This ruined temple recalls Domitian (r AD 81–96), the tyrant as evil as Nero who banished St John to Patmos (where the evangelist wrote the Book of Revelation), and who executed his own nephew for showing interest in Christianity. The unpopular ruler demanded the structure be raised in his honour, but the temple and its statue were promptly demolished when news of his assassination reached Ephesus. The head of the statue is now in the Ephesus Museum in Selçuk.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.34 MILES
Of Turkey's hundreds of ancient cities and classical ruins, Ephesus is the grandest and best preserved. A Unesco-listed World Heritage Site, it's the best…
0.21 MILES
This magnificent library dating from the early 2nd century AD, the best-known monument in Ephesus, has been extensively restored. Originally built as part…
19.36 MILES
Priene enjoys a commanding position just below Mt Mykale, giving it a real natural grandeur. This Greco-Roman site is delightful to explore, with pine…
Dilek Peninsula-Büyük Menderes National Park
21.94 MILES
This spectacular 277-sq-km mountainous reserve on the Dilek Peninsula has walking trails, stunning vistas, azure coves for swimming, and deep-green…
0.15 MILES
The roofed complex here contains seven well-preserved Roman homes built on three terraces, which are well worth the extra visiting fee. As you ascend the…
28.06 MILES
In a word: extraordinary. In 524 BC, when Pythagorio (then called Samos) was the island’s capital and a bustling metropolis of 80,000, securing sources…
1.89 MILES
Selçuk’s crowning achievement is accessed on the same ticket as the Basilica of St John, once the citadel's principal structure. Earlier and extensive…
21.91 MILES
Follow the north-coast road out of Vathy for 10km and look for a signposted dirt road to the left leading to Livadaki Beach. Here, tropical azure waters…
Nearby Ephesus attractions
0.02 MILES
Backing onto the Upper Agora, this fountain honouring the builder of a nearby aqueduct hints at the lavish nature of ancient Ephesus' fountains, most of…
0.02 MILES
A side road called Sacred St running along the western edge of the Upper Agora led to the Asclepion, the medical centre of Ephesus. Protected by the god…
0.05 MILES
Objects discovered in this small temple in the Upper Agora suggested that it was dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis.
0.05 MILES
This monument from the 1st century AD is dedicated to Caius Memmius, nephew of the dictator Sulla who sacked Ephesus in 84 BC. Pillars with dancing…
0.06 MILES
Marking the upper boundary of the Curetes Way, this two-storey gate with reliefs of Hercules on both main pillars was constructed in the 4th century AD…
0.07 MILES
This large square measuring 58m by 170m, and used for legislation and local political talk, was flanked by grand columns and filled with polished marble…
0.08 MILES
Two of six original Doric columns mark the entrance to the ruined Prytaneum, one of the most important civic structures in Ephesus. Within and dedicated…