The majestic temple of the goddess Artemis in Ephesus, one of the seven wonders of the world, attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world, BGNES reported.
Ancient authors wrote about its beauty and greatness. Among them is Antipater of Sidon, the chief librarian at the Library of Alexandria, who visited all the impressive architectural complexes of his time.
"I have seen the walls of majestic Babylon, on which chariots can be raced, and the statue of Zeus at Alpheus, and the hanging gardens and the colossus of the Sun, and the endless labor on the imposing pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus, but when I saw the home of Artemis, which rose to the clouds, all other wonders lost their grace, and I said, “Behold! Except for Olympus, the sun has never seen anything so majestic!”
Of all the seven wonders of the world, only the Egyptian pyramids and the Temple of Artemis have survived today. Along with the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, it is one of two wonders located in the territory of Anatolia in modern Turkey.
It is believed that the first temple of the goddess Artemis, who was the sister of Apollo and the daughter of the main god of Olympus Zeus, was built around 1100 BC. He was located near the river in Ephesus. Gradually, the city became one of the most prosperous centers of antiquity.
The Lydian king Croesus, who minted the first gold and silver coins, conquered Ephesus and donated the funds to rebuild the war-damaged temple, making it grander than ever. It is four times the size of the old one, built of white marble and has over 100 columns! The statue of Artemis was made of gold and ivory. She was a symbol of fertility and for this reason the temple and the goddess were highly revered.
The ancient Greek traveler Pausanias explains her meaning: "All the cities worship the Ephesian Artemis, and the people place her above all the gods. In my opinion, the reason for this is the fame of the Amazons and the fact that this temple is very ancient."
The Temple of Artemis is both a major religious and commercial center. Jealous of his fame, Herostratus sets him on fire to become famous. This greatly saddened the people of Ephesus. According to the legend, the goddess failed to protect him because she was absent at that very moment - she was at the birth of a demigod - Alexander the Great.
The temple was rebuilt a total of seven times. Its decline begins with the advent of Christianity, when there is no longer any room for the old deities.
Thanks to the Temple of Artemis, the great ancient theater and the library of Celsus, Ephesus is included in the UNESCO World Cultural and Material Heritage List. I BGNES
