Heraklia
House of Virgin Mary - Selcuk Ephesus
A member of Ionian Confederacy, Heraklia, was established on an earlier city called "Latmus" dated back to the 8th century BC. The city took its name from the famous mythological figure, Herakles.
Square & rectangular stone walls in 6.5 km length with 65 towers, surrounding the ancient Heraklia. Well conditioned "The Temple of Athena" stands on the rocky area behind the harbor as an example of two-column Hellenistic construction with the style in Templum in Antis. On the eastern side of the temple, is the rectangular constructed agora as a two storied building. Only its first floor exists, today. The theatre is situated in the northeast of the city. Building dedicated to shepherd, Endymion- who was loved by the Goddess of Moon, Selene and was put to sleep for eternity by God of Gods, Zeus, and is located on the road to the shore and islands.
Heraklia became a safety land of hermitage for the monks and priests in the early evangelization of Asia Minor Christianity. The first monastery was established in the 7th century AD and many monasteries -maybe 13, spread around Heraklia. A castle was constructed in order to protect monasteries that were scattered through this wild region.
The caves around, which are considered to be inhabited by the monks and hermits, are ornamented by marvelous frescoes representing the life of Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary and the saints. The site was excavated by a German team conducted by Anneliese Peschlow.