In this article we are going to talk about the history of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesusand we show you some of its best images and a video so that you have all the information about this imposing temple.
The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus
The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus It is one of the most representative monuments of the ancient world, in fact it is considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is located in the city of Ephesus, in Turkey, and was erected in honor of the goddess Artemis, one of the most important deities of Greece.
The Temple of Artemis It was built in the middle of the 6th century BC and it is believed that its construction took around 120 years. It was an imposing temple that had 127 Ionic columns that reached a height of 60 meters. The size of the temple was considerable. It was 380 feet long and 180 feet wide. It was made of marble and inside it had numerous statues made by some of the most representative Greek artists of the time, such as Phidias.
Already in its time, it became a true tourist attraction and was frequented by merchants, kings, or travelers of all kinds (including refugee soldiers). They used to pay tribute in the form of jewels or money to the goddess Artemis.
The Temple of Artemis was destroyed by a fire caused by a man named Herostratus, in the year 356 BC The objective of the man, according to the writings that remain from the time, was to achieve fame at all costs and that his name would be remembered by history. The temple of Artemis is believed to have been destroyed on the same day that Alexander the Great was born.
It should be noted that during the Roman times the Temple of Diana, as they called it, was one of the best known monuments. In fact, there is evidence that at the time miniatures of the temple were made as “souvenirs”, which were sold on the market.
Behind the destruction of the temple some of its remains were used to make other constructions. Parts of the temple of Artemis are now, for example, in Hagia Sophia (Istanbul), a former mosque converted into a museum.
It was not until the 19th century that interest in this temple and its history reappeared, after an expedition carried out in 1869 by the British museum. However, today all that remains of what was the temple of Artemis is a single column.
Video
In this documentary you can learn much more about the wonders of the world, including the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.
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