Ephesus
The ruins of an ancient Greek city on the Ionian coast, which came under Roman control in 129 BC and grew into one of the great cities of the eastern Mediterranean. Its marble streets lead to the Library of Celsus and a vast theatre cut into the hillside.
- Where
- Selçuk, İzmir, Türkiye
- Grade
- UNESCO heritage
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 8 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 37.9406, 27.3394
Get the Ephesus stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Ephesus. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your İzmir volume with your photos and a note.
Near Ephesus
Temple of Artemis 2.4 km
The site of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a Greek temple to Artemis just outside Selçuk. Destroyed and rebuilt many times, it was last destroyed in 262 AD, and only foundations, fragments and a single re-erected column remain.
Basilica of St. John 2.8 km
The ruins of a great basilica built by Justinian in the 6th century on Ayasoluk Hill, over the place where John the Apostle was said to be buried. It was modelled on the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople.
House of the Virgin Mary 3.3 km
A small stone house on Mount Koressos, 7 kilometres from Selçuk, held by many to be where Mary spent her last years. It is a shrine visited by Catholics and Muslims alike, and pilgrims tie written wishes to a wall beside it.
Şirince 8.2 km
A hill village of old stone and timber houses about 8 kilometres east of Selçuk, known for its fruit wines. On the road up are the remains of Roman aqueducts, from the days when the village was a water source for Ephesus.
Priene 31 km
An ancient Greek city laid out on terraces at the foot of Mount Mycale, once on the sea but now inland after the river silted up the bay. Its grid of streets and the columns of its Temple of Athena look out over the Maeander plain.
Miletus 46 km
The ruins of a wealthy ancient Greek city near the mouth of the Maeander, once a sea power with colonies far and wide. Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes, the first Greek philosophers, worked here, and its great theatre still stands.
Kemeraltı 56 km
The historic bazaar district of İzmir, a maze of lanes behind Konak Square and still one of the liveliest parts of the city. Old caravanserais such as Kızlarağası Han sit among stalls of food, fabric and copperware.
Konak Square 56 km
A busy square at the southern end of Atatürk Avenue on the İzmir waterfront, named after the provincial government house that stands on it. Its clock tower, built in 1901, is the best-known landmark in the city.
More UNESCO World Heritage sites in İzmir
Questions
Where is Ephesus?
Ephesus is in Selçuk, İzmir, Türkiye. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Temple of Artemis (2.4 km), Basilica of St. John (2.8 km), House of the Virgin Mary (3.3 km).
How do I get the Ephesus stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Ephesus and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your İzmir volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Ephesus before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your İzmir volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.