Ephesus
Main Image Gallery
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Ephesus & Şirince

Get the FREE PDF reader here


Ephesus is well known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and includes many impressive ancient ruins. The Aegean pastoral village of Şirince lies nearby - and it's a great base from which to explore Ephesus whilst enjoying simple Turkish life as it is today.

EPHESUS


Ephesus tells a wonderful story of life in ancient times, with its monumental state buildings, temples, marble streets, Roman toilets and decorated private houses.

With a population of 250,000, Ephesus was once one of the most cosmopolitan cities of the ancient world. Perhaps this was the reason why John is believed to have brought Mother Mary to Ephesus after the death of Jesus, in keeping with Jesus’ admonition to John to care for his mother.

Equidistant from Hellespont and Lycia, Ephesus was the last stop of the Persian Royal road, an important trade route between the East and the West and the Artemission - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - attracted pilgrims from all over the Greco-Roman world.

The wonders of Ephesus are many and varied.

ŞIRINCE


Şirince (pronounced she-RIN-jay) is a wonderful little Aegean village of 600 inhabitants. It is located in the hills at about 350 meters (1000 ft) above sea level, which means pleasant nights in the heat of the summer, and in winter some frost and the occasional snowfall.

Most of the houses in the village date from the 19th century or earlier. They were built at a time when Şirince was predominantly a Greek village.

The village lies in a lovely bowl of hills surrounded by peach orchards, vineyards and olive groves. The higher hills are covered with pine forest. Nearly all houses command a pastoral panorama extending over many miles, undisturbed by any modern development. The surroundings are full of idyllic country walks.

Farming remains the principal activity. Villagers make wine and olive oil, and grow some of the best peaches in the country. They greet strangers with a smile and very often invite them in for a cup of tea.

The archeological site of Ephesus is located in the plain 11 km away. A public minibus serves Selçuk - the modern town of Ephesus - every half hour throughout the day. The nearest beach is 15 km (10 miles) distant.