Yedi Uyurlar is the Cemetery of the Seven Sleepers, young men said to have slept ~200 years to…read moreavoid persecution of Christians while Christianity slowly became the norm of the Roman Empire. A church was built over the original caves and the ruins of both are what can be seen today. You can see some of the excavation site, but it's fenced off (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/yedi-uyurlar-sel%C3%A7uk?select=9OMFNXtH6wWtIGeo2s1Yaw#j5JDKR_832bqeilcScxILQ) so you can't get too close. Most of my pictures are holding the camera above the fence or between bars (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/yedi-uyurlar-sel%C3%A7uk?select=9OMFNXtH6wWtIGeo2s1Yaw#oMUnrDGubWM7E0NbODEmbQ). I would give a higher rating, if you could get closer. If you're short on time and trying to decide which places to visit, this was more worth a visit than the Virgin Mary's House, IMO, of course. And no admission fee!

Such a historic site with the marble slab walkways and ancient ruins still standing. Close your…read moreeyes and you can imagine this beautiful place filled with the hustle and bustle of people walking down the streets. Ephesus is considered one of the greatest cities of the Western world and one of the 7 churches mentioned in the Holy Bible, thus an important part of Christian history. Highlights include the Theater carved into a hill, the Temple of Hadrian, The Gates of Hercules, The house of Mary and the impressive Library of Celsus. Our private guide walked us downhill which was a more impressive route than walking uphill like others were doing. The walkways can be slick in wet conditions, so take a walking stick to help. I don't think a trip to Turkey can be considered complete unless you come here to witness this amazing city formed back in 1000bc.

Ephesus is a historic landmark in Turkiye, founded around 600 BCE. Originally an ancient Greek…read morecity, it became under Roman rule in 129 BCE. Ephesus remained the most important city of the Byzantine Empire in Asia after Constantinople in the 5th and 6th centuries. Ephesus commanded the west end of a trade route to Asia so it was an important port city in its heyday. It boasted a Temple to Artemis, a Temple to Hadrian, a Library of Celsus, the massive Oedon Theatre, the last known home of the Virgin Mary, and some of the earliest Christian churches. Mark Antony was welcomed by Ephesus when he was proconsul and in 33 BC with Cleopatra when he gathered his fleet of 800 ships before the battle of Actium with Octavius. Ephesus is an ancient city with much historical significance. When we visited with our tour group, we were given a quick overview, entered the state-of-the-art museum, and explored the grounds. The site is massive. The ancient ruins are in fairly good condition considering and it is still an active archeological site. When you visit, marvel at the expansive stone lined streets of the agora, peer up at the arches, and wonder at how far humankind has come over the centuries.

We have seen reviews that are up and down, but we were really affected by our visit. This is…read morebelieved to be / could be the final house of the Virgin Mary. The house was destroyed except for the bottom two rows of bricks. It has been reconstructed and is now a shrine. There are 4 springs with "holy water" and a prayer wall. We found it very impactful to possibly be walking where the Virgin Mary and St John the Apostle walked.

Mary shrine. This is pit stop for our trip. This a last home place of Mary. It is a holy place that…read morefor worship due to last Mary Home. The place is very small. Our tour guide warn us about it. Sometimes take two hours to visit this small house. We were visited during the lunch time which is the less tour group here. It takes us 30 minutes.

Neat ruin site. Admission covered by museum Turkey pass. Not a ton of interpretive content on…read moresite so read background before visiting. Parking near site available. Not a destination but a nice stop if in Ephesus.

Another great place! So cool to visit where John, the beloved, was laid to rest. It's known he…read morereturned to Ephesus, after being exiled on Patmos, and that was where he passed away. So this is where his tomb is and in the 6th century, this large basilica was built over his tomb. However, earthquakes and the encroachment of the Turks resulted in the church being abandoned and relics lost. The original design of the church was laid out like a cross. Most of it is gone today, but you can still kind of see how it was set up. They have a replica of the grounds for Ephesus and the basilica so you can have an idea of what things looked like and how far apart they were. The renderings of the buildings are pretty cool. Such amazing history here!

While on a tour of Ephesus, getting a chance to see the Library of Celsus in person was a highlight…read morefor me. The Library was built in 117 AD as a monumental tomb for the Roman Senator and military commander Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus (who is buried behind the library). The interior was destroyed years later. Today, all that remains is the library's impressive facade which was reconstructed in the 1970's. As you approach the Library of Celsus while walking down Curetes Street, you get a glimpse of its massive size compared to the other ruins. The Library once held over 12,000 scrolls and was a center of learning during ancient Roman times. While here, take some time to look at all of the architectural details, inscriptions and sculptures on the Library of Celsus. I even found an early symbol of Christianity carved on the steps. Just be careful while walking down the steps. I saw a guy take a tumble and fall down. The City of Ephesus is an amazing place to visit and I am glad I got a chance to come here.

The facade of the Library of Celsus is a beautiful reconstructed ruin from the Roman Empire. It was…read morethe third largest library in the ancient world and held over 12,000 scrolls. It was built as a mausoleum to honor the Roman Senator Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus by his son in 117 AD. It is a really beautiful landmark in Ephesus at the base of Curetes Street. Decorated with marble statues, Corinthian style columns, and ornate carvings and ceilings, it was restored with the help of the Austrian Archeological Institute in the 1970s. The four statues in the niches represent the four virtues of Celsus--wisdom (Sophia), knowledge (Episteme), intelligence (Ennoia) and valor (Arete). There is a menorah carved into the floor behind one of the sets of columns. The Celsus Library was featured on several Turkish lira banknotes. An amazing landmark in Ephesus.

Our guide insisted Ephesus would be the highlight of our trip, and truly, it's quite the impressive…read morebeauty spot. Since the history of Ephesus may be read anywhere, I'll concentrate more on personal experience. It gets pretty crowded, especially with everyone wanting to see the communal toilets and the Celsus Library (someone carved "Metallica" into one of the library's columns). Seriously, way more people were shoving to see the commode than anything else. Back in the day a stream used to run beneath them, but more than that with how the holes are all positioned beside one another with no privacy, it's believed the public toilets were a place where people socialized while doing their business. At Ephesus, there are cats EVERYWHERE, and they don't mind all the attention from the tourists. They just nap all over the ruins, and strut about on the mosaic floors roped off from anyone else walking on them. Occasionally you'll find a pile of kibble left on a column stump with some kitties munching at it happily. Not far from the Celsus Library is a re-enactment of sorts, which our guide insisted was just for tourists. From what I gathered it was pretty much an exhibition of gladiatorial fighting for a couple who were meant to be Julius Caesar and Cleopatra whilst music from "Ben Hur" and the theme song for the Olympics was played. While this was pretty cheesy, Spartacus, himself, was from Thrace, which encompassed part of Turkey. After that our guide pointed to a building in the hills saying it was where St. Paul had been imprisoned. Getting to walk in the ruins was pretty wonderful, and with all the tourists it gives the appearance that the city is full of life again.

My friend and I took the train from Izmir to Selcuk ( about an hour and 45 minutes) for about 4.75…read moreTL ( that's $2.40 for about 80km!). In the morning, there are seats galore, so do not worry about not having space ( on the way back though, be prepared to stand up). You pay 25 TL to enter the site. At first I was jealous of all the other foreigners who had tour guides. But really, you can do this yourself if you remember to read up on the site before hand and ask locals down in Selcuk what to do ( we had an amazingly hospitable and kind hearted travel agency person lend us a tour book and give us pointers, no money asked. Even added in tea. Now that's priceless, memorable Turkish care and hospitality). Enter always from the top entrance, and try to come before the sun comes up ( this way you walk downhill, rather than uphill). It gets very hot ( this was in July). And stock up on water before coming here, because water is very hard to find once you're inside ( we essentially took some water from the Austrian archeological water tank, which was actually an old ceramic water jug millenia ago. Kinda cool. Even cooler is how the archeaologists left their books and tools under temporary tarps, so this is legit a current excavation). Wear a hat, long sleeves so you don't roast alive, come with extra batteries, bananas or some other power food, and good walking shoes. WALKING SHOES ( and sunblock). These archeological sites will take a greater portion of your day, so be ready for it. Read the signs up in the top entrance if you want a background, but don't waste your time there. There are greater things to see as you walk down. Don't get fooled by the mini amphitheater you immediately see and think "YES! Photo Session!" It is indeed a great photo spot, but the bigger coliseum comes after Celsus Library. When you walk past the ancient marina, walk on the beaten path to the ruins of the Church of Mary,where the 3rd ecumenical council met. There are a lot of other ruins around this area, but remember, it is a far walk off the normal path. These ruins are in ruin, but the amount of history in this spot alone is mind boggling ( as is with the entire area, of course). After you leave the Celsus Library area and walk toward the large ampitheter/colisuem, don't jog past the short building to the right. Inside the gated off building are artifacts that were once housed in museums ( but I think are being temporarily stored in the current location because of restoration? Funnily enough, it is in an area fenced off for "the visually impaired" but no one can get to it really). For example you will see the Lady of Ephesus, and other artifacts commonly seen in history textbooks. When you exit from the lower entrance/exit, you will see lots of cafes. Of course, its over priced, but this is the last time you'll see food for a bit if you're not in a tour group. Definitely replenish yourself, and then walk out through the parking lot to the lone tree, which serves as a minibus stop. It will take you in the general direction of the Temple of Artemis. If you are in the Aegean Sea region or in neighboring provinces, you must come to Ephesus.It is not hard to get to at all. This will change your life, and your perception of ancient history. I guess it's fitting that Ephesus is visited by a huge variety of tourists. Hearing Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin all in the walkway going towards the Celsus Library on Curetes Street is one of the audible memories that transported me to what Ephesus must have been like during its heyday. It is a memory that I will never forget.