Temple of Artemis in Ephesus
The Temple of Artemis is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The architectural marvel was established on Mount Ephesus, close to Izmir. According to researches, the temple is the first architecture in marble across the globe. The way the marbles had been shaped and designed, the temple reflects a divine glow during sunrise. The origin of the temple dates back to the time when Ephesus belonged to the Greek empire.
Greek people believe in polytheism. Artemis is one of the goddesses. In Roman mythology, Artemis is Goddess Diana. The devotees built this temple at this site to worship Diana, the huntress. Moon Goddess Diana also signifies grace and beauty.
Past & Present
The kind of Lydia founded the temple dedicated to the Goddess Artemis and coronate the statue of the Goddess on the temple altar. The famous architect Chersiphron designed and architected the temple with the assistance of his son, Metagenes. It took around 125 to 200 years to complete the temple. The construction work of the temple was completed in 550 BC. The temple is, till date, considered to be one of the most famous temples in the world.
Suddenly, in 356 BC, a man burnt the temple in order to memorialize his name in history. In 333 BC, when King Alexander; the Great reached Ephesus, he took the responsibility to restore the temple its previous stature by renovating the destroyed parts of the temple.
Again, Goths in 262AD attacked the temple, and the religious site got destroyed for the second time. This time, the inhabitants of Ephesus implored the contemporary ruler to repair and rebuild the temple ground. Around the 4th Century, most people accepted conversion into Christianity, and the temple lost its status and reverence forever. A Christian Saint from Constantinople destroyed the temple at the end of the 400 Century. Since then, the temple was left to ruins. After a long period of ups and downs, the temple was finally excavated by the British Museum in the 19th Century and the archeologists sent some of the artifacts to the museum in Britain. It is said that the temple marbles had been taken to other areas to construct different buildings. Recently, the initiative to explore the ancient lands has become more vivid than ever to introduce the wonder to the present generation. These efforts have again brought the temple under the spotlight.
About the Temple
Temple of Artemis is the first-ever temple to be made of white marble. The temple structure reflects the blend of Asian and Greek architecture. There were 127 pillars in and around the temple. Each of the pillars was around 20 meters high. The sculpture on the pillars adds a mesmerizing look to the temple. The marbles that surrounded the temple led to a high balcony of 260 to 430 heights.
The temple was built on a marshland with no fear of earthquake. The temple hall was ornate with classic paintings and murals with silvers and gold inside. The temple housed statues of many warrior women within the premises. Unfortunately, the temple is now in its ruins. The temple attracts history enthusiasts, archaeologists, and anthropologists to a large extent. The general tourists can visit the remains of the temple to enrich themselves.
How to reach: The tourists can avail buses and taxis from different corners of Izmir to reach the Artemis Temple.
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (Bodrum)
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was founded on a hill in 350 BC in the Halicarnassus town that used to come under the rule of Caria.The kingdom was a province belonging to the Persian Empire. According to historians, the construction work of the mausoleum began by the widow of King Mausole after his death. The term 'mausoleum' was first coined from the name of Emperor Mausole. Green architect Pythius designed the mausoleum. The mausoleum structure was encircled by a protected courtyard. There was a stone-made platform located in the center of the courtyard, laid under the tomb. A staircase was made to reach the top of the tomb platform. The outer walls of the mausoleum have various statues of gods and goddesses. In each corner of the tomb, you could see stone warriors sitting on horseback, keeping watch on the mausoleum. The base of the tomb was painted with a scene depicting battles between centaurs and Lapiths and Greeks and Amazons.
The architectural grandeur of the tomb got it enlisted among the seven wonders of the ancient world. The top of the mausoleum was decorated with a pedestal and the famous quadriga. Quadriga is the statue of four horses pulling a chariot.
According to the latest studies,
- Height of Mausoleum Building: 43 meters
- Tomb: 13 meters
- Colonnade: 12 metres
- Roof: 12 meters
- Quadriga: 6 meters
The funeral chamber was at the center of the mausoleum ground. The emperor is buried in the mausoleum with the empress, who got reunited with him after years later. The way to access the funerary chamber was through a staircase on the west side.
The foundation of the mausoleum is very deep-rooted within the ground. The rock was brought up from 2.4 to 2.7 meters deep. The ornamentation of the mausoleum is marvelous. The tomb ground is surrounded by various statues and paintings depicting different episodes of the rulers' lives of the contemporary time. The sculptures of the animals are larger than the real-life animals. As per assumption, the mausoleum was destroyed in an earthquake somewhere between the 11th and 15th Centuries. The broken stones and walls were carried to the local buildings.
The British Archaeologist Charles Thomas Newton initiated the archaeological excavations of the mausoleum in the 19th Century. He became the curator of the British Museum. Some broken sculptures of the foundation were found on the original site. The expedition work lasted for three years. The marbles of the mausoleum were sent to London after the excavation was over. The ruins of the tomb still exist in the city center. No such legends are there to explain the massive ruins.
Destruction of Temple of Artemis and Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
As the historical records say, the temple of Artemis was destroyed by fire and the mausoleum of Halicarnassus was damaged by an earthquake. Later, the British museum took the responsibility to excavate both the ancient architectural wonders. The blog intends to present the grandeur and glory of these forgotten wonders to tourists. The ruins attract history buffs, archaeologists, and researchers.
How to reach: Buses and taxis are available from Miletus to reach Halicarnassus.
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