Ephesus

Ephesus is a sprawling archaeological site in Selçuk featuring remains of temples, residences, public buildings, and a large theater from Greek and Roman antiquity. The ruins spread across gentle hills and reveal paved streets, rows of columns, and facades that have been partly reconstructed.

The city was founded in the 10th century BC as a Greek colony and later developed under Roman rule into a major trade hub in the eastern Mediterranean. In the 3rd century AD, decline began due to harbor silting and economic shifts.

Visitors experience here the remains of an ancient metropolis where Greek and Roman ways of life blended over centuries. The monumental buildings and streets convey today an impression of urban daily life from the past, even if only through ruins and archaeological reconstruction.

The site is expansive and requires several hours to explore the main areas, so comfortable footwear and sufficient water are recommended. Paths lead over uneven terrain with some slopes, which can be tiring in hot weather.

An advanced sewage system with terracotta pipes and latrines shows the high standard of Roman sanitation engineering in this city. Many of these installations remain visible today at different spots throughout the excavations.

Location: İzmir Province

Location: Selçuk

Inception: 10 century BCE

Founders: Androclus

Inscription: Ephesus (/ˈɛfəsəs/;Ancient Greek: Ἔφεσος Efesos;Turkish: Efes;may ultimately derive from Hittite Apasa) was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, three kilometres southwest of present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey.

Part of: Ephesus

Website: http://muze.gov.tr/en/museums/ephesus-archaeological-site

GPS coordinates: 37.94431,27.34378

Latest update: December 15, 2025 01:18