Ephesus Small Group Tour From Kusadasi - Selcuk

In the House of Virgin Mary, declared holy by the Vatican, Muslims as well as Christians from all over the world pray and make offerings to fulfil their pilgrimage. In the Virgin Mary House, which is a sacred place for Christians all over the world, believers from all religions pray, and tourists make their visits. Olive trees on both sides of the path leading to the house of the Virgin Mary were planted by Lazarist monks in 1898. The statue of Mary, located at the end of the road with olives, is the gift of a religious community in Izmir and bears the date of 1867. The visit to the Virgin Mary House ends with three fountains reached by descending the stairs on the right after leaving the church. Drinkable water flows from the fountains and from the wells next to the church. Visitors do not only taste this water in the belief that it is healing but also take it with them.

Ephesus Ancient City, which contains the symbols that shed light on the superior urbanization, architecture and religious history of the Hellenistic and Roman periods, has the most important architectural and urban planning examples from different periods. The ancient city, which is completely made of marble, is also very impressive with its architectural structures. Where you will see one of the most magnificent excavations in the world, the ancient city of Ephesus is a remarkable ancient site and you will be able to see every step of the dozens of historical artefacts that include The Odeon, The Fountain of Trajan, The Terraces of Apartment Houses, The stream baths of Scholastika, The temple of Hadrian and impressive Celsus Library which is adorned with columns and statues, and let's not forget about The Magnificent Grand Theater, where Saint Paul preached and is the largest theatre is antiquity with capacity of 24.000 seats.

The Temple of Artemis, a religious building where the people of Ephesus presented their faith to the goddess, was also the meeting point of the people used as a market place. The Temple of Artemis, which only has its basic ruins and a marble column, is one of the most important places to see in Selcuk. The temple of Artemis, the temple of Temenos, the religious section, had the appearance of a small city with public buildings and residences. Far from the sea, surrounded by fertile land, the temple was used as a commercial enterprise. Because it was a safe place, it also functioned as a bank. What a magnificent structure the Temple of Artemis was once; It is clear from the words of the Macedonian General Antipatros, "When I saw the house of Artemis built on clouds, all other wonders lost their shine and I said," Here! Except for Olympus, the sun has never looked at such a big thing ".

The İsa Bey Mosque, constructed in 1374–75, is one of the oldest and most impressive works of architectural art remaining from the Anatolian beyliks. The mosque is situated on the outskirts of the Ayasluğ Hills at Selçuk.

This article has been previously published as a part of the book Around Ephesus and Kusadasi: TAN Travel Guide by Izabela Miszczak.
If you find yourself in the vicinity of Ephesus, you should find the ruins of the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers (tr. Yedi Uyuyanlar), located nearby. It is a Byzantine necropolis where dozens of rock-cut tombs can be seen. The grotto is one of the several places related to the legend of a group of youths who hid inside a cave and years after woke up to find the world changed.