Kusadası

Ephesus
The most renowned ruin identified with the ruins of Ephesus is the “Library of Celcus” with its enormous columns. Dating back to the 2nd century AD, this library is one of the most important libraries of antiquity after Alexandria and Pergamon. Hadrian’s Gate and Hadrian’s Temple on Kuretler Street, built in honor of Emperor Hadrian, are also among the remarkable buildings. Artemision, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, the great theater with a seating capacity of about 25 thousand people, the stadium, the trade and state agoras, the Prytaneum containing the Temple of Hestia (the sacred fire of the city), the odeon (assembly and concert hall) with a capacity of about 1800 people and the ancient harbor are other ruins to be seen.

Basilica of St John
This crumbling medieval basilica once attracted pilgrims by the thousands to collect a miraculous dust that formed above the saint’s tomb.In its medieval zenith, the basilica was a major pilgrimage site, sitting directly on the overland route to the Holy Land. The architectural icon of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice copied the design of St. John’s, which like its Venetian counterpart was lined with gold mosaics depicting saints and gospel stories. Now-lost relics once held in the basilica included a piece of the True Cross that John carried around his neck, a garment worn by the saint made by the Virgin Mary, and the original manuscript of John’s Book of Revelation.

Temple of Artemis
The Temple of Artemis is known as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. It has been built in the areas of Ephesus on a flat area which has over the centuries turned into a swamp. If you visit Ephesus today, you can only see the ruins of the foundations of this marvelous construction of the Hellenistic Age, entirely made of marble and full of sculptured columns’ capitals and shafts. The most beautiful remaining of this temple are today exhibited in the London British Museum.

House of Virgin Mary
Virgin Mary House is located on the Bülbül Mountain, 9 km from Selçuk. It is known that John brought Virgin Mary to Ephesus 4 or 6 years after the death of Jesus. In 1891, the Lazarist priests, upon the dream of the German nun A. Katherina Emerich, discovered that the house where the Virgin Mary spent her last days was at the end of this research. This event is a new invention in the world of Christianity and shed light on the world of religion. This structure was cross-planned then restored. The house is considered sacred by Muslims, Pope VI. After Paul’s visit in 1967, the rites are held on the 15th day of August every year, and these rituals attract great attention.

Isa Bey Mosque
İsabey Mosque is located on the southwest side of the hill, between the Temple of Artemis and the Church of St. Jean. With this location, it is meaningful that the symbols of three different religions are between a triangle. And it is unique in the world. The mosque was built in 1375 by Isa Bey, the son of Aydınoğlu, to the architect Ali Ibn-el Dımışkü from Damascus. Some parts from Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis, especially columns, were used in the mosque. The inscription on the crown door reads the names of Isa Bey, son of Mehmet and Ali, son of the architect Dımışık.In the center of the mosque is a porticoed courtyard with a fountain. Of the two minarets rising above the eastern and western gates of the mosque, the eastern one was completely destroyed and only one minaret remains.

Priene
Priene is one of the important ancient cities built on the southern slope of Samsun Mountain, 15 km southwest of Söke district. Built on a 370 meter high steep rock, it provided an advantage in resisting attacks. In addition, its high location allows the city to be seen from different directions. The first information about Priene, which is accepted to be a member of the Ionian Union like Miletus, is found in ancient sources in the middle of the 7th century BC. The theater with a capacity of 5000 people was built in 350 BC. In front of the temple built for the goddess Athena in the most dominant place of the city, there was a statue of Athena made of gold and ivory.

Miletus
The capital of civilization, culture, art and science Miletus, is one of the most important cities in human history with a history of 3,500 years. Miletus, also known as the “city of philosophers”, has produced many historical figures such as the philosophers Thales, Anaximandros and Anaximenes and the city planner Hippodamos. Miletus Museum, which houses uniquely beautiful ruins and interesting artifacts, is an impressive archaeological site for visitors. The enchanting atmosphere and nature of Miletus, where philosophers once lived in this ancient land where free thought reigned and science was born, is a privileged cultural region where intellectual pleasure can be experienced.

Caravanserai
Caravanserais are referred to as han and ribât in inscriptions and sources. Today, han has become a word used for structures built for accommodation and trade in the city. Hans were places where the production of goods and trade were carried out together and they were named after the goods produced here. Caravans used to temporarily stay here, market the goods they brought with them and carry out money transactions. Starting from China and ending in the Mediterranean ports, the Silk Road has been an important trade route for centuries. This road was not only a trade route, but also a route for the spread of various cultures and religions.

Pigeon Island
In the 13th century, the Genoese founded Pigeon Island and constructed a fortress there, beginning the island’s history. It underwent major alterations and upgrades over the years, which molded its own personality.
The castle played a key function under the Ottoman Empire as a “Pirate Police Station” to stop piracy in the area. The renowned Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa oversaw the Ottoman expansion of the citadel, which included building the inner castle and armory in 1533. The Morea Revolt caused outside damage to the castle in the 19th century, prompting wall strengthening and renovations in 1826 and 1827.

Didyma
Didyma Temple of Apollo, one of the most important divination centers of the ancient world, is located in the city center of Didim district, Aydın Province. It was the sanctuary of the ancient city of Miletus, where the Temple of Apollo, which was the divination center of important cities such as Ephesus and Priene, which formed the Ionian city-states, was originally connected. Didyma is actually not an ancient city, but a sacred site. The first written source about Didyma is Herodotus. As Herodotus says; When Alexander the Great took Miletus, Alexander the Great, who gave the temple management to the city of Miletus, was declared as the son of Zeus by the local people for this behavior. With the help of Alexander, the temple took its present form.