The temple of Artemis is known as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. In the background (left to right) are a Byzantine castle, Church of St. John and a 14th century Mosque.

It was built in the area of Ephesus on a flat area which has over the centuries turned into a swamp. Today one can only see the ruins of the foundations of this marvelous construction of the Hellenistic Age, entirely made of marble and full of sculptured columns' capitals and shafts. The oldest remains found date back till the 6th century BC. It was surrounded by 36 huge columns, later enlarged upon the orders of the Lydia King, Kreisos, during the 6th century BC. The new Artemis was rebuilt in the 2nd century BC. Located on top of the previous one, it had tremendous dimensions: 125 columns of each 17.5 meters high. Unfortunately this one was also destroyed by fire, reconstructed and again demolished by earthquakes, rebuilt and at last looted by Goths one year later.