Temple of Artemis in Ephesus - one of the wonders of the world

Temple of Artemis in Ephesus refers to one of the seven wonders of the world. Today it is located on the territory of modern Turkey, not far from the city of Kusadasi. Its construction dates back to 560 BC, when the last ruler of Lydia Croesus decided to build a majestic temple for the worship of Artemis, the moon goddess, the patroness of young girls and animals.

The place for the erection of the sanctuary by the ruler was not chosen by chance, since it was used for a long time for various rituals and religious rituals. Soft, marshy soil was to protect the temple of Artemis of Ephesus from frequent tremors for this area.

The main material for the construction of the temple was limestone and marble, which was mined in the local mountains. A total of about 120 supporting columns of marble were erected, the height of which reached 20 meters. They were made up of giant blocks, which were fastened together by metal rods.

Cedar beams served as the material for the ceiling slabs, and the doors were made of wood, specially delivered from Cyprus. The roof of the temple of Artemis was covered not with clay, but with marble tiles.

Inside the walls of the temple were faced with marble slabs. The finished decorative look was given to them by the artists, having painted the walls with various ornaments. Statues of bronze were created by famous sculptors: Fidia, Cresilus and Polikletis. In the center of the temple is a huge figure of Artemis. There is a legend that its height was about 18 meters, and the statue itself was completely made of ivory and lined with gold.

The temple of the goddess Artemis at Ephesus was one of the largest constructions of its time and several times larger than the Greek Parthenon in Athens. The platform of the temple of Artemis reached 131 meters in length and 79 meters in width. Around her were two rows of snow-white marble columns.

The temple was regarded as an independent political unit, and it was administered by a collegium of priests. Anyone who had unarmedly entered the sanctuary of Artemis acquired immunity. The temple also served as a bank and a treasury for the citizens. Private individuals and the state, Persians and Greeks kept their savings here.

200 years later, the temple of Artemis in Ephesus was destroyed (in 356 BC). He was burned by Gerostat, who simply dreamed of becoming famous in any way. The city authorities have forbidden to pronounce the name of the attacker, so as not to fulfill his dream. However, Gerostrat nevertheless implemented his plan, since thousands of years later his name is still remembered.

After a few years, Alexander of Macedon visited Ephesus Bay and ordered the restoration of the ruins of the temple. Reconstruction was carried out by Heyrokrat, a Greek architect. During the works he made his own adjustments to the design: he raised the steps so that the temple of Artemis at Ephesus towered over the various buildings that had been formed around it for the last several centuries. Reclaimed from the ruins, the sanctuary became even more beautiful and majestic and stood for more than five centuries.

Thus, it existed until the III century BC. Gradually the bay of Ephesus was covered with mud and subsequently was plundered by the Goths.

Under Theodosius I, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was completely closed to visit, as the ruler forbade pagan culture. Part of the structural elements began to be used for the erection of other buildings. In the church of St. Sophia, located in the city of Constantinople, some porphyry columns were installed.

To date, the ruins of the sanctuary completely disappeared in the swamp, and in their place rises one reconstructed column and several fragments of the basement. It took archaeologists more than a decade to recreate the original appearance of this once magnificent structure.