When touring the ancient site of Ephesus in Selçuk, Turkey, one can observe the different stages of church development. Unfortunately, many tourists often miss the cues that show the church’s growth in this remarkable ancient site. Let’s look at what remains of the churches of Ephesus.
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Byzantine Ruins Hidden in a Yalova Neighborhood
In the middle of a modern residential complex in Çiftlikköy, just east of Yalova, lie the remains of a sixth-century Byzantine site. The ruins include evidence of an ancient water system, a church, and several tombs. Today, the surrounding buildings make the site easy to overlook, yet these scattered remains offer a glimpse into the Christian presence that once shaped this area.
About three kilometers east of Yalova, this quiet archaeological site invites a different kind of exploration. Rather than standing prominently above the modern city, the Byzantine remains sit almost unnoticed among contemporary homes. To find them requires looking beyond the modern landscape and searching below the surface for the history that remains.
New Evidence for St. John’s Church at Antalya’s Yivli Minare?
For centuries, the remains of a former Byzantine church have remained hidden beneath the medieval layers of the Yivli Minare Mosque in Antalya. Yet evidence of this Christian past has not disappeared. It lies scattered in the open. The Yivli Minare Mosque and the Seljuk walls of Kaleiçi preserve clues to an earlier structure on this hilltop. Now, newly exposed areas from excavations around Yivli Minare invite us to look again at what once stood here.
The excavations reveal more of a medieval complex constructed over an earlier Byzantine Christian structure. As archaeologists uncover new areas and identify objects associated with the site, they provide an opportunity to ask an important question: What can these discoveries tell us about the Byzantine church known as St. John’s Church and the Christian community that once occupied this prominent place in Antalya?
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Searching for St. Euphemia Basilica in Chalcedon
The history of Chalcedon often centers on the Basilica of St. Euphemia, the site of the Council of Chalcedon. Built over the grave of Saint Euphemia, this famous church has vanished from view, leaving behind one of the city’s greatest archaeological puzzles. Where did it stand? Historical sources, topography, and recent discoveries offer several compelling possibilities. Let us explore the leading theories.
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Ancient Chalcedon in Modern Kadıköy
Since 2018, archaeologists have uncovered remarkable new pieces of ancient Chalcedon. Excavations have revealed churches, graves, temples, and even an ancient harbor, offering fresh insight into this once-thriving city. With each new discovery, Chalcedon’s story becomes richer, but how much still lies hidden beneath the modern streets? What have archaeologists uncovered so far, and what discoveries might still await?
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Exploring the History of St. John’s Basilica
One of my favorite experiences in Ephesus is tracing the story of the early Church through the city’s changing landscape. I often pass by the multiple State Agora crosses, then enjoy the house church within the Terrace Houses before walking to the repurposed site of St. Mary’s Basilica, and finally, in Seljuk to St. John’s Basilica. Together, these locations reveal four distinct movements of church growth in Ephesus. As the city gradually expanded toward the Northeast, the Church also shifted with it, leaving behind a remarkable archaeological record of its development.
St. John’s Basilica eventually became the largest church in Asia Minor, while Hagia Sophia held that distinction in the eastern Roman capital of Constantinople. Let’s look beneath the surface to discover what makes this place truly unique.
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