BASILICA OF ST. JOHN

St. John was in Ephesus twice, between AD37 & 48 with Mary, mother of Jesus, and again in AD95, towards the end of his life when he wrote the Gospel of John on Ayasuluk Hill.  A 4thC tomb housed his remains, and in the 6th century the Emperor Justinian built the Basilica of St. John on top of that tomb to honor his life.  The church was built in the form of a cross, covered by a central dome with smaller domes forming the arm.  St. John's tomb was under the central dome.  The roof was wood, an unusual architectural element at that time.  Entry to the grounds of the basilica was through the Gates of Persecution.  Earthquakes left it as rubble until a century ago when restoration began.  In it's day it was a marvel and attracted thousands of medieval pilgrims and it still draws bus loads of tourists daily.

GATE OF PERSECUTION & CITY WALLS

 

 There is approximately 1 km of city walls around the Basilica (interior and exterior).  The walls were supported by 20 towers, built with materials brought from Ephesus and Artemis.  There are 3 entrances to the Basilica, but the Gate of Persecution is the main entrance and the most intact.  It is amazing what they used and how they pieced the walls together.

MONUMENTAL GATE

The 3 arched Monumental Gate stood between the Gate of Persecution and the Basilica.  It opened to the courtyards of the church.  This portion of the complex was built during the Roman era, before Justinian constructed the actual Basilica.  Amazing views of the Citadel from all angles.

ATRIUM

Located to the west of the church, there are columned and arched porticos on 3 sides with an opened central area.  There are some infrastructure below, but  it is unsure what that was used for.  This type of atrium or "strolling place" was unique to the Byzantines.

BAPTISTRY

Entry Fountain

Entry to Baptistry

Baptismal Pool

Inside the Baptistry

Inside the central section; insert of mosaic tiles that are a walkway around this section

View from the  Baptistry to the hills

The Baptistry, constructed in the 5th century AD, is one of only 2 Baptistry Complexes in Turkey.  It has an octagonal central section with triangular corner rooms.  There are halls to the east and west of the central section for pre and post baptismal ceremonies.  At the heart of the building is the round baptismal pool with 3 steps on each side.  The square pools on either side held the holy water during baptismal ceremonies.  When Justinian built the Basilica, the then main entry to the Baptistry had to be closed to allow for the construction.  An ornamental marble fountain was built at this gate and the gate to the baptistry was moved.

HALLS OF TREASURY

The Hall of Treasury was located in an area behind the altar.  This area, in the  10th & 11th CAD was converted into a chapel.  There were frescoes in the altar area depicting St. John, Jesus, and Timothy.  The actual Hall of Treasury was a square building, with a central area and arms going out in the shape of a cross. The treasures of the church were housed  in its many niches.  Today, only a few of these niches remain.

 THE TOMB OF ST. JOHN

 One of the views from the tomb; samples of remaining marble and mosaics that surrounded the tomb area.

REMAINS OF THE DAY