Ephesus Archaeological Museum

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Korte feiten: The museum holds one of Turkey's most important collections, including the famous Statue of Artemis from the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. More than 20,000 artifacts span from the Bronze Age through the Byzantine period, all excavated from the ancient city of Ephesus just steps away.

Hoogtepunten: Two colossal marble statues of Artemis stand here, their chests covered in dozens of eggs representing fertility, and their lower bodies wrapped in mysterious bee, bull, and lion imagery you won't see anywhere else. What makes them genuinely haunting is that they were pulled directly from the mud of the Temple of Artemis site, where they had lain buried for over 1,500 years after earthquakes toppled them.

Insidertips

• Go straight to the upper floor first the Artemis statues are there and you'll have them nearly to yourself before crowds arrive.
• The Terrace Houses section with frescoed Roman villas requires a separate ticket, but it is worth every lira for the intact wall paintings.
• Photography without flash is allowed everywhere, but the low lighting on the Artemis statues means you'll need a steady hand or higher ISO.
• Skip the gift shop downstairs and instead grab a coffee at the museum cafe for a view over the Selçuk plain and the distant aqueduct.

Praktische info

Routebeschrijving

Officiële website

Meer attracties in Selçuk

Ephesus Ancient City

House of the Virgin Mary

Temple of Artemis

Basilica of St. John