Turkey is not only for its beautiful beaches and the beautiful landscapes of the most popular tourist regions, but also because there tourists walking in the footsteps of the past. The Aegean coast, with its 5,000 years of history is particularly useful.

In summer it is due to the somewhat more northerly situation is not as hot as on the Riviera, so that the desire for culture must not give way to the lazy sunbathing on the deck by the pool. Fortunately – because otherwise you would miss the treasures, for example, about 75 km south of lzmir hide in the coastal plain of the Kucuk Menderes and approximately 3 km from Selcuk, Ephesus, the former.

The ruins of the ancient Greek city of Ephesus is one of the biggest attractions that Turkey has to offer. Here you can leave the story of the once thriving town of bodily FEEL and play long walks between the ruins of their imagination. The transience of human creativity will make clear and calm spreads.

More than 3,000 years ago was Ephesus (Turkish: Efes) was founded by Ionians. The former seaside location favored brisk trade, so that was one of the city reputed fabulous wealth. Reigned in succession the Lydians and the Persians. The Lydian king Croesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient building: the Temple of Artemis (Artemisium).


The image of the goddess Artemis, at Ephesus said to have fallen from heaven, triggered their worship. She was a daughter of Zeus and one of the twelve supreme gods in Greek mythology. She was worshiped as the goddess of the hunt, the moon and as the guardian of women and children. 133 BC. bequeathed to the Persians after the reigning king Attalus III. his kingdom to the Romans and therefore Ephesus. Efes eventually became the capital of the province of Asia and even the second largest city of the Roman Empire.

In its heyday there were up to a quarter of a million inhabitants. Unfortunately brought tectonic movements of sediment-laden and frequently changing its course little meander (Kucuk Menderes) it with him, that the coastline was pushed further and further back, while the sea currents created in front of the bay a Nehrungswall. This led to the stagnation of the hinterland. Even in Roman times with effort could only be an oval basin are kept free. Gradually the harbor silted up, the city sank into the mud.

In the 19th Century ruins were excavated at Ephesus, and they are among the most ancient buildings in the world. Highlight the spa, the marketplace in the city center (agora), various temples, the great theater, some houses and not least the Celsus. The ancient road to the port is still preserved and can they go along. For a visit to Ephesus, you should take because of the variety of sights necessarily time and ensure a sufficient supply of drinks to gleefully dive into the story.