Ephesus and Smyrna - Turkey

The sunset over the Aegean Sea was beautiful. A nice way to end the day in a cool pool outside the Hotel on a very balmy evening.

Today we head for Ephesus. We start early as Ephesus is apparently always crowded with tourist in summer. Ephesus is the best ancient city in Turkey.

We headed of early. On the bus at 8.00am. After a short drive we arrive at the gates of Ephesus.
Lots of hawkers trying to sell you things from genuine fake watches to ancient coins (if you can call last day's run as ancient) to selling you hats, food or water.

Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the coast of Ionia, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era.

The streets in Ephesus were marble. It also boasted the Library of Celsus with 12 000 books, (The third largest library in the ancient world,)  plus your obligatory temple of Artemis (what's left of it anyway). The toilets were also impressive. 

In Ephesus we also visited the Basilica of St John. It was constructed by Justinian I in the 6th century. It stands over the believed burial site of St

Magic Sunset over the Hotel pool

On the way to Ephesus

Entrance to Ephesus

Ephesus Street

Parliament for Ephesians

Street in Ephesus

goddess Nike

Looking down the street towards the Library

Another Street Scene

The Library of Celsus

Entrance to the Latrine

Entrance to one of the homes

Water room

Bedrooms

More bedrooms

Closer look at the libary

Having a rest

Ephesus street under excavation

Statue on the Library

Looking Up in the Libary

Looking out from the Library to the street

Austrian archeologists digging for ancient treasure

St John's Basilica in Ephesus

Inside the Basilica

Mum and kids or was it dad the kid..

Inside St Johns

Shroud of Turin

Inside Polycarp's Church

A commercial Agora (market place)

Under the Agora - became a church

Statues in ancient Ephesus

Temple of Artemis

John the Apostle. It was modeled after the now lost Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. 

From Ephesus we headed for the city of Smyrna. Smyrna (Ancient Greek: Σμύρνη or Σμύρνα) was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey. The first site, probably founded indigenously, rose to prominence during the Archaic Period as one of the principal ancient Greek settlements in western Anatolia. The second, whose foundation is associated with Alexander the Great, reached metropolitan proportions during the period of the Roman Empire. Most of the present-day remains date from the Roman era, the majority from after a 2nd-century AD earthquake.

In Smyrna we visited the ancient Agora ( or commercial markets.) The city of Smyrna is mentioned in Revelation 2.8. The Agora was converted to a Basilica. While in Smyrna we also visited the church of Polycarp. Polycarp was a 2nd-century Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to touch him. Quite a determined character if the story is true.

From Smyrna we headed to Pergamon, where we are staying overnight. Another day over. Again we ended up in a very cool large blue water pool at the end of the day.