Ephesus: the city

Ephesus!

One of the best preserved Greco-roman city in the world (maybe excepting Pompeii).  Not only that, but one of my favorite books is set in this town and I was able to walk through it!

Looking down on the city from the upper agora

Mount Pion in the distance

I think this is the Prytaneum, or civic center of Ephesus

In the upper agora, you can see all of the piping and duct work

a path

Looking over a temple and down Curetes street

Amazing, a picture of Eric and I

It is always interesting to see the restoration attempts.  This one didn't even try.  The caption read something like a neomodern cubist sculpture

A temple below the agora.  I think

Gate of Hercules

Curetes Street, walking down through town towards the harbor

I think these are the Scholastica baths, but don't quote me on that

Temple of Hadrian

Public latrine

Some beautiful mosaics maybe in front of the terrace houses?

Looking back up the Curetes street at the temple of Hadrian

This might be the inside of the supposed brothel

Cats everywhere

The Library of Celsus

Gate of Mazaeus and Mithridates

One of the things amazing about Ephesus is that it was truly a city and feels like it.  Contrary to everyone who disagrees, I actually thought it was pretty great to have all the tourists walking around because it gave you a sense of scale.  250,000 people lived here.  Put togas or whatnot on people and you get a sense of what it was like.  And the city can hold them all.  

That is what makes this picture interesting though, because I got a picture with no people in it.  ha

A side street, or colonnade to the marble street.  One was for vehicles and one pedestrians, I think

On the Marble Street, there were many pillars and inscriptions.  I just love how handwriting is so personalized, even when carving in rock.  The second one looks sloppy and fast, doesn't it?

I really do love all the piping and duct work.

The theater.  Big enough for everyone.

Under the stage

People on the stage

From the theater, the Arcadian way heads towards the port

Quite a roadway

Ephesus was an important port town in its day.  Now, it is miles from the ocean.  The old port is just a shallow wetland now.  You can kind of see it in this picture.  Nothing that would impress you now

St. Mary's Church, a converted roman warehouse

so very much worth the trip