Culture:
Greek and Roman (of most interest), Neolithic, early Christian, and Byzantine occupations as well.
Location:
Western Turkey, 60 miles south of Izmir and right next to the town of Selçuk.
Dates Occupied:
A Neolithic occupation has been identified, and there is historic reference at least as early as the 15th century BC (as Apasas) until 232 AD when it was attacked and destroyed by the Goths. Byzantine occupations extend the fifteenth century AD, and Selçuk is the modern city.
Architecture to Visit:
Numerous Greek and Roman ruins are still standing such as the Artemision, the Gates of Heracles, Temple of Domitian, Prytaneion, the Pollio Fountain.
Museum/Gift Shop:
There is a Museum of Ephesus in Selçuk, which has artifacts from the excavations; artifacts are also stored in the Istanbut Archaeological Museum, the British Museum in London and Ephesos Museum of the Art History Museum in Vienna.
Recommended Reading:
You can't do better than the Kusadasi website, linked above, which has pictures of the site and loads of information about the site, including hotels and travel arrangements required. Also see the Austrian Archaeological Institute pages on Ephesos.
Excavators and Excavations:
Earliest excavations were by British engineer John Turtle Wood between 1863 and 1874 and D. G. Hogarth about the turn of the 19th century. Over a century of excavations have been conducted by the Austrian Archaeological Institute, currently conducted by Hermann Vetters.
Why You Should Go:
Ephesos was one of the most wealthy Ionian colonies during the sixth century BC, and the structural beauty reflects that past glory. The Artemision is one of the largest Ionic temples of the ancient world; and the early Christian and Byzantine architecture is worth visiting as well.
