Ephesus

The ancient city of Ephesus is located outside the modern city of Izmir’s Selcuk. Ephesus is largest archeological site in Turkey. First founded around 2000 years B.C., it was rebuilt in the year 1000 B.C. by Lysimachus, left here by Alexander the Great in 334 B.C. fortified the city by walls for the fist time. It was one of the great cities of the Ionian Greeks in Asia Minor(province of Asia) and became the capital of Asia Minor. In Ephesus there are the remains of the first church to be dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this courch Third Ecumenical Council was gathered in 431 A.D. Ephesus was one of the 12 Ionian Cities.