Ephesus

Ephesus lies near Selçuk in İzmir province. In Roman times it was one of the largest cities and trading centres of Asia Minor.

Its emblem is the two-storey façade of the Library of Celsus, built in the 2nd century AD. The great theatre, seating about 25,000, the marble streets and the terrace houses are also well preserved. Of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, a single column remains.

Ephesus is also important in Christian history: on nearby Mount Bülbül stands the shrine held to be the House of the Virgin Mary. Ephesus was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015.