Ephesus

Virgin Mary house

The House of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus, also known as the “Meryemana” in Turkish, is a small stone house located on a hillside. According to tradition, the house is believed to be the final home of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, where she lived out her last days.

The significance of the Virgin Mary’s House in Ephesus is primarily religious and spiritual. For Catholics and some other Christians, it is considered a holy site and a place of pilgrimage. The house is believed to have been the site of a number of miraculous events.

The belief in the authenticity of the house dates back to the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a German nun who had never visited the site, but in 1820 described the house in detail and its location on a hill near Ephesus. The house was rediscovered in the late 19th century.

The house is located near the ancient city of Ephesus, which was an important center of early Christianity and the site of one of the seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation. The house and its surroundings also showcase the cultural and architectural influences of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires.

Services are given every Sunday.
The water from the spring is considered holy and one can drink or wash hands.
A cistern used on the site for water.
The bottom stones are darker color and are the original excavated foundation.

The ruins of Ephesus are the remains of an ancient Greek and Roman city located near the Aegean Sea in modern-day Turkey. The city was founded in the 10th century BC and was once a thriving center of trade, culture, and religion, with a population that reached up to 250,000 people at its peak.

Column from the Roman period.
Clay pipes excavated from the ground which shows an extensive water and sewage system.
Many of the structures have unknown purposes.

The ruins of Ephesus include a vast array of well-preserved structures, including the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), the Great Theater, and the Terrace Houses (luxury homes of the wealthy). The city’s most iconic structure is the Library of Celsus, a stunning two-story building with a façade adorned with intricate carvings and statues.

A carved backgammon board on the stone.
Rams head that would be on the top of a column.
A small theater area.
The top of these columns are all a little different due to various architectural influences.
Entrance gate outside the theater.
The road going to some dwellings and the market area are pushed in original marble stones. They are the original summers though some were moved from a different place in the city.
There are many fountains and other structures throughout the city.
Hercules gate.
Roman toilets for men only! Fresh water ran continuously through.
This would be part of a rich person’s house as these mosaic tiles on the floor are patterned as a rug.
The inscription on the stone speaks of this place being a brothel, but going there would give you a bad reputation. It is thought that there was an underground passage from the library which was across the street for noble people to enter unseen.
The original Aegean sea came up to about the trees close to the city. An earthquake changed the landscape.
Statues of goddesses can be seen here.
A very large stadium which held 24,000 people.
Symbol for medicine where a doctor would be.
Symbol for pharmacy.

Ephesus was an important religious center, with several temples dedicated to various gods and goddesses, including the Temple of Artemis, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Temple of Domitian. The city was also the site of one of the Seven Churches of Asia mentioned in the Bible’s Book of Revelation.

Temple of Artemis

One of the seven ancient wonders, there is not much left here. Pieces were taken to make other monuments in existence today such as the Hagia Sophia and also a British museum as well as structures in other countries.

Ephesus was eventually abandoned in the 15th century due to a combination of factors, including natural disasters, changes in trade routes, and the rise of new cities. The ruins of Ephesus are stunning with architecture, intricate mosaics, and impressive monuments.