Just a 15 minute drive from Sirince Terrace Houses lies the extraordinary site of Ephesus. Here you will find the largest collection of archeological remains in the eastern Mediterranean. Once a city of 450 000 people, the site now offers some of the most fascinating insights into the lives and rituals of its time.

 

Ephesus was founded by the Greeks in the 10th Century BC. Over the centuries, it was ruled by a succession of empires: Persian, Roman, Byzantine and finally Ottoman. The city was at its most powerful under Roman rule in the 1st and 2nd Century AD, when it was the biggest city and commercial centre of its day. Its biggest claim to fame was its Temple to Artemis, one of the "seven wonders" of the Ancient World. It was four times as big as the Parthenon in Athens but all that remains of it today is a single column on the road between Selcuk and Ephesus.

 

Once a port city, Ephesus relied on fishing and commerce for its success. Its inhabitants were remarkably modern and forward thinking, education was valued and through the cult of Artemis, the city became a bastion of women's rights.

 

As the river began to silt up, the city became further removed from the sea on which it relied so heavily. A series of earthquakes destroyed many parts of the city, and as residents went in search of new opportunities, Ephesus slowly lost its powerful status.

 

Sirince also played a part in the history of the city: it was known as Ephesus On The Hills, and the springs that still exist today were once part of a water supply network for the inhabitants of the city. Remains of aqueducts and pipes are still visible on the way down from Sirince to Selcuk and Ephesus.

 

Sirince Terrace Houses is the perfect base from which to visit Ephesus, and we will happily help with any arrangements if you are visiting us without a car.