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EPHESUS |
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 Main Street |
One of the most fascinating ancient cities being excavated today is Ephesus. Many of the facades along the tiled main street have been reconstructed. At the end of this street the magnificent facade of the Library awaits those who travel this path. In Biblical times when Ephesus was a vibrant city alive with commerce, the valley beyond the Library was an inlet from the sea providing cooling sea breezes to the city and a nearby port. |
 Ruins1 |
The buildings along the main road were primarily shops and other public places. Their carved facades were typical of the period. The street itself has an intricate mosaic design. It appears that nothing was left unadorned in the ancient world making cities such as Ephesus a feast for the eyes. |
 Ruins2 |
Since the city was built onto the hillside, the roof of a house below often served as a terrace for the house above. This building tradition is still found in many Greek Cities such as Santorini, the city built around an ancient volcano rim. |
 Ruins3 |
Not only were the building facades beautifully carved and the streets tiled with mosaic designs, the walls inside the homes of wealthy Ephesians were decorated with murals and frescoes. In its day, this important port city must have been a magnificent site to see. |
 Statue1 |
Even though the excavation and restoration process has only begun to reveal this ancient city, its sophistication is evident. Except for electricity, Ephesians had methods for delivering the comforts of our modern society with a style and grace that suited their time. |
 Library1 |
The Library lies at the end of the street. It's facade is typical of Roman architecture for Libraries at that time. It is hard to resist the urge to run down the hill to see it up close right away, but the adjacent shops and homes are also quite amazing. |
 Library2 |
We are standing in front of the Library of Celsus at last. It truly is the centerpiece of this restoration. It is nowhere near the height of today's skyscrapers but nonetheless it has a presence that inspires. |
 Library3 |
My eyes didn't know where to look next as I gazed up at the Library's intricately carved facade. The incredible wealth of detail leads the eye from place to place up and down and all around the facade. I can only imagine beauty of this library when it was built nearly 2000 years ago. |
 Statue2 |
This statue has been returned to her niche in the Library facade. Actually, these are replicas of the four original statues representing Wisdom, Intelligence, Knowledge and Virtue that were taken to Vienna when the library was excavated. |
 Amphitheater1 |
Rounding out our visit to Ephesus is the large amphitheater where the Apostle Paul addressed the Ephesians. The amphitheater holds somewhere between 15,000 to 24,000 people. The remarkable accoustics are dramatically demonstrated when people speaking in a normal voice at the center of the theater are clearly heard on the upper round of seats. |
When we left Ephesus we continued our tour of the Aegean and the Greek Islands aboard the Odysseus.
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