, Paul and Mary shirt again!