Temporarily leaving Greece, we docked next in Kusadasi (KOOSH-uh-das-uh), a port on the Aegean coast of Turkey south of Izmir (ancient Smyrna). Kusadasi is the gateway to an area of great beauty, where the sea yields to olive groves, which in turn sidle up mountains studded with ancient ruins. Most notably, Kusadasi is a short drive from Ephesus – once the second-largest city in the Roman Empire and now an archeological site of astounding presence and importance.
Ephesus is one of the most interesting, revealing places I’ve ever visited. An international team of archeologists is masterfully excavating and renovating the Ephesian ruins – reanimating a Roman capital from the first and second centuries CE.
The contrast between Ephesus and the Acropolis is striking. Visitors must keep their distance from the ruins on the Acropolis; in Ephesus they stroll among marble columns, climb the steps of ancient theaters, enter what once was the third-largest library in the world, and stand in the courtyards and kitchens of 2000-year old houses.
For this reason, Ephesus is more than just history out of a book; it’s experiential. Tourists throng the same avenues down which Alexander the Great promenaded in pre-Roman times and Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Mary Magdalene, and the Apostle Paul walked three centuries later.
For me, the highlight of Ephesus was the tour through the terrace homes of the wealthiest Romans. (Entrance to this attraction is not included in the basic admission price; it requires a special ticket.) Mosaic floors depicting lions, philosophers, or intricate patterns have been meticulously restored, as have colorful frescoes and friezes. There’s even a white marble table with an inlaid backgammon board.
Our terrific guide (a man named Otkay) explained how the homes were built to maximize exposure to sea breezes and featured indoor plumbing and radiant heating.
The tour also encompassed two nearby attractions of great Biblical interest. The first, Meryem Ana, is the small stone house where many believers think the Virgin Mary spent her final years. After centuries of obscurity, the house was found after a German nun who had never been to the region dreamed very specifically about such a dwelling and identified landmarks allowing its location to be pinpointed. The Catholic Church now accepts that the house was Mary’s, although as I understand it, the evidence supporting that conclusion is more wishful than definitive.
Occupying a secluded spot on Mt. Koressos, the house has been rebuilt on top of the original foundations. Visitors may enter two of the rooms, which are small and bare (photography inside is prohibited). A “wishing wall” studded with prayers from the faithful occupies a slope in front of the house, and a pipe fed by a nearby spring supplies water credited with producing miracle cures. There were many devout visitors; Mary is revered by both Christians and Muslims.
The second attraction is the Basilica of St. John, which dates to the 6th century and supposedly incorporates the tomb of the apostle. All that remains of the structure are some walls, pillars, and door frames. Nearby is the 600-year old Isabey mosque, and a bit farther away is the one extant column (out of 128) of the Temple of Artemis. After the Roman Empire converted to Christianity, bureaucrats instructed builders to level “pagan” temples and use the rubble to erect churches, shrines, and the like. As a result, little remains of the Greek and Hittite structures that once dotted the landscape.
Our tour ended at the Grand Bazaar of Kusadasi, a tourist trap featuring stores selling “authentic fake” Rolexes and the like. The one exception: vendors of hand-woven wool or silk carpets, which are legitimate works of art.
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