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| Artemis Temple |
When you visit the Temple of Artemis you will be standing where the legendary King Croesus, Alexander the Great, Saint Paul and Saint John once stood.
There have been three temples built on this site: the first was made of wood with a clay floor in the eighth century BC. This was destroyed by floods in the seventh century. Around 550BC construction was started on what is said to have been the first Greek temple made of marble. It was financed, at least in part, by King Croesus, overlord of Ephesus, who is still famed today for his wealth. In 356 BC Herostratus deliberately set fire to the wooden roof beams and destroyed the temple, a crime for which he was executed. The destruction coincided with the birth of Alexander the Great and it was said that Artemis was too preoccupied with his delivery to concern herself about her burning temple. When passing through Ephesus, Alexander offered to pay for the rebuilding of the temple but the proud Ephesians declined his offer and rebuilt at their own expense after his death. Daily Ephesus Tours
This last temple was the biggest, with more than 127 columns, 137 metres long, 69 metres wide and 18 metres high. This temple survived well into the Christian era and is mentioned several times in the New Testament. Saint John is reported as publicly praying in the temple, exorcising its demons. The altar split and half the temple fell, instantly converting the Ephesians to Christianity. Ephesus Tours Saint Paul was forced to flee the city after telling the craftsmen who made images of Artemis that she should not be worshipped. The temple was severely damaged in 268 AD during a raid by Goths and its subsequent history is unclear. It may have been partially rebuilt or the stones may have been used in the construction of other buildings. Most of what remained was levelled by a series of severe earthquakes in 401 AD.
Antipater of Sidon, who listed the Seven Wonders of the World said ‘’ I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, and the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, "Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught so grand" Kusadasi to Ephesus
Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World only two have remains standing above ground, The Temple of Artemis and the Great Pyramids of Giza. The site of the tomb of Mausolus has been found in Bodrum and relics may be seen in the British Museum in London. Izmir to Ephesus
Today there is only one column of the temple still standing but you can sense the antiquity and purpose of the site. Many tourists simply take one photograph and never leave the car park. Those who explore the site and examine the fallen stones gain so much more. A professional licensed guide will bring the temple to life for you with far more facts than I have been able to write here. He will relate the temple’s importance to the nearby Ephesus and answer all your questions. Ephesus Tours
Had the temple never been built, the location would still be worth a visit for its magnificent view of Saint John’s Basilica and the Ayasuluk Fortress (Selçuk Castle). In spring and summer majestic storks soar overhead and feed their young in untidy piles of twigs perched on the ancient columns of Selçuk. Discover Ephesus & Its Goddess Artemis
