Ephesus Kusadasi

The Basilica of St. John is located on Ayasuluk Hill.A small church was dedicated to St. John in the 2nd century which was replaced by a huge basilica duilt by the order of Emperor Justinian in the 6th century.

According to legent John wrote his gospel in Ephesus at the request of other deciples, then he died in the church that named after him an Ayasuluk Hill.His grave was marked by a memorial and enclosed by a church in the 4th century. Tje traditional grave of his, located under the main central dome, made the cide one of the most sacred sites in the middle ages. But with the decline in importance of Ephesus and after Arab invasions, the basilica fell into ruins untill the Seljuk Aydinoglu clan converted it into a mosque in 1330. The construction was completely destroyed by the Mongol army in 1402. Fortunately recent restorations enable visitors to see its size and visualize its former splendor.