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  • Ephesus, Selcuk, Turkey - Tours, Tickets, Activities & Things To Do
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The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus
Cave of the Seven Sleepers, Ephesus, Turkey
​At the archaeological site of Ephesus, a well-paved road heading east of the Vedius Gymnasium leads to the Cave of the Seven Sleepers, about .8km (1/2 mile) away.


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History of Cave of the Seven Sleepers

The "Seven Sleepers" were seven young men who had been walled up in a cave during the persecutions under Decius (c.250).
They fell asleep, miraculously waking up around 435 in the time of Theodosius II.
The seven men wandered into the city of Ephesus, amazed at all the churches and the freedom of worship for Christians.
The Sleepers later died naturally (and permanently) and were buried in the cave in which they had slept.
The miracle was apparently first described by Bishop Stephen of Ephesus (448-51). It seems to have been immediately accepted, perhaps in part because of its usefulness for a current Origenist controversy having to do with the resurrection of the body. 
Interestingly, the Seven Sleepers also appear in the Qur'an (Koran); in this version, the boys are accompanied by a dog (Sura 18).
The grotto associated with the Seven Sleepers, located on the eastern slope of Panayirdag hill, became a highly venerated site and a major place of pilgrimage from the 5th to 15th centuries. 
Many people were buried in the grotto with the Sleepers. A brick church was built above the seven original tombs, with mosaic floors and marble revetments.
​A large, domed mausoleum was added to the cave in the 6th century.
Excavations were carried out in the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers between 1927 and 1930. Intriguingly, the archaeologists discovered that the cave complex predates the legend by several centuries. An abundance of lamps found in the Grotto date from before the 5th century, and not all of them are Christian.
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​What to See at Cave of the Seven Sleepers

The Grotto of the Seven Sleepers is fenced off, but a large hole in the fence currently provides full access to the cave.
The site is a bit off the beaten track, but still visited by many pilgrims and tourists. There is a small restaurant nearby.
The main part of the complex is the cave church in which the Seven Sleepers slept and were buried.
The large cave, with a ceiling as high as many regular churches, has been lined with brick masonry to form a church.
There are arch niches on the sides and a rounded apse in the back.
The burial places of the sleepers in the floor are now open, empty holes.
Although it cannot be appreciated at the site, one of the most interesting aspects of the Grotto is the treasure trove of terracotta lamps that was discovered inside.
They date primarily to the 4th and 5th centuries. Most of the lamps are decorated with a cross; others bear scenes from the Old Testament popular with Christians, such as Adam and Eve, Abraham and Isaac, and Daniel in the lions’ den.
There are also a wide variety of secular scenes, such as fishermen and theatre performances.
But alongside these are pagan religious scenes such as Hercules and the lion, Zeus and Aphrodite, pictures of temple facades, and the head of the god Attis.
​Were these lamps made and used by Ephesians who considered themselves Christians but retained pagan traditions, or did pagans join Christians in devotions at the Cave of the Seven Sleepers? The answer is not clear, but either way it is evidence that paganism was still alive in 5th-century Ephesus.

Map of Cave of the Seven Sleepers, Ephesus, Turkey
Below is the location map - Cave of the Seven Sleepers.

 What Our Clients Are Saying - 

Absolutely the best tour option for Ephesus if you want to see it properly
Chris, Mehmet and Mete, thank-you for the most fantastic day at Ephesus. I research many options online in advance of my holiday bookings to find the best options for us and I wanted the Ephesus experience that would give us the most time at the archeological site seeing the things we wanted to see. We got that with a really engaging driver (Mehmet) and guide (Mete) as well. We were met at the ferry port terminal right on time and Mehmet and Mete were waiting for us as promised. Mete is the best guide - so engaging and knowledgable about his subject matter, and just such a genuine person too - so wonderful to talk to over lunch. We loved seeing the Terrace Houses at the site - don't miss this as it really gives you a perspective on life during the peak time in Ephesus. We did the trip as a day trip from Samos in Greece where we were staying. In the end it was easy but no one can confirm the ferry times from Samos until the end of May (for the summer season), so don't even try organising it before then if you are trying to do it from Samos. If you are intending on doing it from Samos, once the ferry times are confirmed, it was very easy to do. The trip took a bit over one hour from Samos. Both ferries out and back were on time.

The booking process for our Ephesus tour was made very easy by Chris (who is a native English speaker) and all communication was really clear and prompt. We would love to come back and see more of Turkey and we would definitely use No Frills again (and perhaps get to meet Ted the dog next time!). We are generally independent travellers but found that the quality of the guide with No Frills really made the day great for us at Ephesus and added to the quality of the experience. I'm not sure why anyone would use any other company for their Ephesus Tour. They are very professional, friendly, do what they promise, and the guide is top quality.

Visited October 5, 2017

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No Frills Ephesus Tours Location
Selcuk, Ephesus, Turkey