Temple of Artemis

Temple of Artemis

The main structures and artifacts in Ephesus, the first city made entirely of marble, are explained below: The Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the world, is the first temple of the ancient world built of marble and its foundations date back to the 7th century BC. Built by the Lydian king Croesus, and dedicated to the goddess Artemis, the building was decorated with bronze sculptures designed by the Greek architect Chersiphron and made by the greatest sculptors of the period, Pheidias, Polycleitus, Kresilas and Phradmon. Its size is 130 x 68 meters and its façade faces west like other Artemis (Mother Goddess) temples. The temple was used both as a marketplace and as a religious institution. The Temple of Artemis was burned on July 21, 356 BC by a Greek named Herostratus, who wanted to immortalize its name. On the same night, Alexander the Great was born. When Alexander the Great conquered Anatolia, he offered help to rebuild the Temple of Artemis but was refused. Only a few marble blocks have survived from the temple. Excavations on the Temple of Artemis were initiated in 1863 by archaeologist John Turtle Wood with the contributions of the British Museum, and in 1869 the foundations of the Temple of Artemis were reached at a depth of 6 meters.