- Turkey -
History
Ephesus
Ephesus, located on the Lonia coast of Turkey, is one of the most well preserved Ancient Greek cities in the Modern World. Any official documentation surrounding the site is somewhat sceptical in accuracy, howeever, the site itself is estimated to have been founded in around 600BC, making it over 2000 years old. Within the site lies the remains of the 'Temple of Artemis' - one of the seven wonders of the world.
Having visited the site myself, I can say it is truly impressive. Looking out onto the site, you are met with a sea of white marble. The building are expansive and every detail of every monumentt is carved to perfection. Unfortunately, however, there are heavy signs of the impact of tourism on the site of Ephesus. Some seating areas of the site as well as walkways have been worn away. The site has also been subject to a lack of respect from visitors, with rubbish and litter flooding the space also. This is extremely upsetting given how hugely impressive and influencial this site is on our knowledge of the Ancient World but with visitor numbers topping 1.5 million every year, this is almost inevitible.