What is the Temple of Artemis made of? Temple of Artemis of Ephesus: interesting facts

The photo of which today depicts only a few columns is rightfully considered one of the wonders of the ancient world.

According to legend, Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo, took care of animals and plants, took care of livestock and wild animals, and could cause the growth of trees, flowers and shrubs. She did not deprive people of her attention, giving them happiness in the family and the blessing of having children. Women often made sacrifices to her as the patroness of procreation.

The first Temple of Artemis was built in the sixth century BC in the Greek city of Ephesus, which is now the Turkish province of Izmir. In the middle of the fourth century BC. it was burned by Herostratus, then restored and again destroyed by Gothic barbarians.

The Temple of Artemis stood on the site of the sanctuary of the Carian goddess, patroness of fertility, located in this area. Funds for its construction were donated by the famous Lydian rich man King Croesus, whose inscriptions are still preserved on the bases of the columns, and the project, as Strabo writes, was developed by the architect Chersiphron of Knossos. During his time, a colonnade was installed and walls were erected, and when he died, the construction was continued by his son, and then by the architects Demetrius and Paeonius.

The huge white stone temple of Artemis evoked admiration and surprise. We have not received exact information about exactly how it was decorated inside. It is only known that the best craftsmen were involved in the sculptural decoration of one of the wonders of the Ancient World, and the statue of the goddess itself was created from ivory and gold.

This sacred site was not only used for religious services and ceremonies, it almost immediately became a business and financial center. Since it was governed by a college of priests only, it was practically independent of the city government.

In 356 BC, on the night when Alexander the Great was born, the vain Herostratus, wanting to become famous, set fire to this magnificent temple. However, by the beginning of the third century BC, the temple of Artemis was completely restored and received its previous appearance. The money for the reconstruction was allocated by Alexander the Great, and the work was carried out by the architect Heinocrates, who this time raised the building to an even higher base. The dimensions of the temple were impressive: 51 meters wide and 105 meters long. The roof was supported by 127 columns in eight rows.

The photo of the temple, unfortunately, today shows only one restored column; inside it was decorated with statues and reliefs of Scopas and Praxiteles. The Ephesians, in gratitude, ordered his portrait, which depicted the great commander like Zeus - with lightning in his hand.

And in the middle of the third century, the sanctuary of Artemis was destroyed by the Goths. Later, a small church was built in its place, which was also demolished.

The facings were looted, the roof was dismantled, and soon the columns began to fall due to a violation of the unity of the structure. The falling stone blocks were eventually sucked into the swamp on which the Temple of Artemis was built. And several decades later, the place where one of the best architectural works of Ionia stood was even forgotten.

It took the English explorer Voodoo many years to find at least some traces of the temple, and in 1869 he was finally lucky. Work on opening the foundation of the temple was completed only in the last century, and at the same time traces of the columns of the very first version, burned by Herostratus, were found.

An interesting fact: on the modern territory there are remains of two of the seven wonders of the ancient world. We, of course, did not miss the opportunity and watched both (the first miracle is). Today I want to talk about Temple of Artemis of Ephesus, which was built near ancient Ephesus.

Temple of Artemis was built in the 6th century. BC in honor of the patroness of the city (Ephesus), the goddess Artemis. Moreover, the cult of the goddess goes back to ancient times - even before the Greeks appeared in these places, the city worshiped a goddess who was called the “Great Mother”. The Greeks named her Artemis and built a huge and incredible temple in her honor.

Artemis- one of the most significant goddesses in ancient Greek mythology, the patroness of all life on earth, the goddess of hunting, chastity and fertility, beautiful but cruel.

For the construction of the temple, very unusual place- in the swamp. In those days, many buildings were destroyed by frequent earthquakes, so the architect decided to build the temple on a swampy area in the hope that during an earthquake the soil would absorb and the temple would remain intact. Subsequently, this decision turned out to be erroneous - at present, almost all the remains of the temple have sunk to the bottom of the swamp.

When the temple was completed (and it took almost 120 years to build!), the final dimensions were 110 m in length and 55 m in width, the temple was installed 127 columns 18 m high. So the spectacle is truly impressive.

5. Video

And, of course, a short video that we shot in the swamp with the Temple of Artemis:

Have you ever seen the wonders of the world or, perhaps, been to the places where they were once built? What sensations arise when you are in such significant place With rich history? Where is it worth visiting? Share in the comments!

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was located in the Greek city of Ephesus on the coast of Asia Minor (currently the city of Selcuk in the south of Izmir Province, Turkey).

The first large temple was built in the middle of the 6th century BC. e., burned by Herostratus in 356 BC. e., soon restored in a rebuilt form, in the 3rd century destroyed by the Goths.

The temple was located in Ephesus, located today in Turkey next to the famous resort of Kusadasi in Russia. In the 6th century BC, the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, founded on the western coast of Asia Minor in Caria in the 12th century BC, reached unprecedented prosperity.

The patroness of the city was Artemis - the daughter of the king of gods and people, the almighty Zeus and Leto, the twin sister of the golden-haired Apollo.

According to the beliefs of the ancient Greeks, Artemis took care of everything that lives on earth and grows in the forest and field. She took care of wild animals, herds of livestock, she caused the growth of herbs, flowers and trees.

Artemis did not leave people unattended - she gave happiness in marriage and blessed the birth of children. Greek women traditionally made sacrifices to Artemis, the patroness of childbirth.

It is quite natural for the prosperous townspeople to decide to build a majestic temple in honor of such a patroness. However, this intention also had practical significance.

The Ephesians conducted large-scale usurious operations, lending money at high interest rates. The elders hoped that the new structure would increase the turnover of Artemis’ “bank”.

The cult of Artemis in Ephesus dates back to the time of the semi-mythical Androcles. In the archaic era, three sanctuaries successively existed on the site of the future famous temple: 8th century BC. e., mid-7th century BC. e., a small temple with two columns in front of the entrance with an area of ​​16 * 31 m.

The famous rich man, the Lydian king Croesus, donated funds for the construction of the temple (two of his inscriptions have been preserved on the bases of the temple columns).

Invited to draw up the design and construction of the temple, according to Strabo, the famous architect Charsifron from Knossos proposed building a marble temple surrounded by a double row of slender columns. However, the matter was complicated by the fact that there was no marble nearby. Chance helped.

One day the shepherd Pixodorus was tending his flock on the green hills near Ephesus.

Two rams decided to sort things out. Bowing their heads, they rushed towards each other, but missed. And one of them hit the rock while running. So much so that a fragment of dazzling whiteness flew off from her.

The further fate of the rams is unknown, but their battle turned out to be historic. The puzzled shepherd picked up the stone, examined it carefully and suddenly, abandoning his flock, hurried to the city.

The jubilant townspeople greeted the shepherd, dressed him in expensive clothes, and the unknown Pixodorus became famous for the Gospel, which means: “He who brought good news.”

The construction of the temple lasted 120 years. They decided to build it near the mouth of the Kaistra River. The soil here was swampy. It was believed that in this way it would be possible to weaken the shocks of earthquakes that often occurred on the coast of Asia Minor. The soil was sprinkled with crushed coal, which was carefully compacted.

It was difficult to transport marble columns from the quarries, located 12 kilometers from the temple, over the marshy ground. The cart wheels got stuck in the swampy soil.

Then Kharsifron proposed an ingenious way in which the ancients leveled the ground. Iron rods were hammered into the ends of the column, reinforced with tin, and wheels of such a size were mounted on these axles on both sides of the column that the stone column hung on the iron axles. Then they attached long poles and harnessed the oxen.

The column, turned into a kind of wheel, rolled along the muddy road.

Under Kharsifron, a temple building was erected and a colonnade was installed. But the construction was still far from complete. The construction was continued by Kharsifron's son, the architect Metagenes.

He managed to finish the upper part of the temple. With great difficulty, the beams were pulled with ropes along an inclined plane to the height of the temple. But here the most difficult part began.

It was necessary to place the architrave on the top of the column so carefully as not to damage its capital. As in his time, father, Metagenes cleverly resolved the difficulty that arose. Sandbags were placed on the top of the column, beams were carefully lowered onto them, under the weight of which the sand gradually poured out, and the beam smoothly fell into place.

However, this method was known to ancient Egyptian builders.

Metogen also did not have time to complete the temple, and this fell to the lot of the architects Peonitus and Demetrius. In 550 BC, when the light and graceful white marble building with magnificent decoration opened to the eyes of contemporaries, it aroused surprise and admiration.

The sanctuary was huge, 110 meters long and 55 meters wide. Around it were two rows of stone columns up to 18 meters high. According to Pliny the Elder, there were 127 of them, installed in eight rows, each of these columns was a gift from one of the 127 kings.

The gable roof was made not of tiles, as in ancient temples, but of marble slabs. No one knows exactly how it was decorated.

It is only known that the best craftsmen of the Greek world took part in the creation of the sculptural decoration of the temple, and the statue of the goddess Artemis was made of gold and ivory.

Almost 200 years have passed. In 356 BC, Herostratus, a resident of Ephesus, overwhelmed by the ambitious idea of ​​perpetuating his name at any cost, set fire to the shrine of the cities of Asia Minor.

This happened in 356 BC. e., on the night of the birth of Alexander the Great.

The Roman historian Plutarch wrote later on this matter: “the goddess was too busy caring for the birth of Alexander to save the temple.”

The name of Herostratus has since become a household name and nevertheless went down in history, although by decision of the city meeting it was supposed to disappear from human memory forever. IN official documents he is referred to simply as “one madman.”

History has not preserved the dates of birth and death of the arsonist and should not have even preserved his name. But it was not possible to consign his name to eternal oblivion: in the fourth century BC. The ancient Greek historian Theolenus mentioned it.

The temple was badly damaged. The victims of the fire were wooden structures. Floor beams and columns were cracked. It was a big loss.

The inhabitants of Ephesus could not reconcile with her. They donated their savings and jewelry to restore the temple. They were supported by residents of other cities in Asia Minor.

Alexander the Great allocated money for the construction of a new Wonder of the World. In gratitude to Alexander the Great, the Ephesians commissioned a portrait of him for the temple from the artist Apelles, who depicted the commander with lightning in his hand, like Zeus.

When the customers came to accept the canvas, they were so amazed by the perfection of the painting and the optical effect (it seemed that a hand with lightning was protruding from the canvas) that they paid the author twenty-five gold talents - perhaps over the next three centuries, no artist was able to receive such a fee for one picture.

The restoration of the Temple of Artemis was undertaken by the architect Heirocrates, who made some changes, raising the stepped base so that the temple would rise above the buildings that had grown around it over the past century.

The inside of the temple was lined with marble slabs. In the main hall there was a 15 meter tall statue of Artemis, covered with gold ornaments and jewels.

Outstanding Greek sculptors and painters took part in the decoration. The relief for the altar near the temple was carved by the famous Athenian sculptor Praxiteles, and the relief on one of the columns was carved by another famous sculptor Skopas.

TO beginning of III V. BC e. the temple was completely restored to its original form. Rumors about the incomparable beauty, harmony, grandeur and wealth of the restored temple spread throughout the ancient world.

And it is not surprising that the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus became one of the wonders of the world.

In 263, the Temple of Artemis was sacked by the Goths. During the time of Emperor Theodosius I, when in 391-392. All pagan cults were banned, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was closed.

A church was built on the site of the temple, which later also collapsed. The marble cladding from it began to be taken away for various buildings, the roof was also dismantled, and the unity of the structure was destroyed.

The death of the temple was completed by the swampy soil, which gradually absorbed the huge building, and the Kaistra River, which covered the remains of the structure with sediment. When archaeologists became interested in the Temple of Artemis, nothing was visible on the surface of the earth. It took the English archaeologist Voodoo many months to find traces of the temple.

On October 31, 1869, he got lucky. The foundations of the temple were completely uncovered only in the twentieth century. And under it are traces of the temple burned by Herostratus. Currently, on the site of the temple there is one column restored from the rubble.

Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Coin of Palau.

Territory Ancient Greece almost coincides with the borders modern state, but some parts have now gone to other countries. This happened with Ephesus, now it belongs to Turkey. Ancient city was laid on the shore Aegean Sea, gradually it became shallow, taking with it past glory and prosperity. But at the peak of its prosperity, a temple was erected in the city, the like of which no one had ever seen in size and beauty. Later, archaeological excavations brought worldwide fame, during which numerous ruins of ancient buildings were discovered. Scientists identified the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus by the only surviving column.

The history of the temple is full of majestic and tragic events. The appearance of the structure can only be judged by reconstruction based on the found foundation and several small fragments. But this was enough to discover many interesting facts about one of the 7 wonders of the world.

Great Temple of the Ancient World

Artemis was revered as the patroness of hunting, animals, family relations, fertility. People turned to her with pleas for help to pregnant women and women in labor. It is symbolic that the place for the construction of the temple was chosen not far from the ancient sanctuary dedicated to the Carian goddess of fertility.

The first buildings were made of wood. They were constantly destroyed by earthquakes, burned out in fires, and fell into disrepair from humid climate and wood pests. After numerous attempts to preserve the building, it was decided to build a large, bright temple for the revered goddess.

Brief description, history

The most famous masters of that time began construction. The architect Khersiphron was invited to the city from Knossos. He created a project according to which the construction of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus began, which later became a wonder of the world.

The construction of one of the most majestic temples took a long time and, of course, one human life wasn't enough. The next person to continue building the temple of Artemis in Ephesus was the son of the architect Metagenes, after him the architects Demetrius and Paeonitus.

It was not possible to completely recreate the appearance of the temple, oh interior decoration can only be judged by the remaining descriptions and it is no longer possible to determine whether these are facts or fiction. It is reliably known that the length of the base was 105 m, width 51 m. The number of columns supporting the vault reached 127, the height of each was 18 m. Wide steps led to the entrance, the portico was decorated with skillfully carved bas-reliefs. The central part was surrounded by a double row of columns with carved capitals.

The main material was marble, and some of the interior spaces were lined with it. The ceilings and some of the decorative elements were made of wood. The central point of the temple was a pedestal with a statue of the goddess 15 m high, inlaid precious stones and gold plates.

You should know! The statue of amazing beauty was another reason why the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus is ranked among the seven wonders of the world.

Outstanding masters of antiquity worked on the construction and decoration:

• relief of columns - Skopas;
• decoration of the altar - Praxiteles;
• paintings and frescoes - Apelles.

Each of them put a piece of their soul into their creation, so the temple was not just a wonder of the world - it was admired by everyone who happened to visit it or even look at the majestic building from afar. The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus became a worthy place to venerate the goddess.

They looked for a place to build it for a long time. Residents and craftsmen, taught by the bitter experience of the collapse of previous structures, approached the issue creatively. They took it as an axiom that strong ground vibrations regularly occur in the city and its surroundings. This means they should be paid off. Through calculations, we came to the conclusion that swampy areas are less susceptible to sudden shocks. Thus, the ruins of an ancient temple were found, in the place of which they began to dig a foundation pit. To create a reliable base that dampens vibrations, the pit was filled with coal and wool, laying them in layers. During the construction process, many more arose difficult situations, but they were successfully resolved thanks to the resourcefulness of the builders.

Interesting facts about the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus

Many people took part in the construction, some helped with finances, others contributed skills, and others offered new technical solutions. Through joint efforts, a building that was unique at that time was erected, which gradually became the center of the political and cultural life of the city.

Important! The priests gave immunity on the temple grounds provided that the person came unarmed.

Several legends arose around the construction of the building. Considering the Greeks' passion for all sorts of mystical events, this is not surprising.

1. It is believed that the marble in the surrounding area was found with the help of rams. Two males started a fight and one banged his horns on the rock, revealing a marble chip. The problem of material for construction and cladding was solved.
2. For a long time they could not solve the problem of transporting the columns. Their size and weight pressed the carts deep into the sandy surface. They began to sheathe them with wood, driving rods into the ends. The oxen then dragged the columns to the foot of the building.
3. It is difficult to explain otherwise the phenomenon of installing columns in a perfectly vertical position, as well as laying the stone threshold beam, other than through the intervention of Artemis.
4. The horizontal ceilings, architraves, had to be laid so as not to damage the column capitals. We again took a non-standard approach, having first laid down several on foot. The architraves squeezed out the sand with their weight, it gradually spilled out, and the ceilings smoothly fell into place.
5. In addition to the statue of the goddess, the interior contained unique picture, which depicts Alexander the Great in the image of Zeus with a sword - lightning in his hand. Moreover, the artist’s skill was such that it seemed as if the tip extended beyond the scope of the picture, and the hero’s eyes followed the movement of visitors.
6. IN historical chronicles It is recorded that Croesus donated a significant amount for the construction.

The image of Artemis (in the ancient Greek pantheon, the goddess of the hunt, who also personified the Moon), here in Asia Minor merged with the ideas of the pre-Hellenic population about the even more ancient Carian goddess of fertility and fertility, who, by the way, was also the patroness of the Amazons.

A cult building dedicated to Artemis has existed in Ephesus since time immemorial. In any case, the most ancient relics that belonged to the sanctuary date back to the 8th century BC. e. Today they are today in the British Museum. Presumably, the first temple of Artemis was destroyed by the Cimmerians.

Between 550 and 460 BC. e., at a time when Ephesus reached unprecedented prosperity, a new temple was built, which at that time was the most grandiose structure ever built from marble. The Ephesians, who decided to honor Artemis with a sanctuary superior in beauty to all other religious buildings known at that time, entrusted the construction of the temple to the famous architect Heirsiphron of Knossos.

The architect chose a swampy lowland on the outskirts of Ephesus, near the mouth of the Caistrus River, as the site for the construction of Artemision (as the temple was called here). This choice was due to the fact that earthquakes often occurred in this area, and on springy, swampy soil, earth vibrations would be less destructive. To nullify even least risk damage to the temple by an earthquake, Khersiphron ordered to dig a deep pit and pour a mixture of charcoal and cotton into it, and on this foundation, designed to dampen tremors, to install the foundation of a grandiose sanctuary.

The construction of the Temple of Artemis lasted 120 years. All cities and states of Asia Minor took part in it. Let's say the Lydian king Croesus, the same one whose wealth became a proverb, sent marble columns decorated with relief images of gods, as evidenced by two inscriptions on the surviving bases of the columns. When, finally, the construction of the temple was completed, it caused surprise and delight among everyone who had a chance to admire the majestic and at the same time elegant marble structure. The facades were decorated with sculptures and bas-reliefs created by famous masters of those times.

But that Artemision stood for no more than a hundred years. In the summer of 356 BC. e. A city madman named Herostratus, eager to glorify his name, set fire to the temple. There is no reliable data on how he managed to do this, but it is known that the fire quickly engulfed the ceiling, made of precious Lebanese cedar, and soon the sanctuary turned into a mountain of hot stone.

According to legend, it was on the night of the burning of the temple that the Macedonian queen Olympias gave birth to a boy who was destined to become the ruler of the ancient world. The happy father, King Philip, named his son Alexander.

When, 23 years later, Alexander the Great, already sanctified by the glory of the great conqueror, approached the walls of Ephesus, work was underway to restore the sanctuary of Artemis in full swing. The Hellenic Ephesians greeted Alexander friendly, and the king decided to thank his new allies with significant monetary donations for the restoration of Artemision. At the same time, the commander wished that a marble stele be installed in the temple on which his great deeds would be recorded. However, in the eyes of the Ephesians, the Macedonian Alexander remained a barbarian, that is, a person whose native language was not Greek. And glorifying a barbarian in a Greek temple was unacceptable.

In order not to anger the powerful king with a direct refusal, the Ephesians resorted to diplomatic cunning: they proclaimed Alexander equal to god. This made it possible for the priests of Artemis to indicate to the king that it was not acceptable for a god to build temples to other gods, so Artemision was completed without the participation of the king of Macedonia.

The work was led by the architect Heirokrat. He adopted the design of his predecessors as a basis, but made the temple taller.

Artemision, built according to the plans of Heirocrates, occupied a huge area - 110 by 55 meters. According to the Roman scholar Pliny the Elder, the temple was surrounded by 127 marble columns. Their height reached 18 meters. This is approximately the level of the roof of a modern six-story building.

In the temple, made of snow-white marble slabs, stood a 15-meter statue of the goddess, created from precious wood, ivory and gold. For a long time It was unknown what appearance it actually had until a gold antique coin with an image of the temple statue of Artemis of Ephesus was found in the 50s of the last century, and over time, archaeologists discovered a small copy of the statue.

Many outstanding Greek artists and sculptors decorated Artemision with their creations. The famous Athenian sculptor Praxiteles created bas-reliefs on the friezes. Another famous master, Skopas, performed wonderful carvings of the columns. A special place occupied by paintings by Apelles, an outstanding artist who was from Ephesus. Thus, Artemision was one of the largest and most famous museums of antiquity. His art gallery was no less famous than the collection of paintings in the propylaea of ​​the Athenian Acropolis.

However, not only paintings and sculptures were kept in the Ephesian temple. The sanctuary has long been also a treasury and a bank. Not only private individuals, but also the state entrusted their money, gold, and precious jewelry to the Temple of Artemis for safekeeping.

The Greek commander Xenophon, who became more famous for his historical works, mentions that, when setting off on a campaign, he left here a large sum money. While he was absent, the priests had the right to freely dispose of the money, and in the event of the death of the investor, everything remained to the temple. Military luck did not turn away from Xenophon, he returned with victory, and as a sign of gratitude, he built a small temple of Artemis in Greece with saved money, which was an exact copy Ephesian

Much later, in the 2nd century AD, when Ephesus became the capital of the Roman province of Asia, the Temple of Artemis lost neither its significance nor its wealth. The Romans recognized it as the “treasury of Asia.” Here is what the Roman writer Dion Chrysostomos reports about this: “A lot of money not only from Ephesians, but also from foreigners, as well as money that belonged to other cities and kings, was invested in the treasury of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. “They keep money here for safety,” the writer continues, “because no one will ever dare to desecrate or destroy this sacred place, although there were numerous wars during which Ephesus was taken several times.”

To this we add that under both the Greeks and the Romans the sanctuary of Artemis had the sacred right of refuge and protection. On the territory of the temple, no one dared to detain either a state criminal or a slave who had escaped from a cruel master, because they were under the protection of Artemis.

The fame of the beauty and treasures of Artemision spread throughout the ancient world. And this fame in 263 AD. e. attracted hordes of Gothic tribes here. By that time, the Roman Empire had lost its former power and was no longer able to defend its borders and provinces. The Goths captured Ephesus and plundered the famous sanctuary.

Soon Christianity came to Asia Minor. The cult of Artemis was replaced by the worship of the Virgin Mary, and the destroyed sanctuary of the goddess was perceived by Christians only as the temple of a pagan idol. The governors of the Byzantine emperors allowed the townspeople to take marble slabs from the ruins of Artemision to build their houses, as if from a quarry. A church was also built from the ruins of the Hellenic temple. A small Byzantine chapel still stands here today. By the way, when the Hagia Sophia Cathedral was erected in Constantinople (VI century), it was decorated with columns of ancient temples, which were collected throughout the empire. The cathedral also contains several columns that once adorned Artemision.

The swampy soil, which, according to the plan of the architect Heirocrates, was supposed to protect the structure from earthquakes, caused no less damage to the Temple of Artemis. All that remained of the sanctuary was swallowed up by a viscous swamp. The Caistros River covered not only Artemision with silt, but also the port of Ephesus (today from the coast Mediterranean Sea Ephesus is separated by 6 km of land).

Once deprived of access to the sea, the flourishing city quickly fell into decay, and when the Turks captured Ephesus in 1426, only ruins appeared before them. The conquerors did not restore Ephesus, but built the town of Selchuk in the valley, using the marble of ancient ruins as building material. Now the swamp that swallowed the remains of the Temple of Artemis lies on the outskirts of this provincial Turkish city.

The only reminder of the once magnificent Temple of Artemis is a lone Ionic column, built in the 19th century from rubble among the reeds. Until this time, no one could indicate where exactly the legendary wonder of the world was located. History owes confirmation of the exact location of the Temple of Artemis to the English architect and engineer John Turtle Wood, an employee of the British Museum. He began his survey work in 1863, and it continued for several years.

The key to solving the location of the temple was an inscription discovered during excavations of the ancient theater in Ephesus. It indicated that the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus lay in the direction of the Sacred Road, due north. John Wood managed to pump out the swamp waters, and at a depth of more than six meters the foundations of the temple were found, and underneath them were traces of the sanctuary burned by Herostratus.

Excursions to the Temple of Artemis

The historical area, where the Temple of Artemis once amazed people with its grandeur, is located within the town of Selcuk, 700 m from the bus station and 20 km from the popular resort of Kusadasi.

It is better to get from Kusadasi to Selcuk by dolmuş (Turkish minibus). It is more convenient than taking a bus and cheaper than taking a taxi (about 5 Turkish lira).

Visiting the attraction itself is free.

In addition, this place can be explored by taking a bus tour to Ephesus from any resort town in Turkey. The ancient city itself, thanks to restoration work, is becoming prettier every year, and the object called the “Temple of Artemis” is included in the traditional list of historical attractions of the popular tourist route. A quarter of an hour is enough to explore it, but, of course, this historical area is worthy of a visit.

If you are lucky, you will see a touching and symbolic action here: from time to time one of the boys living in the neighborhood comes here, and, sitting on the bank of a swamp that has swallowed up the ruins of one of the Seven Wonders ancient world, diligently displays the notes of national Turkish melodies on a simple pipe. This paradoxical scene is a kind of epitaph to the ancient era, and it really makes an impression. The musician, in turn, quite rightly expects generous encouragement.