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Efes Antik Kenti ve çevresinde, yerli ve yabancı konuklara tur rehberi hizmetleri vermekteyiz. Hizmetlerimiz Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı tarafından kokartlı profesyonel turist rehberleri tarafından sağlanmaktadır. Türkçe, İngilizce, Almanca, İspanyolca, Portekizce, İtalyanca ve Rusça dillerini son derece iyi konuşan tecrübeli rehberlerimiz sizlerin ve misafirlerinizin memnuniyeti için hep yanınızda olacaktır. Tur sırasında tarihsel bilgilerin dişinda rehberlerimiz, Efes Antik Kenti ve çevre bölgenin yaşam kültürünü, geleneklerini, sosyolojik yapısını, politikası konusunda da bilgi verecektir.

​Efes Antik Kenti, Türkiye'nin en iyi kazılmış ve en büyük arkeolojik parkıdır. 2015 yılından beri UNESCO dünya mirası listesinde yer almaktadır. İzmir şehir merkezine 65 km uzaklıkta bulunan Selçuk ilçesi sınırları içerisinde yer almaktadır. Kuşadası'na 18 km uzaklıktadır. Kleopatra, Mark Anthony, Augustus, Aziz Pavlus, Meryem Ana ve Havari Yuhanna gibi birçok önemli isme ev sahipliği yapan efsanevi bir şehirdir. 200,000 kişilik nufusuyla, Roma İmparatorluğu'nun zirvesindeki en büyük dört şehirden biri olmuştur. Her yıl 2 milyondan fazla kişi tarafından ziyaret edilmektedir. Türkiye'nin en önemli seyahat destinasyonlarından biridir. Gezginler için mutlaka görülmesi gereken bir yerdir. Bu kadar önemli bir arkeolojik şehri profesyonel bir tur rehberi eşliğinde gezmenizi tavsiye ederiz.

​Efes'in kuruluşu MÖ 6000 olan Neolotik döneme dayanmaktadır. Arkeologlar, bugün Artemis Tapınağı'nın bulunduğu Hitit Dönemi'nde yerleşim olduğunu ortaya çıkardılar. Şehir, Arzawa Krallığı'nın başkenti olan Apasas olarak adlandırıldı.

Bazı kaynaklar şehrin Amazonlar tarafından MÖ 3. binyılda kurulduğunu söylüyor. Bu küçük yerleşim yerinin sakinleri Amazonlar, Karyalılar, Leleglerdi. Amazonlar, Anadolu'da yaşayan bir kadın savaşçı ırkıydı. Homeros'un İlyada ve Odyseey destanlarında Amozonlardan bahsettiğini görüyoruz. Odyssey Destanı'na göre, Amazonlar Truva Savaşı'nda Truva atları ile Miken ve Spartalılara karşı savaştı.
O sırada kraliçeleri, son Troy filminde Brad Pitt olan Aka kahramanı Achilles tarafından öldürüldü. Efsaneye göre Amazonlar, erkekleri sevmeyen, ancak doğurganlık nedenleriyle erkekleri kullanan kadın savaşçılardı. Ok atma konusunda çok iyiydiler ve daha hizli ok atabilmek için, sağ göğüslerini keserlerdi. Kaynaklar, "Ephesos" un Apasas adlı başarılı bir Amazon kraliçesinin adından geldiğini söyler. Bilindiği gibi bugün Güney Amerika'da Amazon nehri var. 16. yüzyılda bir İspanyol Asker, Homeros Destanlarında bahsedilenlere benzer şekilde yağmur ormanları arasında nehir kenarında benzer kadın savaşçıları görünce onlara Amazon ismini verir.
 
MÖ 11. yüzyılda, Kuzey Makedonya'dan gelen Dor işgalcileri, Yunanistan anakarasına göç ettiler ve göç etmek için sakinleri kovdular. Azınlıklar arasında İyonyalılar, Aiolyalılar ve bazı Dorlar Batı Anadolu'ya göç etti. Aiolialılar, Smyrna'nın kuzeyine gitti. İyonyalılar burada Efes ve çevresindeydiler. Herodotos "En iyi hava İyonya'da. Aiolia'nın toprakları çok bereketli ama hava durumu değil" der. Ephesos, Miletos, Priene, Kolophon, Priene, Teos, Samos, Myus, Chios, Phokaia, Erytraí, Lebedor isimli 12 yeni şehir devleti kurdular. Dorlar güneye gitti ve Karyalılar tarafından asimile edildi. Efes önemli bir liman kenti oldu. MÖ 6. yüzyılda. Şehir, bugün Artemis Tapınağı'nın bulunduğu yere kadar uzanıyordu. Bugün bu bölgeye Ayasoluk deniyor. Adı "Hagios Theologos" kelimesinden türemiştir Efsaneye göre bu göçe Atina Kralı Kodros'un oğlu Androklos liderlik etmiştir. Samos Adası'nı fethettikten sonra bu bölgeye geldi. O sırada bir şehir kurmak için Tanrılar'dan izin alınması gerekiyordu. Androklos, kahinlere şehri nerede kuracaklarını sormak için Delphi'ye, Apollon Tapınağı'na yelken açtı. Kahinler, "Bir domuz ve bir balık size rehberlik edecek ve şehrin kurulması gereken yeri işaretleyecek" dedi. Bu, Androklos'a bir yaban domuzu ile bir balığın buluşması için pek mantıklı gelmedi. Bir gün mangal sırasında. Bir balık, üzerine yanan bir kömür yapışmış halde ızgaradan fırladı ve yangına neden oldu. Bu yangın yakınlarda bir yaban domuzunu korkuttu ve Androkos yaban domuzunu avladı ve yaban domuzunun öldürüldüğü yerde şehri kurmaya karar verdi.

Efes, MÖ 4. yüzyıla kadar Lidya ve Pers egemenliği altındaydı. Daha sonra ünlü Komutan Büyük İskender şehri Perslerden kurtarmıştır. Ölümünden sonra, generallerinden ve haleflerinden Lysimachos şehri yönetti. Onun zamanında: Kaystros nehrinin taşıdığı alüvyon çökelleri limanı doldurdu ve sürekli yükselen deniz seviyesi eski yerleşimi sular altında bırakarak limanı kullanılmaz hale getirdi. Limanın elverişsiz durumu ticareti etkiledi. Efes alçak bir zeminde bulunuyordu ve tamamen denizin suları altında kalmıştı. Spor salonları, stadyumlar, çeşmeler gibi zenginleştirilmiş yeni bir yerleşim yeri ... Lysimachos tarafından emredildi. Yeni kent arayışının nedenleri, yer altı suyu seviyesinin yükselmesi ve alüvyon nedeniyle yeni bir limanın gerekliliğiydi. Sakinleri bugün bulunduğu yeni şehre taşındılar; Preon ve Pion iki tepe arasında. Yeni şehir, Miletli Hypodomos'un belirlediği ızgara planını uyguladı. Sokaklar dik açılarla kesişiyor. Caddeler ve sokaklar havadan bakıldığında bir satranç tahtası gibi görünür.

Efes, Artemis Tapınağı (Diana) ile ün kazandı. Artemis kültü ve ünlü tapınağı Efes'e büyük bir insan kalabalığını çekmiştir. Artemis Tapınağı, antik dünyanın 7 harikasından biri olarak kabul edilir. Anadolu ayrıca, Karya kenti Halikarnasus'ta Efes'ten 170km uzaklıkta bulunan bir başka harikaya da ev sahipliği yapar. "Kral Mosolos Anıt Mezarı"

MÖ 2. yüzyılda Efes, Romalılara karşı Suriye kralı Antiochus'un yanında yer aldı. Efes'in 100km kuzeyindeki Magnesia'daki (Manisa) yenilginin ardından. Efes, Roma'nın müttefiki olan Bergama Kralı'nın yönetimine girdi. Son Bergama Kralının ölümünden sonra bir Roma şehri oldu. Roma İmparatoru Antonius Pius döneminde şehir, "Asya'nın ilk ve en büyük metropolü" unvanını taşıyordu.

Efes'in altın çağı, Helenistik ve Roma dönemlerindeydi. Küçük Asya'nın en büyük metropolü olan İyonya'nın mücevheri olan Efes'ín nufusu 200.000 vatandaş ve 25.000 köleden (MS 2. yüzyıl) oluşuyordu. Artemis'in onuruna verilen bayram günlerinde nüfus üç katına çıktı. Şehir, MS 1. yüzyılda Roma İmparatoru Augustus döneminde Asya Eyaletinin başkenti oldu. Bu süre zarfında Efes, bir Sanat ve Kültür merkezi ve Felsefe için bir buluşma yeri oldu. Efes'li ünlü filozof, MÖ 4. yüzyılda yaşamış olan Heraclitus'tur. MS 2. yüzyılda birçok mermer yapı inşa edildi ve sokaklar mermer heykellerle süslendi. Şehir, 4 ana su kemeri de dahil olmak üzere şehrin farklı bölgelerine hizmet veren çeşitli boyutlarda çok sayıda su kemeriyle antik dünyadaki en gelişmiş su kemeri ve kanalizasyon sistemlerinden birine sahipti. Bu gelişmiş su kemeri sistemi saniyede 120 lt su sağlamak için kullanılıyordu. 

​MS 263 yılında Gotlar tarafından yağmalanmasına rağmen Efes, 5. ve 6. yüzyıllarda Konstantinopolis'ten sonra Bizans İmparatorluğunun en önemli şehirlerinden biri olarak kaldı. Bununla birlikte, MS 8. yüzyılda Araplar tarafından yapılan diğer yıkımlar hızlı bir düşüşe neden oldu: Şehir tarihi boyunca tekrarlanan depremlerle birçok kere yıkıldı ve Küçük Menderes nehri tarafından şehir limanı çamurla doldu. 7. yüzyıl sonunda şehir, büyük ölçüde terk edildi. 11. yüzyılda Selçuklu Türkleri fethettiğinde küçük bir köydü Efes. Bizanslılar 1100 yılında yeniden kontrol altına aldılar ve 13. yüzyılın sonuna kadar bölgenin kontrolünü ellerinde tuttular. Bizans döneminde, başlıca yerleşim yeri ilk sıralarda Ayasoluk (Hagios Theologos) Tepesi'nde bulunuyordu. Bir Türk beyliği olan Aydınoğulları, 14. yüzyılda şehri fethetti. 16. yüzyıldan itibaren şehir önemini yitirmiş ve Osmanlı Devleti tarafından yönetilmiştir.

Efes Antik Kenti Turu
Siz sadece nasıl bir gezi hayal ettiğinizi anlatın, biz kişiye ve/veya gruba özel rehber hizmetlerimiz ile yanınızdayız. Turlarımızı; İngilizce, Fransızca, Almanca, Rusça, Portekizce, İtalyanca, İspanyolca ve Türkçe dillerini son derece iyi konuşan ve Turizm Bakanlığından kokartlı, TUREB (Turist Rehberleri Birliğine) üye rehberlerimiz eşliğinde düzenliyoruz. Tur süresince konuklarımızın keyifli zaman geçirmelerine, gezilen ve ziyaret edilen yerler hakkında doğru bilgilenmelerine önem gösteriyoruz. 

Selçuk ilcesinde, Efes Antik kenti haricinde gezilebilecek diğer yerler:

• Meryemana Evi (Hz. İsa`nın annesi Meryem`in hayatının son 9 yılını geçirdiğine inanılan ev.)
• St. Jean Bazilikası (Hz. İsa`nın 12 havarisinden en genci olan, Kuran`da ismi Yuhanna olarak geçen havarinin mezarı üstüne yapilmis kilise kalıntıları.)
• Isabey Camii (Aydinogullari beyliginin başi Isa Bey adiıa yapılıis. 14. yüzyil camii.)
• Artemis Tapınağı Kalıntıları (Antik dünyanın 7 harikasından biri)
• Şirince Köyü (1924 yılında Yunan-Türk mübadelesinin yapıldiğı tarihi dağ köyü.)
• Selçuk Arkeoloji Muzesi 
• Yedi Uyuyanlar (Kuran`da Ashab-i Kehf suresinde gecen 7 erken hristiyan gencin gömüldüğü kutsal alan.)
• Teras Evler/Yamaç Evler (Efes antik kenti içinde bulunan, Mozaik ve stuccolarla bezeli zengin Romalı evleri.)

TC Vatandaşı olmayalar ıçin Efes antik kentine giriş ücreti kişi başı 100 TL'dir. Efes antik kenti içerisinde yer alan yamaç evler bu fiyatın dışında kalmaktadır. 

Müzekartınızla Efes Antik Kenti haricinde, St. Jean Bazilikası ve Efes Arkeoloji Müzesi de ücretsiz ziyaret edilebilir. Müzekart Meryemana'da geçmemektedir. Meryemana giriş ücreti Türk vatandaşları için 10tlö yabancılar için 60tl dir.

* 6326 sayılı Profesyonel Turist Rehberliği Meslek Kanunu uyarınca Türkiye Seyahat Acentaları Birliği (TÜRSAB) üyesi Acentaların düzenledikleri tur,transfer,günübirlik şehir turu,paket tur,gece turu şekliyle müşterilerine sundukları hizmetlerde gerekli şartları taşıyıp kendisini adına Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı tarafından hazırlanan Profesyonel Turist Rehberliği Ruhsatnamesi ve Eylemli Çalışma Kartı'na sahip Profesyonel Turist Rehberi bulundurmaları gerekmektedir. Eğer bir kişi ad altında olursa olsun Profesyonel Turist Rehberliği Ruhsatnamesi ve Eylemli Çalışma Kartı olmadan Turist Rehberliği Hizmeti veriyorsa bu söz konusu yasaya göre suçtur. 6326 sayılı Profesyonel Turist Rehberliği Meslek Kanunu uyarınca Turist Rehberleri hizmet verdiği tur esnasında Eylemli olduğunu gösterir Çalışma Kartını üzerinde ve kolayca görünür şekilde taşımak zorundadır.

Efes Antik Kenti Belgeseli

Esmirna es la tercera ciudad más grande de Turquia. Tiene 3 millones habitantes. Por cinco mil años, hay habitantes en Izmir. Los primeros colonos eran mujeres guerreras llamadas Amozanas. Esmirna fue el nombre de la reina de Amazónas que se fundado por primera vez aquí. Otra reina de Amazónas fue al sur. Su nombre era Apasas. La palabra Éfeso se deriva de Apasas. La única fuente de información sobre Amazonas son de las epopeyas de Homero. Homero nació en Esmirna en el siglo ocho antes de cristo. Homero era ciego y entretenía a la gente contando historias. Homeros mencionó que los Amazonas eran mujeres guerreras que no les gustaban mucho los hombres pero los utilizaban por razones de fertitilidad. Eran muy buenos arqueros. Para ser más rápidos, se cortan el seno derecho. La palabra Amazon significa sin el seno. Cuando se dice Amazon, lo primero que se recuerda es Brasil. El nombre del río en Brasil. En el siglo XVII, un viajero alemán estaba en Brasil cuando vio guerreras similares mencionadas por Homero. Él nombró el río como Amazones.

Selcuk es el nombre moderno de Ciudad de Éfeso. Se tarda una hora en coche para ir a Selcuk desde Izmir. Vamos a conducir a través de tierras fértiles. Principales productos agrícolas: algodón, melocotón, mandarina, tomate, tabaco, aceitunas, higos... A la derecha, hay un castillo llamado el castillo de cabras. Construido por el imperio bizantino siglo seis. Capturado por los turcos en el siglo catorce.
Nuestra primera parada será la casa de la virgen María. Se cree que Virgen María pasó sus últimos nueve años en esta casa. Cuando Jesús fue crucificado, le dijo a María que considerara a Juan como su nuevo hijo y le dijo a Juan que cuidara a su madre. Después de la crucifixión, Juan y María viajaron juntos. Cinco años después de la crucifixión, llegaron a la ciudad de Éfeso. Éfeso en ese tiempo era la cuarta ciudad más grande del imperio romano. Éfeso tenía un puerto comercial importante. Era la capital de la provincia de Asia del imperio romano. Templo de Artemis en Éfeso era un lugar de peregrinación para los paganos. Vivir en el centro de la ciudad no era seguro para los primeros cristianos. Por lo tanto, Juan y María vivían en una montaña fuera de Éfeso. Maria pasó sus últimos 9 años aquí. Después de la ascensión, Juan viajó a través de Anatolia. (Anatolia es una palabra griega que significa tierra del este donde sale el sol.) El emperador romano Domiciano exilió a Juan a Patmos. Escribió el libro de la revelación en la isla de Patmos. Envió 7 cartas a 7 iglesias de asia menor. La palabra iglesia no significaba un edificio en ese momento. Significaba comunidad de cristianos. La casa se descubre en el siglo diecinueve. Una monja alemana paralizada que nunca ha estado en el lugar vio visiones. En sus visiones, vio dónde vivía la Virgen María, murió y fue enterrada. Un libro escrito. Más tarde las descripciones de este libro, buscadas por la iglesia de Izmir. La casa ha sido una capilla por cien años. Hay monjas y sacerdotes asignados por el vaticano. En mil novecientos sesenta y siete papa paul sexto vino y oró aquí. Hasta ahora llegaron 3 papas. Un millón y medio de visitantes al año. No todos los visitantes son cristianos. Muchos visitantes musulmanes. Los musulmanes consideran a María como la madre de un profeta. Meryem es el nombre de María en el libro del Corán. Meryem es un nombre muy popular en Turquía. La tumba de María es buscada con dispositivos de sonar, pero no hay pruebas científicas. Entre las iglesias cristianas hay diferentes teorías. Los católicos creen que ella pasó sus últimos años aquí.
Éfeso fue fundado al final de una bahía. Cerca de un río llamado Kaistros. Debido a los terremotos, las erosiones, el río llevó los suelos ricos de las montañas y llenó el puerto. Los lagos de agua causaron mosquitos y malaria. La malaria era una enfermedad grande en Éfeso. Debido a esto, la ciudad tuvo que cambiar su ubicación varias veces. Después de Amazones, los griegos llamados Ionianos se establecieron aquí. Los ionianos fundaron 12 ciudades. Donde se localizan las ciudades se llama Ionia. Aquí se crearon columnas jónicas en arqueología. Los ionianos tenían una diosa madre llamada Artemis. Artemisa era conocida por los romanos como Diana. Construyen un enorme templo. Más tarde este templo fue seleccionado como una de las 7 maravillas del mundo antiguo. Éfeso fue gobernado por Lidios luego los persas, en trescientos treinta y cuatro Alejandro Magno vino aquí. Tenía 33 años cuando estaba aquí. Ordenó que la ciudad se ubicara en otro lugar. La ciudad que visitaremos, es fundada por Alejandro y conocida como Éfeso Número 3. El tiempo más rico de Éfeso es el primer y segundo siglo. La ciudad tenía doscientos mil habitantes. Éfeso fue arruinado por terremotos en el siglo IV. El puerto se llena nuevamente. La malaria era una gran enfermedad. Durante el tiempo de Constantino el emperador romano, el cristianismo se convirtió en la religión del imperio. Constantino ordenó una ciudad capital El nombre de la nueva ciudad se cambia a Constantionopolis. Constantinópolis se convirtió en la nueva capital. Hasta el siglo siete vivían en Éfeso. Luego abandonó la ciudad. Los restos de la ciudad estaban debajo de 2-3 metros de tierra. Durante ciento diez años los arqueólogos excavan el sitio. Hasta el momento se ha excavado el diez por ciento de la ciudad. La mayoría de los edificios excavados son edificios civiles. Los edificios residenciales todavía están bajo tierra. Hoy Efeso es el tercer sitio más visitado de Turquía. 2 millones de visitantes al año. Éfeso se conoce con la biblioteca. Tiene la tercera biblioteca más grande del mundo antiguo. Fue construido en el nombre del gobernador llamado Celsus en el segundo siglo. La biblioteca tenía veinticinco mil libros y rollos hechos de papiro y pergamino. El gran teatro de Efeso tiene una capacidad de veinticinco mil personas. Los arqueólogos estiman la población de la ciudad del tamaño del teatro.

Offercemos excursiones privadas de Efeso y aldrededores con guias de espanol. Para obtener mas informacion por favor contactenos:

For travelers who are travelling Turkey with a rent a car, we offer tour guide only services. Your expert Ephesus tour guide can meet you in front of Basilica of St. John or at your hotel in Selcuk or Kusadasi. 

​Hire a local private tour guide in Ephesus !

* Referenced rate is for tour guide only and does not include entrance fees and parking fees to the sites. 

* The tour is limited with Ephesus and surroundings for 7-8 hours. Your tour guide can meet you at any time you like. 
​
* If you do not have a rental car and staying in Selcuk or coming to Selcuk with train. We offer private walking tours of the Basilica of St. John, Temple of Artemis and Ancient City of Ephesus. For more information, please contact us.

​Meeting point in Selcuk town with your tour guide will be in front of Basilica of St. John.:

Driving from Izmir and Izmir Airport to Ephesus (Selcuk)
The western region of Turkey is an easy place to drive a rental car. If you are planning to rent a car at İzmir Airport, make sure that your rental car has a toll sticker or a toll transponder to pay the highway tolls. You cannot pay the tolls any other way  Note that you can not pay tolls with cash!  As you exit from Izmir airport, follow the green signs for Aydın (not İzmir). Green sign is for toll road. The toll for the drive from the Izmir airport to Selcuk (Ephesus) is about 3 Turkish Liras. In the toll road there are no signs here for Selcuk or Ephesus, so follow the signs for Aydın. After 30 minutes drive from Izmir airport is the Selcuk turn, Leave the toll road by this exit, following signs to Selcuk and Efes (Ephesus). After passing the tollgates in 10 minutes you will reach Selcuk (Ephesus). If you are going to use our tour guide only service, you will meet your tour guide in front of Basilica of St. John, therefore look for a brown sign as ''Basilica of St. John''

Ephesus Tour Guides
Private Ephesus Tours from Selcuk

Going from Izmir to Ephesus
Selcuk is the modern name for Ephesus. It is a small town having a population of 35 thousand. Selcuk is 62km south of Izmir. It is an hour drive from Izmir Airport. Havas have shuttles for flights. Selcuk is also accessible by train from Izmir Airport and Izmir downtown (Basmane).

The same train also go to Denizli where Pamukkale (Hierapolis) is located.

The Train schedule between Izmir, Izmir Airport and Selcuk Town (Ephesus) is as follows:
​(Click here for the official train schedule)

For travelers, who would travel with train from Izmir downtown or Izmir airport, we can meet them at Selcuk Train Station, after a private tour of Ephesus we can take them to their hotel in Kusadasi, Selcuk, Sirince Village or take them back to Selcuk train station. For private Ephesus Tours from selcuk train station, please contact us.

​* If you do not have a rental car and staying in Selcuk or coming to Selcuk with train. We offer private walking tours of Basilica of St. John, Temple of Artemis and Ancient City of Ephesus. For more information, please contact us.

On his return journey from Corinth, Paul came to the city of Ephesus to fulfill his promise after a short visit, and he came back and Paul stayed in Ephesus about 2.5 years between 53-56AD.

During the excavations at Ephesus, more than 3,500 inscriptions have been found. Some of the most interesting are in a small cave on the slope of Bülbül Mountain (Nightingale Mountain).  According to a local legend, when St. John brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus from Jerusalem, they had no place to stay.  John found this cave and hid Mary there for her safety.  It was not until some time later that John located a more suitable home for Mary higher up on the mountain, known as Panaya Capoulu.  In more recent years, the cave has been re-named “the Cave of St. Paul” due to the frescoes and inscriptions on the walls which refer to St. Paul. 

The cave has been a Christian sacred site since the 1st or 2nd century. The walls were decorated with frescoes and inscriptions and white-washed several times, then re-painted with new images. Discovered under plaster on the walls are important 5th-century frescoes, with inscriptions, depicting the Virgin Mary, St. Paul and St. Thecla (a female disciple of Paul). This is the only known depiction of St. Paul at Ephesus and the earliest known appearance in the world of Paul and Thecla together.

The cave was discovered by a group of priests in 1892, while looking for the tomb of the Virgin Mary. Under the layers of plaster on the corridor walls are Greek phrases such as “the hidden of Mother of God” and “Paul help your servant”-written in charcoal and chalk. To protect these delicate and ancient wall frescoes, the cave is not open to the public. Unfortunately this site can not be visited during the tours of Ephesus.

​The first Christian congregation in Ephesus was founded by St John the Apostle and expanded by St Paul. On his return journey from Corinth, Paul came to the city of Ephesus to fulfill his promise after a short visit, and he came back and stayed for about two and a half years between 53-56AD. Most likely St. Paul wrote the Corinthians No.1 letter in Ephesus at this time period. When Paul came to Ephesus, he preached the gospel in the synagogue of Ephesus and the hall of Tyrannus. Tyrannus was an owner of a lecture hall at Ephesus. All this information is  mentioned in the New Testament, in the book of Acts of the Apostles (19:9).  The Ephesus Church, leaded the Seven Churches in the Asia Minor (Western Turkey today).

What happened to Paul at Ephesus?
​By St. Paul’s efforts, in a short time, Ephesus became the third important city of Christianity after Jerusalem and Antioch. Christianity quickly gained popularity in Ephesus. The popularity of this new religion concerned some people in Ephesus. The silversmith Demetrius and others, who made a living by selling and making silver statues of Mother Goddess Artemis, were very upset. Demetrius and his colleagues provoked thousands of people and met them at the Ephesus theater and started a big riot in 56AD. The crowd was shouting "The Great Artemis of Ephesians". St Paul wanted to face the crowd, but the disciples didn't let him. Finally, the city clerk calmed down the crowd. Probably St. Paul was jailed in Ephesus for a while before he departed to North. 

It is obvious that Ephesus had an important role in Christianity.  Both St. John and St. Paul was in Ephesus but neither of them were in Ephesus at the same time. 

In the New Testament, there are 13 letters of St. Paul. During his house arrest in Rome in 61 AD, St. Paul mailed 3 letters to the city of Ephesus: Timothy No.1, Timothy No. 2 and Ephesians. Paul's letters tended to be written in response to certain crises. Ephesus Church, most probably was facing major difficulties and St. Paul was aware of these.
​
Timothy was one of the disciples of St. Paul. St. Paul met with Timothy during his missionary journeys in Lystra. Afterwards Timothy joined Paul and Silas, and they travelled together to the city of Ephesus. After Paul had to leave the city of Ephesus. Timothy became the head of the Christian Community in Ephesus. He is considered to be the first bishop of Ephesus. Although not stated in the bible, according to some apocryphal gospels, Timothy was martyred in Ephesus in 97AD when he was 80 years old. Probably Timothy met with St. John the Apostle , although there is no mention of this in the New Testament.

We organize Private Ephesus Tours from Izmir airport. Travelers who stay in Istanbul can make a day trip to Ephesus. The closest airport to Ephesus is Izmir Airport which is 45 minutes drive to the ancient city of Ephesus. Flight from Istanbul to Izmir Airport takes approximately 1 hour..

We provide exclusive Private Ephesus Tours including pick up and drop off from/to Izmir Airport and Izmir Airport Hotels.

​For travelers who will be flying from Istanbul we recommend the following flights: 
​(Please note that there two airports located in Istanbul. Istanbul Airport and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport. Istanbul Airport is located in the European side and Sabiha Gokcen is located in the Asian Side of Istanbul.  

​Airlines flying to Izmir Airport from Istanbul Airports:

• Pegasus : http://www.flypgs.com/
• Anadolu Jet: https://www.anadolujet.com/en
• Turkish Airlines : https://www.turkishairlines.com/​

​* Generally a private tour of Ephesus takes approximately 8 hours. Therefore we recommned our guests to book 8am flight from Istanbul to Izmir and 6pm flight from Izmir to Istanbul. We recommend to book the below flights:

Price for Ephesus Private Tour from Izmir Airport: 170 Euros (Total to be paid up to 6 people)

* Above rate is NOT a per person price. It is total to be paid 1-6 people.
* On certain dates we offer %20 discount. Discounted Ephesus Tour Dates
* For groups, more than 6 people, please contact us.

Rates Cover:

• Services of an excellent English speaking tour Guide 
• A/C Mercedes MPV
• All transportation costs.
• Tax, service charges.
• Pick up and drop off from/to Izmir Airport.
• Traditional Turkish Lunch 
• Parking fees to the sites.

Rates Do Not Cover:

• Entrance fees to the sites.
• Drinks during lunch​

* Except Terrace Houses, there is no admission fee for children under 8 years old. For the proof of age, please bring passport copies with you.

​* There is no prepayment required for the reservation. To avoid disappointment, we recommend making your private tour reservation at earliest possible.

Payment Terms:
Payment can be made in Euros, Turkish Liras, British Pounds and US Dollars cash at the end of the tour. There is no prepayment required for the booking.

Cancellation Policy
You can cancel a tour 72 hours in advance of your tour departure without any charges. If you would like to cancel a tour, simply send us an email and we will  be happy to assist you. Once you are within the 24 hour tour departure window,  the tour becomes non-refundable. This is because our guide and vehicle have set  aside space to accommodate your request and will often not be able to  fill that  space with another customer so close to departure. Forcruise passengers, there is no cancellation fee if your ship does not call to the port in any reason.
​
* For private tour booking, Kindly advise us the following:

1. Full names of the members of your group and nationality.
2. Number of people in your group.
3. Date of Arrival 
4. Name of the Flight details
5. Time to start the tour 
6. Tour code or name or name of the sites you would like to visit.

To book an Ephesus Tour from Izmir Airport and for more information please contact us.

Private Ephesus Tours from Izmir Hotels
Izmir Airport Kusadasi Transfers
Izmir Airport Ephesus Train

PRIVATE EPHESUS TOURS FROM KUSADASI, IZMIR, SIRINCE, SELCUK, ISTANBUL...

Denizhan Pekoz, is licensed tour guide, providing guided tours of Ephesus from Port of Kusadasi, Port of Izmir, Kusadasi Hotels, Izmir Hotels and Izmir Airport. Has been guiding for over 15 years and working at it with great enthusiasm.
For more information and availability please contact us.

“Kusadasi Private tour”
Reviewed August 18, 2016
​We decided to go with a private tour of Kusadasi instead of the very expensive cruise tours, I researched on tripadvisor and decided to go with Denizhan after reading all the great reviews.
Our experience with him was fantastic, he replied to my email right away and confirmed the tour, he was waiting for us at the port although we were about 20 minutes late getting out of the ship. He first took us to the temple of Armetis, his knowledge of the area was amazing, he also took us to the House of Mary and then we had a fabulous lunch since my kids were hungry, he was very flexible on the tour and he accomodated all our requests, Ephesus was mindblowing and the time and patience he had with us was really appreciated. I recommend Denizhans tour with a 5 star. A very enjoyable and unforgettable port call.

“A comprehensive day in Ephesus”
Reviewed 3 weeks ago
Denizkhan was the best tour guide I have come across, and I do travel quite a bit. He was well ahead of time waiting for us at our hotel. He clearly has a lot of passion and knowledge in the area around Ephesus and was full of historical facts but also helping us gain a broader understanding of modern day history. On request he also took us to some of the best local pottery and leather handicraft stores. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with him. He also dropped us off at the Izmir airport at the end of the day. Have made a connection for life, would visit again in a heartbeat.

“So knowledgeable and helpful!”
Reviewed 4 weeks agoDenizhan knows it all! His comprehensive knowledge of Ephesus painted for us a most vivid picture of what life was like in a thriving metropolis and trade center 2000 years ago. And he was extremely helpful in addressing some personal matters for us. We could not recommend more highly!

“Great Tour of Ephesus with Denizhan”
Reviewed 4 weeks ago
We loved spending the day in Ephesus with Denizhan. He and his driver were waiting with a friendly smile when we arrived at the cruise terminal. We were a group of four. We all love history and wanted to learn all we could about the Biblical history of the area. Denizhan was perfect for us. He knew more than we could ever know about the history of the area but was able to explain it in an interesting way. He knew and understood the Biblical text and explained it in a way that made the area come to life. He was also honest and realistic when authorities had different opinions or when they were not sure about what happened at a site. He kept us moving and ahead of the crowds---but not rushed. The lunch of typical Turkish food out under big trees was a highlight of our whole trip. We enjoyed visiting with Denizhan during lunch about the food and his life in Turkey with his family. He truly loved this country and passed this on to us. We were sad when the tour was over but left with an appreciation of Ephesus and Turkey. People were warm and kind. We hope to visit again some day. If we are anywhere near this area we will get in touch with Denizhan to continue with our tour of Turkey. My husband said this was the best tour he ever took and the rest of us agreed. Thanks for a great day, Denizhan!

“Simply wonderful!!!!”
Reviewed 4 weeks ago
I am someone who doesn't care much about old stones I never had a history teacher I liked. Now that's sad! But I am learning.!
This tour of Ephesus was amazing. Denizhan Pekoz was our guide and he made it all make sense without being over bearing. The old stones seemed to come alive and I could see how this was once a thriving city. We were not rushed and we did not dilly dally around but went smoothly through the ruins. It seemed as if real people could have e lived there. It was also clear how much work was still to be done and how different it would be if we came back in even 5 years! 
I will never tour again without a private guide. 
It took us about 4 hours including a stop at a wonderful ceramic store and a stop at a magnificent state run school for rug makers. The rugs were shown to us with the greatest care. We would dearly have loved to have bought one but there was no pressure. Traveling as we were we could not do it. The rugs were simply wonderful and we learned a lot about rug making. 
We would like to go back to both places ! and to Ephesus with Denizhan!!

“Private Tour of Ephesus by Trans Balkan tours”
Reviewed October 10, 2016We were a group of 7. We wanted a tour of Ephesus from a Christian perspective. We were picked up at the Cruise Ship dock by Dennis and transported in a brand new looking Mercedes van. Dennis was very knowledgeable of the Biblical text and was careful to differentiate historical truth from speculation or tradition.
We started our tour at St. John's Basilica. Dennis share with us information about the area as well as Christian history. We stopped at a pottery shop on the way to the ruins of Ephesus. While in Ephesus we were wowed by the stories of St. Paul who lived there for 2 1/2 years. Dennis truly knows the Biblical Text. Even for the benefit of non-believers, the ruins are a sight to behold. We also went to the possible home of Mary, mother of Jesus. A somber experience. Then we had a traditional Turkish lunch and a tour of a Turkish carpet facility. The food was wonderful and all part of our tour package price. You will pay for St John's, Ephesus, and Mary's home on your own. Also you will pay for parking. The price for seven of us was around $170 total. Not including tip and admission fees.
Far less than one of those Cruise Ship Excursions would cost. We did far more for far less money than the Cruise ship charges. And we rode in comfort with just our small group and were treated quite well.
One small complaint I would have is that when you stop at the pottery shop and carpet shop, there is a little pressure to purchase something from the shop. Dennis told us not to feel pressured, but I felt pressured. It's just something other travelers should be aware of.
For the record, we felt totally safe on this tour.

How much is a taxi from Izmir airport to Kusadasi?
The cost of Taxi from Izmir Airport to Kusadasi is approximately 50 Euros.
There are taxis right outside the terminal building.

Please keep that in mind that, you may not have a great experience taking a taxi in Turkey.
If you are lucky. if you happen to meet by chance with a honest taxi driver, the best you can expect is an acceptable experience: the taxi takes you to where you want to go by the shortest route, and you pay the correct fare as shown on the meter.

Below find some of the examples of the bad experiences.

1. The taxi refuses to take you to where you want to go because the distance is not enough. It does not matter if you have a lot of luggage, or you can not walk well, or you are carrying a baby, or you simply have the legal right to be driven to where you want to go. 

2. The taxi takes you to where you want to go but refuses to run the meter, and you get a very high fare that you can only reduce by arguing unpleasantly with someone who does not speak your language.

3. The taxi runs the meter and takes you to where you want to go by a rotating route that wastes your time and costs a lot more than it should.

4. The trip is fine, but the driver expects a big tip because you are a foreigner (the Turks do not give taxi drivers).

5. The driver drives like a maniac, apparently happy to endanger not only his own life, but that of other drivers, and his as well.

Below please find the links for some articles about the taxi scams in Turkey published on Turkish news papers:

• Up to 10 years in jail sought for Istanbul taxi driver for overcharging Saudi tourist
• British tourist given 3,000-Turkish Lira bill for Istanbul airport-hotel transfer​
• Taxi drivers scamming Istanbul tourists face inspection

Instead of taking an Izmir airport taxi, we recommend you to book a private transfer in advance. So you can be assured to be driven in a luxury vehicle by a professional safe driver for the same price that you can pay for a Izmir Airport Taxi. For more information about our private Izmir airport transfer service, please click the following link:
Private Transfers from/to Izmir Airport to/from Kusadasi, Selcuk (Ephesus) and Sirince 

Except Terrace Houses, there is no admission fee for children under 8 years old. For the proof of age, please bring passport copies with you. For Terrace Houses under 6 year old is free of charge.

​* If you are going to visit other sites besides Ephesus in Western Turkey. There is a Museum Pass which provides multi visits to many sites without waiting in lines and you can make great savings. Valid for Ancient city of Ephesus, Basilica of St. John, Terrace Houses in Ephesus, Archaelogical Museum of Ephesus, Ancient city of Aphrodisias, Temple of Didyma, Ancient city of Smyrna, Ancient City of Miletus, Ancient City of Priene, Ancient City of Sardis, Ancient City of Pergamon, Asklepion of Pergamon and many others. For more information visit the following link: Museum Pass the Aegean - Multi visit pass for West Turkey

This weekend we had a day trip to Ancient City of Priene and Doganbey Village with my wife, Doganbey village takes approximately 1 hour drive from Kusadasi. Doganbey is a former Greek village located by the ancient Mykale Mountains across the Greek Island of Samos, the birth place of famous mathematician Phytogoras. In 1924 there was an exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey. Turks living in Greece were exchanged with the Greeks living in Turkey. This is one of the rare exchange villages. Former Greek name was 'Domatia''. Approximately 300 houses were located in this village. After this exchange in 1924 the village was hit by an earthquake in 1959 and abondoned. The villagers founded a new settlement and named as ''Yeni Doganbey" meaning the ''New Doganbey''. Today the villages stone homes are restored by their new owners from big Turkish cities who can afford to restore the ruined homes.

Visitors can enjoy seeing typical Greek homes from 19th century and can walk on the cobble stone streets. The streets and majority of the homes are restored and in very good condition. A picturesque town. We were impressed with beauty of the homes and cleanliness of the streets and great views of the Aegean sea and fresh air. There are no shops or anywhere to stay or eat. The village today is like an open air museum. The village is so quite in the winter, it was like visiting a ghost town. Majority of the home owners come to the village to spend their summers.

The visit to the village of Doganbey can be combined with Ancient City of Priene and you may lunch at a fish restaurant located at the coastal village of Karina. For custom private tours feel free to contact us.


Pictures of Doganbey Village

Pergamon also known as Pergamum was an ancient city founded by colonists on the Aegean coast of Anatolia at the site of the present day city of Bergama. 

First inhabitance dates back to 8th century BC. However unlike many cities in the Aegean first inhabitants were not Greeks in this city. It was on a tributary of the Bakircay (Caicus River), enclosed by high mountains. Fertile, self-contained and easily defended, it provided the perfect setting for the maintenance of a city state. In the era following the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC), Lysimachus, one of Alexander’s generals, chose Pergamon as the treasury for his vast wealth, placing here 9,000 talents of gold under the guardianship of his lieutenant, Philetaerus. Upon Lysimachus’s death, Philetaerus used this fortune and founded the independent dynasty of the Attalid Kings. Pergamon later became the capital of a flourishing Hellenistic kingdom and one of the principal centers of Hellenistic civilization. Under Kings Attalus I and Eumenes II, Pergamon reached the height of its independent powers. At the same time, however, it began to look to Rome for alliance against the warring Hellenistic rulers. After signalizing himself as a friend of Rome, Attalus I was awarded the Seleucid dominions, making Pergamon a powerful kingdom, comprising of Mysia, Lydia, Caria, Pamphylia and Phrygia. In addition to extending the kingdom, Attalus I adorned his capital with architectural splendors. Attalos defeated the Galatians in 230BC. Eumenes II also brought the city to the climax of its cultural prominence. During the reigns of these two prominent kings, the city so flourished that it could only be compared to Antioch and Alexandria. King Attalus III bequeathed (133 BC) his domains to the Romans, under whom the city retained its position as the preeminent artistic and intellectual center of Anatolia but declined in political and economic importance. In the first years of Roman rule, a civil war was leaded by Aristonikos who claimed to be a non official son of Eumenes II. This civil war took 3 years and ended with his defeat, The city went through the Arab, Byzantine and finally the Turkish period in the 14th century.

Pergamon attained a high culture in the Hellenistic era, boasting an outstanding library that rivaled in importance that of Alexandria, a famous school of sculpture and excellent public buildings and monuments of which the Zeus Altar is the best example. Pergamum had 3 temples: Altar of Zeus, Temple of Athena and Temple of Trajan. In the Roman period, Pergamon played an important role in the early history of Christianity. It was also numbered among the Seven Churches of Revelation. The first Christian bishop of Pergamon, Antipas, was believed to have been martyred here in 92. (Revelation 2:13). Antipas was ordered to sacrifice an animal in the name of pagan gods. Antipas was sentenced to death on the altar of Zeus. (Anti-pas meaning against everything.)

Acropolis: The function of the acropolis in Pergamon was never the same as the function of the acropolis in Athens. In Athens everything was focused on religion, whereas in Pergamon it was on social and cultural activities, or in other words, daily life. As a result of this contrast, major buildings in Pergamon were reserved for public use in daily life. Even in the temples, religion was of secondary importance. Buildings had large areas for the public where they could meet, walk or join in social affairs. Pergamon was the first city to react against functional urbanism of Hippodamus preferring ornamental urbanism. Pergamenes agreed that functionalism was necessary, but that aesthetics were to be given even more consideration. The buildings of the Acropolis were designed to be seen from below and to impress those viewing the city from the valley. Except for the Trajan Temple all the buildings were built in the Hellenistic period during which constructions were made of andesite and very rarely in marble. Heroon, in general, is a shrine dedicated to a deified hero. The Heroon in the Acropolis of Pergamon was the imperial cult or the shrine in which kings of Pergamon, especially Attalus I and Eumenes II, were worshipped. It was a peristyle building made of andesite from the Hellenistic period. 

The Sanctuary of Athena was entered through a propylon which was built by Eumenes II. As written in its inscription, it was dedicated to victory-bringing Athena by King Eumenes. The entrance opens into a courtyard surrounded by three stoas of the Doric order. This also dates from the same period. At the corner near the theater was the Athena Temple in Doric order which was built earlier, in the 3C BC. It was built of andesite and stood on a crepidoma with two steps. 

The Library of Pergamon, built by Eumenes II, was the second of the three famous ancient libraries. It contained 200,000 volumes. A century later Mark Antony gave them to Cleopatra as a wedding present to be added to the collection of the library in Alexandria. The library building was next to the north stoa of the Athena Sanctuary. This was not a coincedance. Athena was known as the protector of science. Most probably, the second floor of the stoa was at the same level with the first floor of the library. It had a large reading hall with many shelves all around, leaving an empty space between walls and shelves for the circulation of air to prevent humidity. Manuscripts were written on parchment then rolled or folded and put on shelves. When the Egyptians prohibited the export of papyrus, the King of Pergamon ordered that a new material be found. The new discovery was "parchment", a fine material from sheep or goat skin, highly polished with pumice stone and slit into sheets. Therefore the name of Pergamon has been perpetuated and seen as synonymous with the word "parchment". They used scrolls which was rolled to a feet long stick. Reader was holding the two ends while reading he was rolling the stick. Codex, todays book shape was also founded in Pergamon. 

The Temple of Trajan was a 2C AD temple in Corinthian order, dedicated to Trajan, built by his successor Hadrian. Both emperors were worshipped there. The temple was built of marble, probably on the site of a previous Hellenistic building. Before the construction, the area was leveled off by using a successful arched and vaulted substructure. The temple is flanked by stoas on three sides, the one at the back being higher than the others. It was in Corinthian order to have a peripteros plan, with 9 by 6 columns. 

It is said that the Theater in the acropolis of Pergamon is the steepest raked Hellenistic theater in the world. The cavea of the theater which consists of 80 rows of seats is divided into three sections by two diazomas. The capacity was 10,000 people. The construction material is andesite. Because it was originally a Hellenistic theater, there was not a permanent stage building and people sitting on the cavea could see outside and beyond the playing area. In the Hellenistic period, performances were held in a festive atmosphere and took a long time. People spent a lot of time in the theater, usually the minimum of a full day. Therefore, they never wanted to block their view of outside and the stage building, being made of wood, was portable. Square holes at the back of the orchestra were for the portable stage building. The theater was also used during the Roman period with some alterations. 

The finest altar ever built can be accepted as the Zeus Altar at Pergamon, of about 180 BC, which stands in its own precinct but, most unusually, without a temple. The altar, a marble offering-table, stood on an enormous stone platform, which also supported the double colonnade of Ionic columns enclosing it on three sides. On the fourth side it was approached by a fine stairway, nearly 65 ft wide. Much of the structure and almost all of the friezes are now in Berlin. Decorated with vigorous friezes of life-size figures depicting a battle between gods and giants, its contemporary context is probably King Eumenes II’s celebration of his recent victories over the Galatians. If this is so, then the context incorporates within its apparently straightforward mythology the King’s assertion of his own triumphant role as the defender of traditions against barbarianism. At the top of the Great Altar of Zeus, there was a hallow bronze bull, designed for human sacrifice. The victims tied inside the bull, the head of the person was placed at the head part of the bull. Then a huge fire was lighted under the bull. As the fire heated the bronze, the person inside the bull began to roast and start shouting and crying, through the pipes of the bull which seemed to make the bull alive. Most probably Antipas also died like this. (Holokaust: Wholly burnt animal sacrifice.) In early 19 hundreds German engineer Carl Human by the approval of Ottoman Sultan dismantle the altar and took it to Berlin. In 1930s, the Pergamon Museum opened in Berlin which human sacrifies techniques most probably inspired  most bruthal dictator Hitler. Some of the Nazi Buildings at that time were inspired by the Altar of Zeus.

Water to Pergamon is taken from 30miles away with the help of Aquaducts and 240000clay pipes. Round structures which looks like a well was used to check the level of the water.

The Red Court: This building was a 2C AD temple dedicated to Egyptian gods and goddesses especially Serapis (known as Osiris in Egypt) from the time of the Emperor Hadrian. In the Byzantine period it was converted into a basilica. Because of the red bricks used in the construction and its court-like area, it was named the Red Court. The two pools as cold and hot was related to religious rituals. Water in Isis and Serapis cults are connected with Holly Nile river meaning abondance ve bereket. The building was constructed on Selinius river. Serapis has similarities with underworld god Hades (Plouton in Roman Mythology).

Asclepieum: Asclepieum was a sanctuary and a healing center built in the name of the god of healing, Asclepius. It was similar to the one in Epidauros in Greece. Although this place was set up in the 4C BC, it had its peak in the Roman period.

Asclepius, son of Apollo, the god of healing, was a famous physician. His mother, Coronis, a princess of Thessaly, died when he was an infant. Apollo entrusted the child’s education to Chiron, a centaur, who taught Asclepius the healing arts. Asclepius, when grown, became so skilled in surgery and the use of medicinal plants that he could even restore the dead back to life. Hades, ruler of the dead, became alarmed at this and complained to Zeus, who killed Asclepius with a thunderbolt. Hygiea was the daugther of Asklepion. Hygine word is derived from her name. 

The healing center, Asclepieum, had been something very similar to a modern natural healing clinic. Patients were given exercises, drugs, mud baths, herbal remedies, or could take the honey cure, drink the waters of the spring or be treated by suggestion. They could walk among the trees and be calmed by the scent of pine. Over the gate had been inscribed the words: "In the name of the Gods, Death is forbidden to enter". Terminal patients were not allowed for this ancient healing center. Reputation was so important that they did not want anyone hear that somebody died here. Snakes were sacred to Asclepius because of their power to renew themselves. That is why there was a relief of snakes at the entrance to the sacred area of the medical center symbolizing health. 

Among the famous physicians of the Asclepieum was Galen. Galen was the most outstanding physician of antiquity after Hippocrates. His anatomical studies on animals and observations of how the human body functions dominated medical theory and practice for 1400 years. Galen was born in Pergamon. A shrine to the healing god Asclepius was located in Pergamon and there young Galen observed how the medical techniques of the time were used to treat the ill or wounded. He received his formal medical training in nearby Smyrna and then traveled widely, gaining more medical knowledge. Galen dissected many animals, particularly goats, pigs and monkeys, to demonstrate how different muscles are controlled at different levels of the spinal cord. He also showed that the brain controls the voice. Galen showed that arteries carry blood, disproving the 400-year-old belief that arteries carry air. Galen was also highly praised in his time as a philosopher. He closely followed the view of the philosopher Aristotle that nothing in nature is superfluous. Galen’s principal contribution to philosophic thought was the concept that God’s purposes can be understood by examining nature. Galen’s observations in anatomy remained his most enduring contribution. His medical writings were translated by 9th century Arab scholars. Galen used herbal remedies. Today in pharmacy the 'galenical' is derived from his name. Galenical stands for a medicine prepared by extracting one or more active constituents of a plant.

The Colonnaded Road connected Asclepieum to the city. Originally it was 2,700 ft. Today only a small part of this road is visible. The Propylon was located at the end of the colonnaded road and dates from 2C AD. It had 12 steps and opened into a large courtyard which was surrounded by stoas on three sides. It had beautiful acroteriums one of which can be seen in the Bergama museum. Stoas originally had Ionic capitals but after an earthquake in the 2C AD, some Corinthian capitals were also used. The Library was for both educational and entertainment purposes with many medical books for the physicians and other books for use by the patients. The Theater is a small building in Roman style with a capacity of 3,500 people. It was mainly used for performances to entertain the patients when not receiving treatment. 

The Sacred Fountain provided water believed to have had healing power. Sleeping (incubation) rooms were used to make the patients sleep and analyze their dreams. The Tunnel is a vaulted subterranean passageway. It is 262 ft long. Under the floor ran water which provided relaxing sounds. On the ceiling there are 12 windows to provide sunlight inside the tunnel. The purpose of the tunnel is to make a treatment with the sound of water and provide a cool place for the patients in the hot summer months. Before patients enter to this tunnel, they drank a sedative and slept here in the dormitories while non poisonous snakes crawl among them all night. They were told that the serpent god, Asclepius will talk to them in their dreams and give them a diagnosis. It was believed that the snakes carried the healing power of Asclepius. If a snake wanders on you while you are sleeping, that was a divine sign that the healing power was coming to you. Once patients woke up, they told their dreams to the priests who prescribed their treatments. Finally, the patients made sculptures of the body parts that needed healing and offered them to Asclepius.

The Round Treatment Center was a two-storied building with six apsidal sections. Today only the lower floor remains. The walls and the floor were covered with marble and the roof was made of wood. Water coming through the tunnel, recesses for washing and the sun-terrace show that this room was also used for the treatment of patients. 

The Temple of Asclepius was erected by the Consul of the time in the 2C AD. A famed ancient medical center built in honor of Asklepios, the god of healing. It was also the world's first psychiatric hospital. The main part of the temple was cylindrical and covered by a dome. The floor and the walls were decorated with marble mosaics. There were many statues of gods and deities related to health including those of Asclepius himself. Hygenia and Telesphoros are also depicted here. Hygenia symbolzing health and Telesphoros curement. Telephoros was child god first discovered in Pergamon, later on worshipped in some ancient sites too. This building can be accepted as one of the earliest structures with a dome in Anatolia. The Asklepion gained in prominence under the Romans in the 2nd century AD, but a sacred site existed here as early as the 4th century BC. Many of the treatments employed at Pergamon, in complement with a sacred source of water that was later discovered as having radioactive properties, have been used for centuries and are once again finding modern application.Quite unlike modern hospitals, everybody who was anybody was dying to get in to the Asklepion: patients included Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, and Caracalla. But then again, the Asklepion was more like a modern spa than a hospital: therapy included mud baths, music concerts, and doses of water from the sacred fountain. Galen, the influential physician and philosopher who was born in Pergamon in 129 AD, trained and then later became an attendant to the gladiators here. Access to the Asklepeion is via the Sacred Way, which at 807m (2,690 ft.) long and colonnaded, originally connected the Asklepeion with the Acropolis. The sacred way becomes the stately Via Tecta near the entrance to the site and leads to a courtyard and fallen Propylaeum, or Monumental Gate. Reachable through an underground tunnel is what is traditionally called the Temple of Telesphorus, which served as both the treatment rooms and the sleeping chambers, an indication that sleep was integral in the actual healing process. At various spots in the center of the complex are a total of three pools and fountains, used for bathing, drinking, and various other forms of treatment. The northern colonnade, with 17 columns still in place, leads from the library to the restored theater, set into the slope of the hill. The theater hosts classical plays during the annual Bergama Festival. The semicircular Roman Theatre flanks the colonnaded promenade on the northwest corner of the site. Hours of therapy also probed the meaning of the previous night's dreams, as patients believed dreams recounted a visit by the god Asklepios, who held the key to curing illness. The treatments included psychotherapy, massage, herbal remedies, mud and bathing treatments, the interpretation of dreams, and the drinking of water. 

There was also an amphitheater close by. Amphi means double, meaning double theater. It is among the two amphitheaers of Asia Minor. Amphitheaters were especially constructed for Gladitioral Games. Some days are Arena was filled with water for naval battle plays. Water is supplied from the pond close by.

Hotel Recommendation:
For travellers who are travelling Turkey with a rent a car. We recommend you to overnight at Akropolis Hotel. Akropolis Hotel is located in downtown Pergamon 100 meter distance to Red Basilica and Acropolis cable car station. Akropolis Hotel has a great location with very friendly and hospitable staff. Akropolis Hotel is for travellers who are looking for a clean accomodation with great location. This is a small boutique hotel but not a luxury one.
To book Akropolis Hotel, please click here for the booking.com booking page.

We provide custom made private shore excursions to Ephesus, Temple of Artemis, House of Virgin Mary, Basilica of St. John, Sirince Village, Kirazli Village and Isa Bey Mosque from Kusadasi Port with licensed tour guides.

Our team of licensed tour guides offer exclusive private Ephesus shore excursions for cruise passengers travelling to Kusadasi Cruise Port. These private Ephesus shore excursions are conducted in English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French and Russian languages.

Distance from Kusadasi Port to Ephesus
The distance between Kusadasi Port to Ephesus Ancient city is 20 kilometers. It takes approximately 25 minutes by car to go to the Ancient City of Ephesus. There is no direct prublic transport to go to Ephesus from Kusadasi Port. For cruise passengers who has limited time in Kusadasi, we recommend them to take a taxi or book a Private Ephesus Shore Excursion

Tour the very best of Ephesus with kids at your family pace. Our kid friendly Ephesus tour guides specializes in informative and exciting private guided Ephesus tours designed for curious children who like learning in an active manner making your cultural family vacation in Ephesus richer and more meaningful. An inspiring and educational Ephesus experience for parents and kids alike:

it is all about discovering while having fun!

If requested we are able to provide special car seats for children.

If you are planning a family trip to Ephesus with your children and would you like to give them the learning experience of a lifetime, Ephesus Travel Guide with the team of knowledgeable and friendly licensed professional Ephesus tour guides offers engaging and comprehensive private guided Ephesus tours,

Family tours are adapted to the interests and abilities of children of all ages to satisfy the curiosity, energy-levels and attention spans of multiple generation families visiting Ephesus. Our child-targeted tour experiences take your kids and teens through the wonders of Ephesus.

During the special designed private family tours of Ephesus, we often add a stop at a local tile workshop where kids enjoy trying to make pottery:

For more information, about custom made private family tours of Ephesus please contact us.