Historic Site · Selçuk, Turkey
Ephesus
Ephesus ( EF-uh-suhs; Ancient Greek: Έφεσος) was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, in present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. Built c. 1001 BC.
Photo: Benh LIEU SONG via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Selçuk, Turkey |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | c. 1001 BC |
| Area | Area: 6.148 km² |
| Coordinates | 37.9411° N, 27.3419° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Ephesus is known for
Ephesus ( EF-uh-suhs; Ancient Greek: Έφεσος) was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, in present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey.
About Ephesus
Ephesus ( EF-uh-suhs; Ancient Greek: Έφεσος) was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, in present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. It was built in the 10th century BC on the site of Apasa, a city-state that was also the capital of Arzawa, by Attic and Ionian Greek colonists. During the Classical Greek era, it was one of twelve cities that were members of the Ionian League.
History
Humans had begun inhabiting the area surrounding Ephesus by the Neolithic Age (about 6000 BC), as shown by evidence from excavations at the nearby höyük (artificial mounds known as tells) of Arvalya and Cukurici. Excavations in recent years have unearthed settlements from the early Bronze Age at Ayasuluk Hill. According to Hittite sources, the capital of the kingdom of Arzawa (another independent state in Western and Southern Anatolia/Asia Minor) was Apasa (or Abasa), and some scholars suggest that this is the same place the Greeks later called Ephesus.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Ephesus website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Selçuk |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Adnan Menderes International Airport (ADB) |
| Distance from the airport | 26.6 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Adnan Menderes International Airport (ADB) · Gaziemir, Turkey · 26.3 miles away
- Milas Bodrum International Airport (BJV) · Bodrum, Turkey · 50.9 miles away
- Kos International Airport "Ippokratis" (KGS) · Kos Island, Greece · 80.4 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Turkey
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Ephesus?
Ephesus ( EF-uh-suhs; Ancient Greek: Έφεσος) was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, in present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey.
Where is Ephesus located?
Ephesus is in Selçuk, Turkey. Its coordinates are 37.9411° N, 27.3419° E.
How do I get to Ephesus?
The nearest town is Selçuk, and the nearest airport is Adnan Menderes International Airport (ADB), about 26.6 miles away (straight line).
When was Ephesus built?
Ephesus was built c. 1001 BC.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q47611 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.muze.gov.tr/en/museums/ephesus-archaeological-site — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.