Ephesus, 7 Sleepers, Virgin Mary Chapel, Kusadasi

---

Geo: 37.954, 27.3699

Ephesus was moved to the slopes of Mount Koressos and was on the great trade road. The oldest information goes back to the 10th Century BC. Ephesus came under the protection of Athens from 454 BC. Alexander the Great captured the city in 334 BC and it was then the city was moved to its current location. Ephesus then came under the rule of the Romans until the attack of the Ephesians. Christianity was rapidly spreading and located here was one of the seven churches of Asia inspired by St. John In 431 AD. The Third Ecumenical Council was held in the Virgin Mary Church in Ephesus. Ephesus was completely deserted after it went through a short glorious period in the 14th Century. During the Roman period the city flourished and had a population of about 45,000 people making it the third largest city during that time.The Temple of Artemis (55 BC) was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. At one point the Goths raided the city. Later Emperor Constantine I rebuilt much of the city. The temple was later destroyed following the Edict of Thessalonica in 401 AD by a mob led by St. John Chrysostom. The city's importance declined when the harbour was silted up by the Cayster River. There was also an earthquake in 614 AD. Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia that are cited in the Book of Revelation and was the site of several 5th Century Christian Councils. We then visited the grotto of the Seven Sleepers and the Virgin Mary House (Chapel). A short drive took us to Kusadasi which is a major cruise ship terminal on the Aegean Sea. Back to the hotel and a walk part way into town where we had the opportunity to have a fresh doughnut cooked at a bakery located on the sidewalk. We returned to the ceramics shop close to our hotel. The lady in the picture with Zelma does the painting herself.

---

Photos

Great Theatre
Seats 25,000

Comments

[Carla]

Very interesting place and also very pretty.