{"id":636,"date":"2025-09-07T15:12:20","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T15:12:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/?p=636"},"modified":"2026-02-18T15:23:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T15:23:26","slug":"temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html","title":{"rendered":"Temple of Artemis at Ephesus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/temple-of-artemis-at-Ephesus.webp\" alt=\"The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus\" class=\"wp-image-2098\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/temple-of-artemis-at-Ephesus.webp 850w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/temple-of-artemis-at-Ephesus-300x159.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/temple-of-artemis-at-Ephesus-768x407.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, also known as the <strong>Temple of Diana<\/strong>, is located near the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/ephesus-ancient-city-guide.html\">Ancient City of Ephesus<\/a>, on the edge of the modern town of <strong>Selcuk<\/strong>. The location is also known as where the second ancient city of Ephesus settlement is located. The Temple of Artemis is also one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Due to its historical significance, it has become one of the most popular sites for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ephesus Tours<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #fff8e1; border-left: 5px solid #ffa000; padding: 20px; margin-bottom: 30px; border-radius: 8px;\">\n    <h2 style=\"margin-top: 0; color: #d35400;\">\ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f Top Things to Know Before You Go<\/h2>\n    <ul style=\"list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0;\">\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\">\ud83d\udc40 <strong>The Lonely Column &#038; The Stork:<\/strong> Only one column remains of the original 127! Look closely at the top; it is famously home to a <strong>stork&#8217;s nest<\/strong>, a symbol of nature reclaiming history \ud83d\ude0a.<\/li><\/li>\n        <li style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\">\ud83d\udcf8 <strong>The &#8220;Golden Triangle&#8221; View:<\/strong> This is the only spot where you can photograph the <strong>Temple of Artemis<\/strong>, <strong>Isa Bey Mosque<\/strong>, and <strong>the Basilica of St. John<\/strong> in a single frame.<\/li>\n        <li style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\">\ud83e\udda2 <strong>Wildlife:<\/strong> The swampy ground is now home to geese, ducks, and turtles. Nature has taken over.<\/li>\n        <li style=\"margin-bottom: 0;\">\ud83d\udeb6 <strong>Walking Distance:<\/strong> It&#8217;s just a 5-10 minutes walk from the Ephesus Archaelogly Museum in Selcuk.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #e3f2fd; border-left: 5px solid #2196f3; padding: 20px; margin-bottom: 30px; border-radius: 8px;\">\n    <h3 style=\"margin-top: 0; color: #1565c0;\">\ud83c\udfb6 Local Insider Tip: The Flute Players<\/h3>\n    <p>As you arrive at the site, you will likely be greeted by a familiar flute melody. This comes from the local vendors who have been at this exact spot for <strong>over 30 years<\/strong>, playing the same nostalgic tunes!<\/p>\n    <p>They mostly sell <strong>&#8220;Then &#038; Now&#8221; reconstruction books<\/strong> (which are actually great for visualizing the temple), postcards, magnets, and of course, the wooden flutes they play.<\/p>\n    <p style=\"margin-bottom:0;\"><strong>\ud83d\udca1 Advice:<\/strong> These vendors are generally friendly locals, not aggressive scammers. However, if you decide to buy a souvenir to support them, <strong>never skip the bargaining phase!<\/strong> Bargaining is part of the culture here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #e8f5e9; border-left: 5px solid #2e7d32; padding: 25px; border-radius: 8px; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 30px;\">\n    <h2 style=\"margin-top: 0; color: #2e7d32;\">\u2139\ufe0f Visitor Information<\/h2>\n    <ul style=\"list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0;\">\n        <li style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\">\ud83d\udccd <strong>Location:<\/strong>It is located on the road between the Ephesus Archaeological Museum and Ephesus Ancient City. (See map below).<\/li>\n        \n        <li style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\">\ud83d\udcb0 <strong>Entrance Fee:<\/strong> Entrance to the Temple of Artemis is <strong>Free of Charge<\/strong>. \n        <br><small>\ud83d\udc49 For other sites, check our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/ephesus-entrance-fees.html\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"text-decoration:underline; color:#2e7d32;\"><strong>Updated Ephesus Entrance Fees<\/strong><\/a> page.<\/small><\/li>\n        \n        <li style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\">\u23f0 <strong>Opening Hours:<\/strong> \n            <br>\u2022 <strong>Summer (Apr 1 &#8211; Oct 1):<\/strong> 08:00 \u2013 19:00\n            <br>\u2022 <strong>Winter (Oct 1 &#8211; Apr 1):<\/strong> 08:00 \u2013 17:30\n            <br><small>\ud83d\udc49 Check current <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/ephesus-opening-hours.html\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"text-decoration:underline; color:#2e7d32;\"><strong>Opening Hours for Ephesus &#038; Surroundings<\/strong><\/a>.<\/small>\n        <\/li>\n        \n        <li style=\"margin-bottom: 0;\">\ud83d\udeb6 <strong>Accessibility:<\/strong> The site is open-air and flat. However, the ground can be muddy in winter\/spring.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-who-built-and-designed-the-temple-of-artemis\" data-level=\"2\">Who Built and Designed the Temple of Artemis?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-temple-of-artemis-on-the-map\" data-level=\"2\">The Temple of Artemis on the Map<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-who-burned-the-temple-of-artemis\" data-level=\"2\">Who Burned the Temple of Artemis?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-is-the-temple-of-artemis-a-wonder\" data-level=\"2\">Why is the Temple of Artemis a Wonder?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-3d-reconstruction-video-of-the-temple-of-artemis\" data-level=\"2\">3D Reconstruction Video of the Temple of Artemis<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-destruction-and-rebirth-of-the-temple\" data-level=\"2\">Destruction and Rebirth of the Temple<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-alexander-s-offer-and-ephesian-response\" data-level=\"2\">Alexander&#8217;s Offer and Ephesian Response<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-reconstruction-of-one-of-the-seven-wonders-of-the-ancient-world\" data-level=\"2\">Reconstruction of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-artemis-of-ephesus-in-the-christian-records\" data-level=\"2\">Artemis of Ephesus in the Christian Records<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-great-artemis-of-ephesians\" data-level=\"2\">The Great Artemis of Ephesians<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-archaeological-rediscovery-of-the-temple-of-artemis\" data-level=\"2\">Archaeological Rediscovery of the Temple of Artemis<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus-facts\" data-level=\"2\">Temple of Artemis at Ephesus Facts<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-temple-of-artemis-as-a-bank-and-sanctuary\" data-level=\"2\">Temple of Artemis as a Bank and Sanctuary<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questions\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-you-may-also-like\" data-level=\"2\">You May Also Like<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus-edited.jpg\" alt=\"Virtual Reconstruction of the Temple of Artemis\" class=\"wp-image-659\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus-edited.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus-edited-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus-edited-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus-edited-320x240.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/virtualreconstruction.com\/wp\/?p=605\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Virtual Reconstruction of the Temple of Artemis<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-who-built-and-designed-the-temple-of-artemis\">Who Built and Designed the Temple of Artemis?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Temple of Artemis<\/strong> was designed and built around <strong>550 BC<\/strong>, mostly of marble, and was sponsored by <strong>Croesus<\/strong>, the legendary <strong>king of Lydia<\/strong>.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was <strong>46&nbsp;m (151&nbsp;ft)<\/strong> wide and <strong>115&nbsp;m (377&nbsp;ft)<\/strong> long. Its columns were double rows and <strong>13 m (40&nbsp;ft)<\/strong> high, forming a wide ceremonial passage around the<em>&nbsp;<\/em>cult image of <strong>Artemis<\/strong>. The pillars with sculptured bases and the roof opened to the sky around a <strong>statue of Artemis<\/strong> in the cellar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-temple-of-artemis-on-the-map\">The Temple of Artemis on the Map<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Temple of Artemis<\/strong><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"><strong>&nbsp;<\/strong>is&nbsp;located in the&nbsp;<strong>center of Selcuk<\/strong>, just a few kilometers&nbsp;<\/span>from other attractions in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"616\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-and-attractions-arond-it-on-the-map-1024x616.webp\" alt=\"Ephesus ancient city and attractions around it on the map\" class=\"wp-image-2284\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-and-attractions-arond-it-on-the-map-1024x616.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-and-attractions-arond-it-on-the-map-300x180.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-and-attractions-arond-it-on-the-map-768x462.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-and-attractions-arond-it-on-the-map.webp 1387w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-bottom: 40px; box-shadow: 0 4px 15px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); border-radius: 12px; overflow: hidden; border: 1px solid #ddd;\">\n    <h3 style=\"background: #2c3e50; color: #fff; margin: 0; padding: 10px 15px; font-size: 1rem; text-align: center;\">\ud83d\udccd Live Map: Temple of Artemis Location<\/h3>\n    <div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;\">\n        <iframe \n            src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3125.059298288828!2d27.36338131519782!3d37.94917997972851!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x14bead6b1101377d%3A0x6331908051792671!2sTemple%20of%20Artemis!5e0!3m2!1sen!2str!4v1700000000000!5m2!1sen!2str\" \n            style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: 0;\" \n            allowfullscreen=\"\" \n            loading=\"lazy\" \n            referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\"\n            title=\"Google Map of Temple of Artemis\">\n        <\/iframe>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-who-burned-the-temple-of-artemis\">Who Burned the Temple of Artemis?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-herostratus-s-act-of-arson\">Herostratus&#8217;s Act of Arson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This magnificent structure could only stand for <strong>200 <\/strong>years. <strong>In&nbsp;356 BC<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Herostratus<\/strong>, a Greek citizen, burned down the temple seeking <strong>fame<\/strong>. He set fire to the wooden roof beams of the temple, attempting to immortalize his name at any cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-condemnation-and-execution-of-herostratus\">The Condemnation and Execution of Herostratus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Herostratus <\/strong>was executed and also condemned&nbsp;by forbidding the mention of his name under the penalty of death. Following the destruction, the authorities attempted to erase <strong>Herostratus&#8217;s name<\/strong> from history as punishment for his crime, highlighting the ancient struggle between fame and oblivion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-burned-by-herostratus-1024x372.jpg\" alt=\"The Temple of Artemis was burned by Herostratus\" class=\"wp-image-664\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-burned-by-herostratus-1024x372.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-burned-by-herostratus-300x109.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-burned-by-herostratus-768x279.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-burned-by-herostratus.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The Temple of Artemis was burned by Herostratus<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-legacy-of-herostratus-in-literature\">The Legacy of Herostratus in Literature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>However, ancient writers such as <strong>Theopompus <\/strong>and <strong>Strabo <\/strong>mentioned his name, and finally, <strong>Sir Thomas Browne<\/strong> in his work&nbsp;<strong>Hydriotaphia <\/strong>stated as follows;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-black-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-e5b935ba76909c4c475a1c22ce792c9d\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(254,254,254) 0%,rgb(213,213,213) 100%)\">\u2026..But the iniquity of oblivion blindly scattereth her poppy and deals with the memory of men without distinction to merit of perpetuity. <strong>Herostratus <\/strong>lives that burnt the <strong>Temple of Diana<\/strong>, he is almost lost that built it. Who knows whether the best of men be known? Or whether there be not more remarkable persons forgot than any that stand remembered in the known account of time?<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-notion-of-herostratic-fame\">The Notion of &#8216;Herostratic Fame&#8217;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Eventually,&nbsp;<strong>Herostratus<\/strong>\u2019 name lived on in classical literature and language;&nbsp;the term \u201c<strong>Herostratic fame<\/strong>\u201d refers to <strong>Herostratus <\/strong>and means&nbsp;<strong><em>\u201cfame at any cost\u201d<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-is-the-temple-of-artemis-a-wonder\">Why is the Temple of Artemis a Wonder?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"739\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/seven-wonders-of-ancient-world-temple-of-artemis-1024x739.webp\" alt=\"Temple of Artemis seven wonders of the ancient world\" class=\"wp-image-665\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/seven-wonders-of-ancient-world-temple-of-artemis-1024x739.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/seven-wonders-of-ancient-world-temple-of-artemis-300x216.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/seven-wonders-of-ancient-world-temple-of-artemis-768x554.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/seven-wonders-of-ancient-world-temple-of-artemis.webp 1320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Seven_Wonders_of_the_Ancient_World\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Seven Wonders of the Ancient World<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Innovative Design:<\/strong> The amount of marble used and its dimensions were an extraordinary achievement for a temple of its period. The most famous structure, financed by the Lydian King <strong>Croesus <\/strong>around <strong>550 BC<\/strong>, was a testament to architectural progress. Ancient writers <strong>Pliny <\/strong>and <strong>Vitruvius <\/strong>even recorded that the famous sculptor <strong>Scopas <\/strong>carved the intricate reliefs on the columns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Colossal Scale: <\/strong>Spanning <strong>137 x 69<\/strong> meters and consisting of <strong>127 <\/strong>columns, each <strong>18 <\/strong>meters high, the temple was one of the largest structures of that period, demonstrating the ability of ancient times to build on a large scale.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spiritual Center:<\/strong> The temple dedicated to <strong>Ephesian Artemis<\/strong> was a significant religious place. It marked <strong>Ephesus <\/strong>as an important spiritual destination, attracting believers from far and wide.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Art Treasure:<\/strong> The temple of Artemis was not only an architectural wonder but also hosted unique artworks, including the <strong>statues of Artemis<\/strong> exhibited in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/ephesus-archaeological-museum.html\">Ephesus Archaeological Museum<\/a> in <strong>Ephesus<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #e0f7fa; border-left: 5px solid #006064; padding: 25px; border-radius: 8px; margin: 30px 0; box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);\">\n    <h3 style=\"margin-top: 0; color: #006064; font-size: 1.3rem; display: flex; align-items: center;\">\n        <span style=\"font-size: 1.5rem; margin-right: 10px;\">\ud83c\udfd7\ufe0f<\/span> Ancient Engineering Secret\n    <\/h3>\n    <p style=\"color: #333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6;\">\n        Why build a massive marble temple on a swamp? It sounds wild, right? As I explain on my tours, the architects Chersiphron and Metagenes were geniuses. They chose the swamp to protect the temple from <strong>earthquakes<\/strong>\n    <\/p>\n    <p style=\"color: #333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6;\">\n        But how did it not sink? Ancient records tell us they laid a foundation of <strong>charcoal and sheepskins (leather)<\/strong> underneath to absorb the shock and stabilize the massive weight. It was an engineering marvel 2,500 years ahead of its time.\n    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3d-reconstruction-video-of-the-temple-of-artemis\">3D Reconstruction Video of the Temple of Artemis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Discovering the The Artemision of Ephesus\" width=\"1060\" height=\"596\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7_7KhjLr_qo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Temple of Artemis 3D<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-destruction-and-rebirth-of-the-temple\">Destruction and Rebirth of the Temple<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The temple&#8217;s history is a cycle of destruction and rebirth. Long before the famous fire, the earliest versions of the sanctuary were destroyed by the <strong>Cimmerians<\/strong> (barbarian invaders from the north) in the <strong>7th century BC<\/strong>. Yet, each time, the Ephesians rebuilt it grander than before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-fire-and-alexander-the-great-s-birth\">The Fire and Alexander the Great&#8217;s Birth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to tradition, the fire that destroyed the Second Temple was set on the day <strong>Alexander the Great&nbsp;<\/strong>was born, <strong>21 July 356 BC<\/strong>. The historian&nbsp;<strong>Plutarch<\/strong> coincided with the temple&#8217;s burning with the birth of <strong>Alexander<\/strong>. According to <strong>Plutarch<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Artemis <\/strong>was preoccupied&nbsp;with <strong>Alexander\u2019s <\/strong>delivery that night, so she couldn\u2019t protect her temple from destruction. This was&nbsp;interpreted as the extinction of the <strong>Persians<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/alexander-the-great-relief-1024x436.jpg\" alt=\"A Relief of Alexander the Great\" class=\"wp-image-667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/alexander-the-great-relief-1024x436.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/alexander-the-great-relief-300x128.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/alexander-the-great-relief-768x327.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/alexander-the-great-relief.jpg 1128w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>A Relief of Alexander the Great<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Accordingly, <strong>22 <\/strong>years later, <strong>Alexander the Great<\/strong> defeated the <strong>Persian <\/strong>army (the battle of <strong>Granicus <\/strong>in <strong>334 BC<\/strong>). <strong>King Alexander<\/strong> liberated the Greek cities of Asia Minor and greeted them warmly in <strong>Ephesus<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-alexander-s-offer-and-ephesian-response\">Alexander&#8217;s Offer and Ephesian Response<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-rebuilding-efforts-and-alexander-s-involvement\">Rebuilding Efforts and Alexander&#8217;s Involvement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Alexander the Great<\/strong> was aware of the rumors <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">that&nbsp;<strong>Goddess Artemis<\/strong>&nbsp;was&nbsp;<\/span>overseeing the delivery of his birth and could not protect her temple. According to the legend, <strong>Alexander <\/strong>offered to cover the <strong>cost of rebuilding<\/strong> the destroyed temple <strong>with his name<\/strong> mentioned on the columns.&nbsp;However, the citizens of <strong>Ephesus <\/strong>did not want a <strong>mortal&#8217;s name<\/strong> written on their temple. But it would be inappropriate to say <strong>\u201cno\u201d <\/strong>to a king like <strong>Alexander <\/strong>in the face of such generosity. Eventually, <strong>Ephesians <\/strong>turned down <strong>King Alexander&#8217;s<\/strong> offer with a wise answer. <strong>They said<\/strong>;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-black-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-2511b4d96d02fea21a3c9dbd1d0b5b23\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(250,250,250) 0%,rgb(223,223,223) 100%)\"><em><strong>\u201c lt was not fit for a God such as himself to build a temple for another God\u201d.<\/strong> <\/em>In the end, honored <strong>Alexander <\/strong>gave special privileges&nbsp;to the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/history-of-ephesus-ancient-city.html\">city of Ephesus<\/a><\/strong>.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"893\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-ephesus-then-now-893x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Temple of Artemis Then And Now\" class=\"wp-image-668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-ephesus-then-now-893x1024.jpg 893w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-ephesus-then-now-262x300.jpg 262w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-ephesus-then-now-768x881.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-ephesus-then-now.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 893px) 100vw, 893px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Temple of Artemis Then And Now<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-reconstruction-of-one-of-the-seven-wonders-of-the-ancient-world\">Reconstruction of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ephesians <\/strong>started to rebuild the <strong>Temple of Artemis<\/strong> at <strong>Ephesus <\/strong>after <strong>Alexander&#8217;s death<\/strong>, in <strong>323 BC<\/strong>, at their own expense and continued for many years. The last temple was larger than the second one; <strong>69&nbsp;m<\/strong> (<strong>225&nbsp;ft<\/strong>) wide, <strong>137&nbsp;m<\/strong> (<strong>450&nbsp;ft<\/strong>) long, and <strong>18&nbsp;m<\/strong> (<strong>60&nbsp;ft<\/strong>) high, with <strong>127 <\/strong>columns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Antipater of Sidon<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;puts the temple on one of the earliest known lists of the <strong>Seven Wonders of the Ancient World<\/strong>. He describes the <strong>Temple of Artemis<\/strong> in one of his poems as;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-black-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg,rgb(254,254,254) 0%,rgb(239,239,239) 100%)\"><em>I have set eyes on the wall of lofty <strong>Babylon <\/strong>on which is a road for chariots, and the <strong>statue of Zeus<\/strong>, by the <strong>Alpheus<\/strong>, and the hanging gardens, and the <strong>Colleseus of the Sun<\/strong>, and the huge labour of the high pyramids, and the vast <strong>tomb of Mausolus<\/strong>; but when I saw the <strong>house of Artemis<\/strong> that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, \"<strong>Lo, apart from Olympus<\/strong>, the Sun never looked on aught so grand.<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #f3e5f5; border-left: 5px solid #8e24aa; padding: 25px; border-radius: 8px; margin: 30px 0; box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);\">\n    <h3 style=\"margin-top: 0; color: #6a1b9a; font-size: 1.3rem; display: flex; align-items: center;\">\n        <span style=\"font-size: 1.5rem; margin-right: 10px;\">\ud83c\udfc6<\/span> The Legendary &#8220;Art Competition&#8221;\n    <\/h3>\n    <p style=\"color: #333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6;\">\n        As a guide, this is my favorite story about the Temple&#8217;s decoration. In the 5th century B.C., a competition was held to choose the best <strong>Amazon Statue<\/strong> for the temple. The most famous sculptors of antiquity\u2014<strong>Phidias, Kresilas, and Polykleitos<\/strong>\u2014entered.\n    <\/p>\n    <p style=\"color: #333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6;\">\n        Here is the funny part: When asked to vote, every sculptor voted for <em>himself<\/em> as the winner! \ud83d\ude02 But they all voted for <strong>Polykleitos<\/strong> as the &#8220;second best.&#8221; Thus, by consensus, Polykleitos won the commission. This story shows the immense artistic rivalry and quality that went into this Wonder of the World.\n    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-artemis-of-ephesus-in-the-christian-records\">Artemis of Ephesus in the Christian Records<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>third <\/strong>reconstruction by the <strong>Ephesians <\/strong>survived for <strong>600 years<\/strong>. It appeared multiple times in early <strong>Christian <\/strong>accounts of <strong>Ephesus<\/strong>. It is also known that the appearance of the <strong>Christian missionary <\/strong>caused fear in <strong>Ephesians <\/strong>for the temple&#8217;s dishonor.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Acts of John<\/strong> in the <strong>2nd century AD<\/strong>, including a tale of the temple&#8217;s destruction;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-black-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg,rgb(253,249,249) 0%,rgb(226,226,226) 100%)\"><em>Conversion at the Temple of Artemis (Acts John 37\u201347)<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-acts-of-john-and-conversion-at-the-temple\">Acts of John and Conversion at the Temple<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/st-john-at-the-temple-of-artemis.webp\" alt=\"st john at the temple of artemis\" class=\"wp-image-2372\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/st-john-at-the-temple-of-artemis.webp 850w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/st-john-at-the-temple-of-artemis-300x159.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/st-john-at-the-temple-of-artemis-768x407.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>During the <strong>celebration <\/strong>of the <strong>birth of Artemis<\/strong>, citizens of Ephesus intended to kill <strong>John <\/strong>because he wore <strong>black<\/strong>, rather than <strong>white<\/strong>. <strong>John <\/strong>threatened the mob to have his god kill them if their goddess could not make him die on the spot with her divine power.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The crowd witnessed the<strong> miracles of John<\/strong> at the <strong>Temple of Artemis at Ephesus<\/strong>, begging <strong>John <\/strong>not to destroy them. Then <strong>John <\/strong>decided to use the power of God to break the <strong>altar of Artemis<\/strong> into many pieces, break the offerings and idols inside the <strong>Temple of Artemis at Ephesus<\/strong>, and collapse part of the structure itself. Upon seeing this destruction, the people of <strong>Ephesus <\/strong>immediately notice the mistake of their faith and acknowledge the <strong>God of John<\/strong> as the <strong>only true god<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-great-artemis-of-ephesians\">The Great Artemis of Ephesians<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Temple&#8217;s significance is highlighted in the&nbsp;<em><strong>New Testament<\/strong><\/em>, when <strong>St Paul<\/strong> was shouted down by the crowd, repeating, &#8220;<strong>Great is Diana of the Ephesians<\/strong>&#8220;. <strong><em>(Acts 19:34)<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"614\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/The-silversmiths-riot-in-Ephesus-1024x614.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/The-silversmiths-riot-in-Ephesus-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/The-silversmiths-riot-in-Ephesus-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/The-silversmiths-riot-in-Ephesus-768x460.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/The-silversmiths-riot-in-Ephesus.jpg 1300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Silversmith Riot in Ephesus A.D 56<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-saint-paul-s-missionary-work\">Saint Paul&#8217;s Missionary Work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>During the missionary work of <strong>Saint Paul in Ephesus<\/strong>, the people of <strong>Ephesus <\/strong>were worried that the rise of the <strong>Christian <\/strong>faith would overtake the fame of the <strong>Goddess Artemis<\/strong>. They started a riot in <strong>A.D 56,<\/strong> under the leadership of <strong>Demetrius, the silversmith<\/strong>, who made a living by selling silver statues of the <strong>Mother Goddess Artemis<\/strong>. <strong>Demetrius <\/strong>and others collected thousands together in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/ephesus-amphitheater-grand-theater-of-ephesus.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Grand Ephesus Amphitheater<\/a>. The crowd was shouting &#8220;<em>The Great Artemis of Ephesians<\/em>&#8220;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-archaeological-rediscovery-of-the-temple-of-artemis\">Archaeological Rediscovery of the Temple of Artemis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-john-turtle-wood-s-excavations\">John Turtle Wood&#8217;s Excavations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>John Turtle Wood<\/strong>&nbsp;was an English architect and engineer who eventually&nbsp;became an archaeologist because of his interest in the remains of the <strong>Temple of Artemis at Ephesus<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"634\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Excavations-at-Ephesus-The-Archaic-Artemisia-2_auto_x2-1024x634.jpg\" alt=\"Excavations at Ephesus: The Archaic Artemisia\" class=\"wp-image-671\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Excavations-at-Ephesus-The-Archaic-Artemisia-2_auto_x2-1024x634.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Excavations-at-Ephesus-The-Archaic-Artemisia-2_auto_x2-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Excavations-at-Ephesus-The-Archaic-Artemisia-2_auto_x2-768x476.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Excavations-at-Ephesus-The-Archaic-Artemisia-2_auto_x2.jpg 1214w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/ephesus-excavation-history.html\">Excavations at Ephesus<\/a>: The Archaic Artemisia<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>John Turtle Wood<\/strong>&nbsp;was commissioned to design railway stations between the <strong>Izmir&nbsp;<\/strong>and&nbsp;<strong>Aydin&nbsp;<\/strong>provinces of Turkey. <span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">However, he was more interested in the&nbsp;<strong>temple of Artemis<\/strong>&nbsp;because it was mentioned in the&nbsp;<strong>New Testament<\/strong>. In&nbsp;<strong>1863<\/strong>, he relinquished his railway station construction and began seeking the support of the&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.britishmuseum.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">British Museum<\/a><\/strong>. The&nbsp;<strong>British Museum<\/strong>&nbsp;granted permission to&nbsp;excavate&nbsp;the site and allocated a budget for his research on the&nbsp;<\/span>condition that he <strong>bring the finds to the museum<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Excavations-at-Ephesus-The-Archaic-Artemisia_auto_x2-1024x630.jpg\" alt=\"Excavations at Ephesus: The Archaic Artemisia\" class=\"wp-image-672\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Excavations-at-Ephesus-The-Archaic-Artemisia_auto_x2-1024x630.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Excavations-at-Ephesus-The-Archaic-Artemisia_auto_x2-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Excavations-at-Ephesus-The-Archaic-Artemisia_auto_x2-768x473.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Excavations-at-Ephesus-The-Archaic-Artemisia_auto_x2.jpg 1232w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Excavations at Ephesus: The Archaic Artemisia<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On <strong>31 December 1869<\/strong>, by following the Greek inscription, giving clues about the location, he discovered the temple buried beneath <strong>20 feet<\/strong> of sand. The temple was destroyed, and nothing more than wreckage remained. Nevertheless,&nbsp;<strong>John Turtle Wood<\/strong> managed to recover several sculptured pieces and architectural items to be sent to the <strong>British Museum<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus-facts\">Temple of Artemis at Ephesus Facts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mother-goddess-cult\">Mother Goddess Cult<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The origins of the <strong>Temple of Artemis<\/strong> at Ephesus date back <strong>9,000<\/strong> years. Early statues of the mother goddess, found in places like <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%C3%87atalh%C3%B6y%C3%BCk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Catalhoyuk <\/a>(<strong>7000 B.C.<\/strong>) and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hacilar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hacilar <\/a>(<strong>6000 B.C.<\/strong>), depict exaggerated <strong>fertility <\/strong>features and were originally mistaken for <strong>Venus <\/strong>figures. Later research confirmed they represented the mother goddess, a figure whose form evolved over time but whose core symbolism remained consistent across the prehistoric world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Artemis-Kybele-Cybele-Mother-Goddess-Cult.webp\" alt=\"Artemis Kybele Cybele Mother Goddess Cult\" class=\"wp-image-2374\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Artemis-Kybele-Cybele-Mother-Goddess-Cult.webp 850w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Artemis-Kybele-Cybele-Mother-Goddess-Cult-300x159.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Artemis-Kybele-Cybele-Mother-Goddess-Cult-768x407.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-worship-of-cybele-and-artemis-in-anatolia\">Worship of Cybele and Artemis in Anatolia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While we don\u2019t know what the people of <strong>Catalhoyuk <\/strong>and <strong>Hacilar <\/strong>called her, the mother goddess appeared under many names across cultures: <strong>Isis <\/strong>in <strong>Egypt<\/strong>, <strong>Kubaba <\/strong>and <strong>Cybele <\/strong>in <strong>Anatolia<\/strong>, and eventually <strong>Artemis<\/strong>. <strong>Cybele <\/strong>was the most well-known in <strong>Anatolia<\/strong>, with her major cult center in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pessinus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pessinus<\/a><\/strong>, near modern <strong>Ankara<\/strong> (the Capital of Turkey). There, a meteorite resembling her form was worshipped as her image. The mother goddess\u2019s figure often appeared simple and abstract, reflecting her diopetic (heaven-sent) origin. A wooden statue of <strong>Artemis in Ephesus<\/strong> likely followed this early style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-roman-adoption-and-rituals\">Roman Adoption and Rituals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The mother goddess brought from <strong>Pessinus <\/strong>to <strong>Rome <\/strong>was deeply revered. Roman Emperor <strong>Elagabalus <\/strong>even castrated himself in her honor, following <strong>Cybele\u2019s <\/strong>cult tradition. Statues of <strong>Cybele-Artemis<\/strong> in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/ephesus-archaeological-museum.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ephesus Museum<\/a> show her Eastern character. Her fused legs, bull testes on her chest symbolizing fertility. Animals like <strong>lions <\/strong>and <strong>sphinxes <\/strong>on her skirt highlight her role as a <strong>protector of nature<\/strong> and <strong>wildlife<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"826\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/artemis-and-queen-bee-coins.webp\" alt=\"Artemis and queen bee coin\" class=\"wp-image-945\" style=\"width:840px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/artemis-and-queen-bee-coins.webp 826w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/artemis-and-queen-bee-coins-300x135.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/artemis-and-queen-bee-coins-768x346.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 826px) 100vw, 826px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #fffde7; border-left: 5px solid #fbc02d; padding: 25px; border-radius: 8px; margin: 30px 0; box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);\">\n    <h4 style=\"margin-top: 0; color: #f57f17; font-size: 1.3rem; display: flex; align-items: center;\">\n        <span style=\"font-size: 1.5rem; margin-right: 10px;\">\ud83d\udc1d<\/span> The Cult of the Bee\n    <\/h4>\n    <p style=\"color: #333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6;\">\n        If you look closely at the coins or statues in the museum, you&#8217;ll see a <strong>Bee<\/strong> symbol. This wasn&#8217;t random. The entire priesthood of the temple was organized like a <strong>Beehive<\/strong>!\n    <\/p>\n    <ul style=\"margin-top: 10px; color: #444; font-size: 14px;\">\n        <li><strong>The High Priest (Megabysos):<\/strong> Represented the Queen Bee (ironically, he was a eunuch).<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Priestesses (Melissae):<\/strong> The word literally means &#8220;Bees.&#8221;<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Ordinary Priests (Essenes):<\/strong> Represented the drones.<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n    <p style=\"margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 10px; color: #e65100; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 600;\">\n        This unique hierarchy shows how deeply nature worship was integrated into Ephesian life.\n    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-priesthood-of-artemis\">Priesthood of Artemis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The religious hierarchy in the <strong>Temple of Artemis<\/strong> differed from Western traditions, using unique Anatolian terms. A small group of castrated priests, led by the high priest <strong>Megabysos<\/strong>, managed the temple. Chosen from central and eastern Anatolia, this role was highly respected. <strong>Megabysos <\/strong>was assisted by <strong>virgins<\/strong>, similar to Rome\u2019s <strong>Vestal Virgins<\/strong>. The temple&#8217;s structure may have been inspired by the bee society Ephesus\u2019 symbol. Other priestly classes included the <strong>Curetes<\/strong>, mythologically linked to <strong>Zeus <\/strong>and <strong>Artemis<\/strong>. And a group of dancers or acrobats is involved in ceremonies. Worship of <strong>Artemis <\/strong>and <strong>Cybele <\/strong>was central to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/history-of-ephesus-ancient-city.html\"><strong>Ephesus<\/strong><\/a>, involving hundreds of priests, priestesses, and guards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-temple-of-artemis-as-a-bank-and-sanctuary\">Temple of Artemis as a Bank and Sanctuary <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Temple of Artemis functioned as more than just a religious site; it was arguably <strong>the world&#8217;s first bank<\/strong>. High Priest <strong>Megabysos <\/strong>oversaw massive assets, loans, and donations. It offered <strong>asylum<\/strong>, allowing people, often fugitives, to seek protection within its sacred grounds. Over time, this <strong>sanctuary<\/strong> expanded under leaders like <strong>Alexander<\/strong>, <strong>Mithridates<\/strong>, and <strong>Marcus Antonius<\/strong>, eventually covering parts of the city. Although many criticized the abuse of this right by criminals, and <strong>Emperor Tiberius<\/strong> later reviewed the practice, the temple\u2019s asylum status remained intact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #e3f2fd; border-left: 5px solid #2196f3; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin: 20px 0; box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);\">\n    <h3 style=\"margin: 0 0 10px 0; color: #0d47a1; font-size: 1.1rem; display: flex; align-items: center;\">\n        <span style=\"font-size: 1.4rem; margin-right: 10px;\">\ud83d\udc8e<\/span> Rare Find: The First &#8220;Money&#8221;\n    <\/h3>\n    <p style=\"margin: 0; color: #333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.6;\">\n        Excavations here unearthed some of the earliest known <strong>&#8220;electron&#8221; coins<\/strong> (a natural alloy of gold and silver) in history, proving that this site was the financial heart of the ancient world long before modern banking existed.\n    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1661448171288\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Who Built and Designed the\u00a0Temple of Artemis?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The Temple of Artemis was designed and built around 550 BC, largely of marble, and was sponsored by Croesus, the legendary king of Lydia.\u00a0It\u00a0was 46\u00a0m (151\u00a0ft) wide and 115\u00a0m (377\u00a0ft) long. Its columns were double rows and 13 m (40\u00a0ft) high, forming a wide ceremonial passage around the<em>\u00a0<\/em>cult image of Artemis. The pillars with sculptured bases and the roof opened to the sky around a statue of Artemis in the cella.<br\/><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"741\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-Temple-Of-Artemis.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"temple of artemis at ephesus\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-Temple-Of-Artemis.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-Temple-Of-Artemis-300x139.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-Temple-Of-Artemis-1024x474.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-Temple-Of-Artemis-768x356.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Ephesus-Temple-Of-Artemis-1536x711.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1661448571109\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Who Burned the\u00a0Temple of Artemis?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"> <span style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\">This magnificent structure could only stand for <strong>200 <\/strong>years. In <strong>356 BC<\/strong>, the <\/span>temple was burned down by Herostratus, who was a Greek citizen seeking notoriety. He set fire to the wooden roof beams of the temple, attempting to immortalize his name at any cost. Herostratus was executed and also condemned\u00a0by forbidding the mention of his name under the penalty of death.\u00a0However, ancient writers such as Theopompus and Strabo mentioned his name, and finally, Sir Thomas Browne in his work\u00a0Hydropathia\u00a0stated as follows;\u00a0<br\/><br\/>\u2026..But the iniquity of oblivion blindly scattereth her poppy and deals with the memory of men without distinction to merit of perpetuity. [&#8230;] Herostratus lives who burnt the Temple of Diana, he is almost lost; that built it [&#8230;] Who knows whether the best of men be known? Or whether there be not more remarkable persons forgotten than any that stand remembered in the known account of time?  <br\/><br\/>Eventually,\u00a0Herostratus&#8217; name lived on in classical literature and in language;<span style=\"background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); font-size: revert; color: initial;\"> the term &#8220;<strong>Herostratic fame<\/strong>&#8221; refers to Herostratus and means\u00a0<\/span><strong style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\"><em>&#8220;fame at any cost&#8221;<\/em><\/strong>.<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1181\" height=\"429\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-burned-by-herostratus.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"temple of artemis burned by herostratus\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-burned-by-herostratus.jpg 1181w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-burned-by-herostratus-300x109.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-burned-by-herostratus-1024x372.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/temple-of-artemis-burned-by-herostratus-768x279.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1181px) 100vw, 1181px\" \/><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1661448284835\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Why is the\u00a0Temple of Artemis\u00a0a Wonder?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The project funded by Croesus took <strong>10 years<\/strong> to complete. It was included on an early list of the <strong>Seven Wonders of the Ancient World<\/strong> by <strong>Herodotus <\/strong>in the <strong>5th century BC<\/strong>.\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"952\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/seven-wonders-of-ancient-world-temple-of-artemis.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Temple of Artemis seven wonders of the ancient world\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/seven-wonders-of-ancient-world-temple-of-artemis.webp 1320w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/seven-wonders-of-ancient-world-temple-of-artemis-300x216.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/seven-wonders-of-ancient-world-temple-of-artemis-1024x739.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/seven-wonders-of-ancient-world-temple-of-artemis-768x554.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\" \/><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1769712410052\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What is the entrance fee for the Temple of Artemis?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Entrance to the Temple of Artemis is <strong>free of charge<\/strong>. There is no ticket office or queue. You can walk in freely.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1769712518982\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What are the opening hours for the Temple of Artemis?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\"><strong>From April 1<\/strong> to <strong>October 1<\/strong>, the Temple of Artemis is open to visitors <strong>every day<\/strong> between <strong>08:00 and 19:00<\/strong>, <strong>including weekends<\/strong>. From <strong>October 1 <\/strong>to <strong>April 1<\/strong>, it is open every day between <strong>08:00<\/strong> and <strong>17:30<\/strong>.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1769712682542\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I walk to the Temple of Artemis from Selcuk?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, it is very easy. The site is located on the main road between the Ephesus Archaeological Museum and Ephesus Ancient City. It is a flat, 5-10 minute walk from the Selcuk town center.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1769712803449\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Where are the Rest of the Ruins of the Temple of Artemis?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">It\u2019s a sad but fascinating journey. Most of the sculptural fragments were taken to the <strong>British Museum<\/strong> in London by John Turtle Wood. However, the marble blocks and columns didn&#8217;t go far. As I show my guests during our tours, many stones were recycled to build the nearby <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/basilica-of-st-john-ephesus.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Basilica of St. John<\/a><\/strong>. Even more impressively, history records suggest that some of the massive columns were transported to Constantinople (Istanbul) to support the dome of the magnificent <strong>Hagia Sophia<\/strong>.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-you-may-also-like\">You May Also Like<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-related-links yoast-seo-related-links\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/top-8-must-see-attractions-in-ephesus.html\">Top 8 Must-See Attractions in Ephesus<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/ephesus-ancient-city-guide.html\">Ephesus Ancient City: The Complete Travel &amp; History Guide<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/best-of-ephesus-tour-from-kusadasi-port-and-hotels.html\">Best of Ephesus Tours from Kusadasi Port and Hotels<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/20-facts-about-ephesus-you-probably-didnt-know.html\">20 Facts About Ephesus You Probably Didn\u2019t Know<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/the-most-instagrammable-spots-in-ephesus.html\">The Most Instagrammable Spots in Ephesus<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; border-top: 5px solid #d35400; border-radius: 8px; padding: 40px 30px; margin: 50px 0; box-shadow: 0 15px 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.04); text-align: center; font-family: inherit;\">\n    \n    <h3 style=\"color: #e65100; font-size: 1.6rem; font-weight: 800; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 15px; letter-spacing: -0.5px;\">\n        See What Remains of the &#8220;Wonder&#8221; \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f\n    <\/h3>\n    \n    <p style=\"color: #666; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 30px; max-width: 800px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\">\n        One lonely column cannot tell the full story of the Temple of Artemis. Join our <strong>Private Ephesus Tours<\/strong> to hear the legends of Alexander the Great, the Amazons, and the madman Herostratus right where they happened.\n    <\/p>\n\n    <div style=\"display: flex; justify-content: center; gap: 15px; flex-wrap: wrap;\">\n        \n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/private-ephesus-tours-from-port-of-kusadasi.html\" style=\"background-color: #d35400; color: #ffffff; padding: 16px 24px; border-radius: 6px; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; min-width: 250px; flex: 1; transition: all 0.2s ease; box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(211, 84, 0, 0.25);\">\n            <span style=\"margin-right: 8px; font-size: 1.2rem;\">\u2693<\/span> From Kusadasi Port\n        <\/a>\n\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/private-ephesus-tours-from-port-of-izmir-airport.html\" style=\"background-color: #2c3e50; color: #ffffff; padding: 16px 24px; border-radius: 6px; text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700; font-size: 15px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; min-width: 250px; flex: 1; transition: all 0.2s ease; box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(44, 62, 80, 0.25);\">\n            <span style=\"margin-right: 8px; font-size: 1.2rem;\">\ud83d\udef3\ufe0f<\/span> From Izmir Port\n        <\/a>\n\n    <\/div>\n    \n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestephesustours.com%2Fblog%2Fthe-library-of-celsus-in-ephesus.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, also known as the Temple of Diana, is located near the Ancient City of Ephesus, on the edge of the modern town of Selcuk. The location is also known as where the second ancient city of Ephesus settlement is located. The Temple of Artemis is also one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Due to its historical significance, it has become one of the most popular sites for Ephesus Tours. \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f Top Things to Know Before You Go \ud83d\udc40 The Lonely Column &#038; The Stork: Only one column remains of the original <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[56,57],"class_list":["post-636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-around-ephesus","tag-temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus","tag-temple-of-diana-at-ephesus","has_thumb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Temple of Artemis at Ephesus | Best Ephesus Tours<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"History of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, aka Temple of Diana, located near the Ephesus Ancient City. 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Specializing in private Ephesus tours and customized travel experiences, he is passionate about sharing the rich history of Ephesus, culture, and heritage through well-organized, personalized, and guest-focused services.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\"],\"birthDate\":\"1982-11-13\",\"gender\":\"Male\",\"knowsAbout\":[\"the history of Ephesus\"],\"knowsLanguage\":[\"English\",\"Turkish\"],\"jobTitle\":\"Owner of Best Ephesus Tours\",\"worksFor\":\"Owner\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1661448171288\",\"position\":1,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1661448171288\",\"name\":\"Who Built and Designed the\u00a0Temple of Artemis?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Temple of Artemis was designed and built around 550 BC, largely of marble, and was sponsored by Croesus, the legendary king of Lydia.\u00a0It\u00a0was 46\u00a0m (151\u00a0ft) wide and 115\u00a0m (377\u00a0ft) long. Its columns were double rows and 13 m (40\u00a0ft) high, forming a wide ceremonial passage around the<em>\u00a0<\/em>cult image of Artemis. The pillars with sculptured bases and the roof opened to the sky around a statue of Artemis in the cella.<br\/>\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1661448571109\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1661448571109\",\"name\":\"Who Burned the\u00a0Temple of Artemis?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\" This magnificent structure could only stand for <strong>200 <\/strong>years. In <strong>356 BC<\/strong>, the temple was burned down by Herostratus, who was a Greek citizen seeking notoriety. He set fire to the wooden roof beams of the temple, attempting to immortalize his name at any cost. Herostratus was executed and also condemned\u00a0by forbidding the mention of his name under the penalty of death.\u00a0However, ancient writers such as Theopompus and Strabo mentioned his name, and finally, Sir Thomas Browne in his work\u00a0Hydropathia\u00a0stated as follows;\u00a0<br\/><br\/>\u2026..But the iniquity of oblivion blindly scattereth her poppy and deals with the memory of men without distinction to merit of perpetuity. [...] Herostratus lives who burnt the Temple of Diana, he is almost lost; that built it [...] Who knows whether the best of men be known? Or whether there be not more remarkable persons forgotten than any that stand remembered in the known account of time?  <br\/><br\/>Eventually,\u00a0Herostratus' name lived on in classical literature and in language; the term \\\"<strong>Herostratic fame<\/strong>\\\" refers to Herostratus and means\u00a0<strong style=\\\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\\\"><em>\\\"fame at any cost\\\"<\/em><\/strong>.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1661448284835\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1661448284835\",\"name\":\"Why is the\u00a0Temple of Artemis\u00a0a Wonder?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The project funded by Croesus took <strong>10 years<\/strong> to complete. It was included on an early list of the <strong>Seven Wonders of the Ancient World<\/strong> by <strong>Herodotus <\/strong>in the <strong>5th century BC<\/strong>.\u00a0\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712410052\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712410052\",\"name\":\"What is the entrance fee for the Temple of Artemis?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Entrance to the Temple of Artemis is <strong>free of charge<\/strong>. There is no ticket office or queue. You can walk in freely.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712518982\",\"position\":5,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712518982\",\"name\":\"What are the opening hours for the Temple of Artemis?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<strong>From April 1<\/strong> to <strong>October 1<\/strong>, the Temple of Artemis is open to visitors <strong>every day<\/strong> between <strong>08:00 and 19:00<\/strong>, <strong>including weekends<\/strong>. From <strong>October 1 <\/strong>to <strong>April 1<\/strong>, it is open every day between <strong>08:00<\/strong> and <strong>17:30<\/strong>.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712682542\",\"position\":6,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712682542\",\"name\":\"Can I walk to the Temple of Artemis from Selcuk?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes, it is very easy. The site is located on the main road between the Ephesus Archaeological Museum and Ephesus Ancient City. It is a flat, 5-10 minute walk from the Selcuk town center.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712803449\",\"position\":7,\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712803449\",\"name\":\"Where are the Rest of the Ruins of the Temple of Artemis?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It\u2019s a sad but fascinating journey. Most of the sculptural fragments were taken to the <strong>British Museum<\/strong> in London by John Turtle Wood. However, the marble blocks and columns didn't go far. As I show my guests during our tours, many stones were recycled to build the nearby <strong><a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/basilica-of-st-john-ephesus.html\\\" target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noreferrer noopener\\\">Basilica of St. John<\/a><\/strong>. Even more impressively, history records suggest that some of the massive columns were transported to Constantinople (Istanbul) to support the dome of the magnificent <strong>Hagia Sophia<\/strong>.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"PostalAddress\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#local-main-place-address\",\"streetAddress\":\"Ikicesmelik mah. Zincirdere Sk. Suzgec Ismrk. 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Its columns were double rows and 13 m (40\u00a0ft) high, forming a wide ceremonial passage around the<em>\u00a0<\/em>cult image of Artemis. The pillars with sculptured bases and the roof opened to the sky around a statue of Artemis in the cella.<br\/>","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1661448571109","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1661448571109","name":"Who Burned the\u00a0Temple of Artemis?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":" This magnificent structure could only stand for <strong>200 <\/strong>years. In <strong>356 BC<\/strong>, the temple was burned down by Herostratus, who was a Greek citizen seeking notoriety. He set fire to the wooden roof beams of the temple, attempting to immortalize his name at any cost. Herostratus was executed and also condemned\u00a0by forbidding the mention of his name under the penalty of death.\u00a0However, ancient writers such as Theopompus and Strabo mentioned his name, and finally, Sir Thomas Browne in his work\u00a0Hydropathia\u00a0stated as follows;\u00a0<br\/><br\/>\u2026..But the iniquity of oblivion blindly scattereth her poppy and deals with the memory of men without distinction to merit of perpetuity. [...] Herostratus lives who burnt the Temple of Diana, he is almost lost; that built it [...] Who knows whether the best of men be known? Or whether there be not more remarkable persons forgotten than any that stand remembered in the known account of time?  <br\/><br\/>Eventually,\u00a0Herostratus' name lived on in classical literature and in language; the term \"<strong>Herostratic fame<\/strong>\" refers to Herostratus and means\u00a0<strong style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial;\"><em>\"fame at any cost\"<\/em><\/strong>.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1661448284835","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1661448284835","name":"Why is the\u00a0Temple of Artemis\u00a0a Wonder?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The project funded by Croesus took <strong>10 years<\/strong> to complete. It was included on an early list of the <strong>Seven Wonders of the Ancient World<\/strong> by <strong>Herodotus <\/strong>in the <strong>5th century BC<\/strong>.\u00a0","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712410052","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712410052","name":"What is the entrance fee for the Temple of Artemis?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Entrance to the Temple of Artemis is <strong>free of charge<\/strong>. There is no ticket office or queue. You can walk in freely.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712518982","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712518982","name":"What are the opening hours for the Temple of Artemis?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<strong>From April 1<\/strong> to <strong>October 1<\/strong>, the Temple of Artemis is open to visitors <strong>every day<\/strong> between <strong>08:00 and 19:00<\/strong>, <strong>including weekends<\/strong>. From <strong>October 1 <\/strong>to <strong>April 1<\/strong>, it is open every day between <strong>08:00<\/strong> and <strong>17:30<\/strong>.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712682542","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712682542","name":"Can I walk to the Temple of Artemis from Selcuk?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, it is very easy. The site is located on the main road between the Ephesus Archaeological Museum and Ephesus Ancient City. It is a flat, 5-10 minute walk from the Selcuk town center.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712803449","position":7,"url":"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/temple-of-artemis-at-ephesus.html#faq-question-1769712803449","name":"Where are the Rest of the Ruins of the Temple of Artemis?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It\u2019s a sad but fascinating journey. Most of the sculptural fragments were taken to the <strong>British Museum<\/strong> in London by John Turtle Wood. However, the marble blocks and columns didn't go far. As I show my guests during our tours, many stones were recycled to build the nearby <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bestephesustours.com\/blog\/basilica-of-st-john-ephesus.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Basilica of St. John<\/a><\/strong>. 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