Church of Mary pictures and infromation | Ephesus.   

The ruins of the Church of Mary (Meryem Kilisesi) can be found next to the harbour of Ephesus and date from around 500 AD.

The church is also referred to as the Double Church because it is believed that one of the two aisles were dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the other to Saint John whilst some call it the Council Church because the church housed the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD.

It is possibly the first church in the world to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary or Theotokas as she is also known and has served as a cathedral and also the seat of the bishop of Ephesus.
 

The church contains early Christian and Byzantine architecture and archeological finds show that the church may have been built on the ruins of a building similar to a Roman Basilica which had been abandoned during the 3rd century when the city had been in decline due attacks from the Goths and a devastating plague.

The church was a classic rectangular shaped basilica surrounded by columns with walls being added between the columns in around 500 AD. Worshippers would have entered through a large marble paved atrium and a narthex containing mosaics. The ruins contain many walls and pillars that are still standing. There is the great apse, some capitals and also blocks with crosses inscribed on them. On the north side of the church Anatolia’s best preserved baptisimal pool can be found.

The church is sign posted once you have entered the site of Ephesus. Ephesus can be reached easily from Selcuk either by a 3 kilometer walk or short taxi ride or from Kusadasi by dolmus. Alternatively Ephesus Tours (www.ephesustours.biz) provide a service for the whole of the site of Ephesus which includes guides, private cars, lunch and guide books.

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