TURKEY: EPHESUS AND SIGHTS AROUND SELKUK, by Caroline Arnold at The Intrepid Tourist

The Ancient Greek City of Ephesus, Temple of Hadrianus

WEEK 3: 52 Places to Go

Until I visited Turkey, I never realized the breadth of the ancient Greek and Roman empires.  A little over a year ago, after spending a week in Istanbul for a writer’s workshop, I signed up for an add-on tour of Ephesus and other sights in Selkuk, plus a trip to the ancient city of Hierapolis and thermal baths of Pamukkele.  We flew from Istanbul to Izmir (the ancient Greek city of Smyrna) and boarded a bus from there to Selkuk, about an hour’s scenic ride along a river valley to the south. There we spent two and a half days, jam packed with sightseeing.

View of Selkuk from the path to the Cave of the Seven Sleepers on Mount Pion

Our first day included a visit to the Temple of Artemis, the caves of the Seven Sleepers, the Ephesus Museum (where many of the sculptures from the the ancient city are displayed), the House of the Virgin Mary (said to be the final resting place of Mary the mother of Jesus), and finally, a tour of the ancient city of Ephesus itself, which is just two kilometers outside the city.  Our English speaking guide narrated as we went.  Here are some selected photos from our first day:

Statue on grounds of the House of the Virgin Mary

Beginning of the mile-long ancient road through the city of Ephesus.  We walked from from parking lot at the top of the hill, down through the city to what had been the ancient port, now silted in, passing the remains of temples, fountains, public baths and lavatories, amphiteaters, a library and more along the way.

Facade of the Library of Celcus at Ephesus.  It initally housed 12,000 books.  The first human settlements at Ephesus were around 6,000 B.C. and it gradually grew into a city/state.  Alexander the Great conquered Ephesus in 304 B.C.  In the Augustan period of the Roman Empire, Ephesus was one of the most important cities of Roman Asia.  The library was built after the death of Celcus, the Roman Governor of Asia Minor, who died in 114 A.D.

Ephesus Museum in Selkuk.  Sculpture from one of the fountains at Ephesus.  In ancient times three rivers provided water at the rate of 100 liters per second.  Water was used for public baths and lavatories, fountains, and for daily use.

Ephesus, upper amphitheater, the Odeion, with the Stoa Basileios (the Royal Walk) to the left.

Mosaic floor, Ephesus

A report of our excursion to Pamukkele will be in a future post (8/12/2013).
Other posts on Turkey:

8/18/2014 Ephesus Turkey, Guest Post by Kathryn Mohrman
4/8/2013  Room With a View
8/27/2012  Ephesus: Temple of Artemis
8/20/2012  Letter from Istanbul
8/6/2012  Istanbul: A Food Lover's Delight
5/28/2012  Istanbul:  Museum of Innocence

All text and photos copyright Caroline Arnold.

PAMUKKALE and Turkey's Ancient Greek City of HIERAPOLIS

The hot springs at Pamukkale have been used as a spa since the 2nd century BC

A year ago in May I was in Turkey, first in Istanbul, and then for a short tour in southern Turkey. Our tour base was Selkuk, the modern city at the ancient site of Ephesus.  On our first day, we visited Ephesus and other ancient sites around the city. (See my post for June 10, 2013.) On our second day, our guide took us to Pamukkale, a three and half hour bus trip through the verdant Menderes river valley, so we could visit the ancient Greek city of Hierapolis and the hot springs and travertine terraces on which the city was built.

Hierapolis was built on a plateau above the Menderes River Valley

It seemed like a long way to go, but was worth the ride. We stopped on the way at a rest stop (where I bought an absolutely delicious glass of fresh squeezed orange juice) and for lunch at a tourist restaurant where we selected food from a long buffet.

Pamukkale means “cotton castle” in Turkish and refers to the immense white terraces formed of calcium carbonate that rise above the city.  Seventeen different hot springs flow to the surface of the ground in Pamukkale and the calcium carbonate, which is dissolved in the water, deposits as the water evaporates, creating mountains of pure white mineral.  It seems otherworldly.  The terraces and the ruins of Hierapolis are a World Heritage Site.  After paying to enter, we went to the pools, which we were allowed to explore after removing our shoes.  So, taking care not to fall on the sometimes slippery bottom, we walked through the shallow water, which eventually fell to a larger pool in the valley below. The view from the terraces was spectacular.

Entrance gate to the ancient city of Hierapolis

We then entered the gate of the ancient city and had a short tour of the ruins.  It was a beautiful day, with blue skies, fluffy clouds, and red poppies on the hillside.  Nature had taken over what once had been a bustling city in Greek and Roman times, so we had to use our imagination to picture what life had been like long ago.

Our next stop was the ancient swimming pool, supposedly built by Anthony for Cleopatra, when they visited Hierapolis on their honeymoon.  The pool, filled with warm water from the hot springs, was once an elegant structure, surrounded by large marble columns.  But in an earthquake in the 7th century, the columns crumbled, and fell into the pool.

Cleopatra's Pool (note submerged column fragments)

I had brought my swimming suit, so I changed and went into the water.  How could I resist the opportunity to swim in a pool where, perhaps, Cleopatra herself might have once bathed!  The water was lovely but the main hazards were the fallen marble columns, which provided underwater seating, but also places to stub ones toes.

While I went swimming some of the other people in our group went to visit “Dr. Fish”, a spa in which you immerse your feet in a tub filled with tiny fish that nibble all the dead skin off your feet.  I was told that after initially getting used to the idea, it felt like a very pleasant massage. I didn’t try it myself.

Ancient Roman road, Hierapolis

At the end of the afternoon we had time to walk by ourselves among the ruins, following ancient paths through the city. Our final stop in Pamukkale was at a factory where they carved stone into cups, vases, plates, jewelry and more.  After watching a demonstration, we were led into the shop.  Despite the commercial nature of the enterprise, it was actually quite fascinating and many of the items were quite beautiful.

The following morning, our last day in Selkuk, we were on our own and I took the opportunity to wander around town, visiting the ruins of St. John’s on the hill, watching the storks at their rooftop nests, visiting a rug shop, buying some books and other souvenirs, and eating lunch at one of the many restaurants, where I had a delicious eggplant and pepper dish.  I wished we had had more time in southern Turkey, but this gives me a reason to return some day.

My other posts on Turkey:
4/8/2013  Room With a View
8/27/2012  Ephesus: Temple of Artemis
8/20/2012  Letter from Istanbul
8/6/2012  Istanbul: A Food Lover's Delight
5/28/2012  Istanbul:  Museum of Innocence

Poppies, Hierapolis

TURKEY: Ephesus and Sights Around Selkuk

The Ancient Greek City of Ephesus, Temple of Hadrianus

Until I visited Turkey, I never realized the breadth of the ancient Greek and Roman empires.  A little over a year ago, after spending a week in Istanbul for a writer’s workshop, I signed up for an add-on tour of Ephesus and other sights in Selkuk, plus a trip to the ancient city of Hierapolis and thermal baths of Pamukkele.  We flew from Istanbul to Izmir (the ancient Greek city of Smyrna) and boarded a bus from there to Selkuk, about an hour’s scenic ride along a river valley to the south. There we spent two and a half days, jam packed with sightseeing.

View of Selkuk from the path to the Cave of the Seven Sleepers on Mount Pion

Our first day included a visit to the Temple of Artemis, the caves of the Seven Sleepers, the Ephesus Museum (where many of the sculptures from the the ancient city are displayed), the House of the Virgin Mary (said to be the final resting place of Mary the mother of Jesus), and finally, a tour of the ancient city of Ephesus itself, which is just two kilometers outside the city.  Our English speaking guide narrated as we went.  Here are some selected photos from our first day:

Statue on grounds of the House of the Virgin Mary

Beginning of the mile-long ancient road through the city of Ephesus.  We walked from from parking lot at the top of the hill, down through the city to what had been the ancient port, now silted in, passing the remains of temples, fountains, public baths and lavatories, amphiteaters, a library and more along the way.

Facade of the Library of Celcus at Ephesus.  It initally housed 12,000 books.  The first human settlements at Ephesus were around 6,000 B.C. and it gradually grew into a city/state.  Alexander the Great conquered Ephesus in 304 B.C.  In the Augustan period of the Roman Empire, Ephesus was one of the most important cities of Roman Asia.  The library was built after the death of Celcus, the Roman Governor of Asia Minor, who died in 114 A.D.

Ephesus Museum in Selkuk.  Sculpture from one of the fountains at Ephesus.  In ancient times three rivers provided water at the rate of 100 liters per second.  Water was used for public baths and lavatories, fountains, and for daily use.

Ephesus, upper amphitheater, the Odeion, with the Stoa Basileios (the Royal Walk) to the left.

Mosaic floor, Ephesus

A report of our excursion to Pamukkele will be in a future post (8/12/2013).
My other posts on Turkey:
4/8/2013  Room With a View
8/27/2012  Ephesus: Temple of Artemis
8/20/2012  Letter from Istanbul
8/6/2012  Istanbul: A Food Lover's Delight
5/28/2012  Istanbul:  Museum of Innocence

EPHESUS, TURKEY: The Temple of Artemis, Wonder of the Ancient World

Remains of the Temple of Artemis, Selkuk, Turkey

In May, I went to Istanbul for a writer's workshop.  One of our writing exercises was to take a favorite picture from the trip and create an ekphrastic response, that is to use one art form, in this case words, to recreate and reinterpret another art form, in this case a photo.  I chose to write about a picture I took at the Temple of Artemis, one of the many ancient sites in and around the city of Selkuk (Ephesus in ancient times), in southwestern Turkey.

The Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, once boasted twenty-one marble columns surrounding a large open-air platform.  Now, all that remains is a single lonely column, bravely standing in a damp meadow, its broken pieces reassembled like a child’s tower of blocks.

On top, a pair of storks have built their messy nest, adding yet another level to the tower. While they wait for their eggs to hatch, one bird hunts for food, and the other stands watch, stretching its wide wings, flexing its long legs, periodically leaning over to rearrange the sticks of the nest furniture.

On the ground below, spring flowers bloom and grasses sway in the breeze.  Pistachios ripen on hillside trees. Out of sight, a lizard scampers along a wall in search of a sheltered niche for sun bathing.  A mother goose herds her fluffy goslings toward the safety of the pond, where clusters of turtles cling to rocks that rise like small islands in the water.

Two millenia ago, throngs of worshipers came here to pay homage to Artemis, goddess of the hunt and wild animals. Then, in 400 A.D. Artemis and her cult fell out of favor and her temple was destroyed. Its pieces were scavenged to build churches, roads, and forts. Little is left of the ancient wonder. And yet, like the single column rising to the sky, the spirit of Artemis remains.  I think she would be pleased to know that so many wild creatures have made her temple their home.

Plan of the Temple of Artemis

Note:  For information about the workshop that inspired this piece, go to my May 23rd post on my Art and Books blog.  Other posts about Turkey on this blog were posted on June 28, July 2, August 6 and August 20.

Podcast from workshop:  On the final night of our workshop, our group read aloud our "postcards home" from Istanbul, a fitting end to diverse and full five days.  To listen to the podcast, click here.  
Writing Istanbul Online Book:  For a wonderful compilation of photos and writing from 14 members of the Writing Istanbul group, go to this online magazine Writing Istanbul at Issuu.com.