EPHESUS (EFES) - THE CHURCH OF VIRGIN MARY - ST JOHNS CHURCH TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS

Probably the most impressive archaeological site in Turkey. It must have been colonized by the Greeks around the 10th century B.C, who brought their own goddess, Artemis. For over a thousand years this Goddess and her temple provided a focal point for the religious, economic and cultural life of the worshipers. Now only a single column remains of what was once one of the "Seven Wonders of the World". St. Paul encountered trouble here because of his preaching that "gods made by human hands were not gods at all," which decreased the temple sales of silver figurines of the Goddess. An angry crowd besieged him shouting, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians! Ephesus must have been breathtaking in its time especially when approached by sea, which was the usual route. The theater on the slopes of mount Pion is very impressive as is the Arcadian way and the Library of Celsius. One of the "Seven Churches" Was located here.