Ephesus

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Tour day 9 - 5th April

The day was clear and sunny as we set off for Ephesus, the main reason we came to Turkey. And what an amazing, absolutely mind-blowing place. We spent a mammoth day here and the surrounding historical sites.

So this post will be mainly a photo essay, and anything else I may say here will largely be information gleaned from the various signs around the place, which just made the whole experience so much better, confirming the history and the Biblical narrative.

Our first views of Ephesus and a laden fig tree 





The Main Street leading down to the Library

Visiting the apartment complexes built on the side of the hill, where the wealthy would have lived

The archeological work continues

Amazing mosaic floors still in great shape

The amazing and iconic library of Ephesus

The pastor in our group led us in a devotion, from Acts 19:23 - 41, as we sat in the sunshine in the Agora (market place) near the street leading to the enormous theatre. It came alive as we imagined the city in an uproar because of “the Way”, Gaius and Aristarchus being rushed along the street, the apostle Paul being advised not to appear before the agitated, rioting crowd, and the whole gathering shouting “Great is Artemis” inside the theatre for two whole hours.

The bottom level of the theatre



The view from the top row (that we were allowed to climb to, anyway)

Panorama from the upper levels 

After Ephesus, we continued on to the church of Saint John. According to tradition, and it’s generally accepted that, the apostle John came to Ephesus somewhere between 37 and 48 AD, bringing Mary, Jesus’ mother, with him, fulfilling his promise to Jesus to care for her after the crucifixion. After he began preaching the gospel, he was twice threatened with death by the Emperor Domitianus, and was later exiled to the island of Patmos in 81AD, where he received and wrote down the Revelation from God, then returned to Ephesus in 95 AD, writing his gospel and letters there, and spending the rest of his life on Ayasuluk Hill in Ephesus, until he died at the age of 100.





Back in Kusadasi, we had more free time to wander along the promenade in the sunshine, do a little shopping, and relax before dinner. Our last night in Turkey, before we board the ship for 2 nights cruising through the Greek islands to Athens.

Enjoying the afternoon sunshine and the promenade in Kusadasi 

Sunset over the pretty port of Kusadasi 

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