A city shaped by its landscape

UNESCO describes Ephesus as a settlement landscape shaped by a changing coastline. Its Hellenistic and Roman remains reveal an important ancient port city. The Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre are among the monuments that make this history visible.

The Christian heritage

The Church of Mary in the ancient city and the Basilica of St John on Ayasuluk Hill reflect the region’s importance in early Christianity. The Council of Ephesus in 431 is part of that religious history. The Church of Mary is distinct from the House of Virgin Mary on Mount Bülbül.

Reading the region together

A visit can connect monumental architecture, religious memory and the landscape around Selçuk. Understanding these places in relation to one another reveals more than a single monument: it opens a view of a region where different eras and traditions remain in conversation.

Sources & further reading

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