DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT EPHESUS 12    /   BREEZES of HOLY PLACES

THE HOUSE of V.MARY,THE TEMPLE of ARTEMİS & İSABEY MOSQUE,THE BASILICA OF ST JOHN-SIRINCE VILLAGE  from ÇESME

You will start your tour today with the visit the Shrine of the Virgin Mary where she supposedly her later days .

Located on the top of the "Bulbul" mountain 7 km ahead of Ephesus, the shrine of Virgin Mary enjoys a marvelous atmosphere hidden in the green. It is the place where Mary may have spent her last days. Indeed, she may have come in the area together with Saint John, who spent several years in the area to spread Christianity. Mary preferred this remote place rather than living in crowded place.

The house of Virgin Mary is a typical Roman architectural example, entirely made of stones. In the 4th century AD, a church, combining her house and grave, has been built. The original two-stored house, which consisted of an anteroom (where today candles are proposed), bedroom and praying room (Christian church area) and a room with fireplace (chapel for Muslims). A front kitchen fell into ruins and has been restored in 1940's. Today, only the central part and a room on the right of the altar are open to visitors. From there one can understand that this building looks more like a church than a house. Another interesting place is the "Water of Mary", a source to be found at the exit of the church area and where rather salt water, with curative properties, can be drunk by all.

Then you’ll drive 30 minutes on the way to the basilica of St.John , the temple of Artemis and İsa bey mosque in Selcuk.

The Temple of Artemis where is the one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The temple was dedicated greek fertility goddess Artemis and built in 3rd BC. According to its giant size and being the first temple made of marble, it is accepted as one of the seven wonders of the ancient World

İsa Bey Mosque is in Selcuk district of İzmir,between Artemis Temple and St.Jean Church.It was built in 1375 y Aydınoglu İsa bey.It is the work of Architect Şamlı(Damask) Ali.

İsa bey Mosque is one of the oldest and most spectacular works of Turkısh architecture belonging to the Anatolian Principalities period.It was also used as a caravanserai in the 19th century.

Our next stop the Basilica of St.John.This site is the burial place of St.John,the writer of the gospel of the same name and the disciple who brought the Vırgın Mary to Ephesus.Built to the shape of a cross it has six large domes.The Byzantine Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora had the church built over the site of the grave.In the Byzantine period the entrance in the walls had embossed friezes which showed the pursuit of Achilles and for this reason is known as the ‘’Takip kapısı’’(Pursuit Gate). From the courtyard of the church there is a wonderful panorama of the temple of Artemis İsa Bey Mosque and the Aegean at Pamucak

You’ll have lunch at the local restaurant in Selcuk.

After Lunch you’ll continue on to visit the old Greek village Şirince.

It is a beautiful hill town only 8 km east of Selcuk, near Ephesus, in the Aegean hinterland south of İzmir It's famous for its olive oil, fruit wines, other natural products, and its atmospheric boutique hotels. A dozen small restaurants cater to day-trippers, hotel guests, and locals alike.

In the 19th century ,it was a Greek town with 1800 houses,famous for its fig production,especially for export.Population Exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923 ,result of the departure of the Greeks were settled by emigrants from the village.There are two Greek churges in the quarter.In Şirince no house blocks the vıew of the other.

Some say the Orthodox Christian Greeks who lived here during the Ottoman Empire were famed for the excellence of their wine. The Muslim Turks who moved here from Thessaloniki in 1924 re-started wine-making using local fruits, including apple, apricot, banana, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, mulberry (black, and white), mandarin orange, melon, orange, peach, quince, sour (Morello) cherry and strawberry. You can taste the results and judge for yourself when you visit. They sell red, white and rosé, dry and sweet. A few local producers have switched from the local vines, which in fact produce table grapes, to Turkey's better wine grapes such as Narince.

End of the tour you’ll drive to  Çeşme

DURATION : 9,5  HOURS

THE GUIDE MAY CHANGE THE ROUTE FOR THE VENUES

THE CAPACITY OF THE TOUR MAXIMUM 12 PAX