The temple of Artemis in Ephesus
The temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven wonders of the ancient world, was located near the Greek city of Ephesus on the coast of Asia Minor. Currently, the site of Ephesus is Selcuk in Turkey, South of Izmir province.
Place for the construction of the sanctuary of Artemis was chosen. In the Bronze age it was used for ritual purposes. During excavations by archaeologist David George Hogarth were found the remains of several temples in the layers lying one above the other.
In the VI century BC, Ephesus reached unprecedented heights. The temple of Artemis was in Ephesus, the Acropolis, and stood in the valley, seven km from the city. The Church is not subject to the power of Ephesus. He was an independent political entity, governed by a Board of priests. Anyone who has entered the temple unarmed, acquired the right of immunity.
The temple of Artemis, which became one of the wonders of the world, decided to build near the mouth of the river Kastri in the place where already existed before the ancient temple, later submerged by flood. For construction were invited to the famous architect Horseman from Knossos.
For the formation of the Foundation a plot of marshy land was raised by 2 meters compared to the preceding temple, in order to eliminate the threat of flooding of flooding. The builders hoped that the moorland will help to ease the shocks of earthquakes, which were frequent in Ephesus region.
Horsemen to offer to build a marble temple, but there were no marble. To realize the Grand plan of the architect helped the case. Shepherd Picador, saw one of the fighters rams the tree crashed and broke away from her small white stone. It was a marble! Jubilant townspeople welcomed a shepherd, dressed him in fine clothes. So nobody knows the shepherd Picador became famous.
When life Charterone built colonnade and walls, and construction was completed by his son Metagen and architects Demetrius and Peonic.
In 550 BC, when a majestic white marble building with a magnificent finish, opened the eyes of the audience, it caused surprise and admiration.
A huge temple length 110 and a width of 55 meters was surrounded by two rows of stone columns up to a height of 18 meters. In total there were 127.
The temple of Artemis richly decorated at the expense of citizens and pilgrims. Bronze statues of him were created by famous sculptors of the time: Phidias, Kresilas, and Polyclitus. There is evidence that the main statue of Artemis has reached a height of 15 meters and was made of gold and ivory.
After 200 years, a resident of Ephesus Herostratus burned down the temple of Artemis. The young man tried to perpetuate his name in history and not found anything the best, except
to destroy the Great Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Authorities issued a decree according to which, the name of the attacker should be forgotten. However, Herostratus was successful, his name, remember after the Millennium, it has become synonymous.
The residents of Ephesus, was restored to its Shrine. On the restoration of the Church they gave all their savings and valuables. They were supported by the inhabitants of other cities of Asia Minor. There is evidence that the completion of the construction financed by Alexander the great.
The newly re-established Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was even more majestic. Over five centuries it stood in all its beauty and magnificence, attracting numerous pilgrims and travelers from all over the world.
Then the Goths came and destroyed the temple. Later, the earthquake left in ruins the finest structure of that time.
The city of Ephesus gradually came to a complete standstill. The Bay, where before the pestering ships, has gradually filled with river silt, and Ephesus ceased to exist as a major port center, becoming provincial, unremarkable town. Most of the inhabitants left it. Forgot even the place on which stood the magnificent temple. When in 1863 the British Museum sent in search of the ruins of the Temple of the architect John wood, he spent six years on his quest. Only in 1868 there was discovered the Foundation of the Church.
Today the ruins of the temple of Artemis in Ephesus is almost completely absorbed by the bog At the place where he stood, there was one recovered from the wreckage of the column.
