Temple of Artemis

The Temple of Artemis

Dedicated to Diana: the Greek Goddess of hunting, wild nature and fertility.

Location:

The temple is found at the city of Ephesus, 50 km south of Smyra, Turkey

Descripton:

The temple of Artemis, also known as "The Great Marble Temple f Diana" was made on the seventh century B.C. The Lydian King, Croesus supported this project. It was designed by the Greek Architect- Chersiphron. The temple, rectangular in form, was made of marble with a decorated fa�ade beholding a spacious courtyard.

The building�s terrace was 80m (260 ft) by 130m (430 ft) in plan. There were 127 columns all in all aligned perfectly to one another. Inside the building were decorated with statues. One of which is the 4 Ancient Bronze statues of Amazons sculpted by finest artists at that time. Mentioned artists who contributed to the temple�s decoration were Pheidas, Polycietus, Kresilas and Phradmon.

History:

The temple of Artemis experienced many hands of famous architect at that time. Because of calamities and incidents, people of Ephesus were opt to reconstruct the temple again and again. Some incidents that trigger the reconstruction of the temple are as follows:

The first temple at Ephesus contained a �Sacred Stone� that was believed to have fallen from Jupiter. It destroyed the temple so it was rebuilt over several years after the incident.

By 600 B.C., the city of Ephesus became a major port of trade. Architect Chersiphron was appointed to build a temple such that the temple would help traders to visit their city.

The temple was destroyed in 550 B.C. during the time Croesus conquered Ephesus and the rest of Asia Minor.

King Croesus fund another temple and appointed Theodorus to build it. His temple was 300 ft in length and 150 ft wide with an area four times the size of the temple before it. The temple became the pride of Ephesus.

A man named Herostratus, who was eager to put his name in History, burned the temple to the ground. He was sentenced to death and was forgotten by the people.

Scopas of Paros, one of the most famous architect in that time, was commissioned to build another temple like the one that was burned. The temple was thought to be the first complete constructed one with marble and 36 columns whose lower portions were carved with figures in high-relief. The construction took 120 years.

In 262 A.D., the Goths raid the Artemis Temple and destroyed much of the city of Ephesus.

After Emperor Constantine was converted into a Christian, he declined to rebuild the temple because it was a place for Pagans.

The great temple was thoroughly destroyed. Its remains were transformed to building materials and relics were powdered to make lime for wall plaster.

At present, blocks from the remains of the temple�s columns can be found at ancient Ephesus, Smyrna, Turkey

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