Temple of Artemis (Artemision)

A single column is all that still stands of the Temple of Artemis. Ancient authors counted this building among the Seven Wonders of the World, and it was bigger than the Parthenon in Athens. The column was rebuilt from fragments and set up again on the site, a low field on the outskirts of Selcuk that is often under water, roughly 3 kilometres from Ephesus. You pay nothing to enter. A visit lasts about 20 minutes and is most rewarding as a quick stop where you bring your imagination.

Quick facts

History in brief

The principal goddess of Ephesus was Artemis, venerated here in an older, more local form than the Greek goddess of the hunt and frequently depicted covered with rows of shapes resembling eggs. There was a sanctuary on this site from the 8th century BC at the latest. The great marble temple went up in the 6th century BC, backed by King Croesus of Lydia, whose name came to stand for great wealth.

In 356 BC Herostratus burned the temple so that he would be remembered. He was, even though saying his name was forbidden. According to legend, the fire happened on the night of Alexander the Great's birth. The people of Ephesus built the temple again, larger than before, with over a hundred columns. Gothic raiders damaged this second temple in 262 AD, and during the centuries that followed its marble was taken for other buildings; tradition says these included the Basilica of St John on the hill above and churches in Constantinople.

Silt buried the site until 1869, when the English engineer John Turtle Wood located it after searching for years. A large share of the finds were taken to the British Museum in London, which displays carved drums from the temple's columns.

What is there

• Column. Put together from drums discovered here, it hints at how tall the original columns were, though it does not reach their full height.
• Foundations. Stone blocks and fragments are scattered over the wet ground; storks often nest on the column top, and turtles and frogs live in the water.
• View. Look up to Ayasuluk Hill to see the Isa Bey Mosque, the Basilica of St John and the Byzantine castle above them, so several periods of Selcuk's past fit into one picture.

Seeing more of the temple

To picture the temple as it was, visit the Ephesus Museum in Selcuk, which has statues of Artemis from Ephesus and a scale model of the building. Some of the best sculpted pieces are in London's British Museum, and Istanbul's Miniaturk park has a model too.

When to go

The time of day hardly matters. Light is gentler early and late in the day, which suits photos of the column with the hills behind. Winter rain floods the field: the reflections improve, but you cannot walk across the site.

Our 5-Day Seven Churches of Revelation Biblical Tour in Turkey includes the Temple of Artemis on a private trip across western Turkey, from US$760. It is also a stop on the 2-Day Ephesus & Pamukkale Tour from Istanbul with Flights, from US$675. For a longer pilgrimage, look at Footsteps of St Paul: Private Biblical Turkey Tour.

Tips

• The Basilica of St John and the Isa Bey Mosque are ten minutes away on foot, so combine all three.
• Souvenir sellers gather at the entrance; replica statues of Artemis cost less in the shops of Selcuk.
• In summer, pack insect repellent.

Our Ephesus and Kusadasi destination page lists more sights nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions