A visit to Ephesus, the commercial center of the ancient world, is a highlight of any visit to Turkey. You will enter through the Magnesia Gate and begin a slow, downhill walk through the marble streets with your guide. Ephesus was an important religious center, second only to Athens, and later Jerusalem. The city was dedicated to the goddess Artemis. Her enormous temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, dates in its latest form from the 3rd C BC. The cult of Artemis gave way to Christianity as the Virgin Mary was reputed to have spent her final days nearby, and St. Peter and St. Paul both preached here. Your route takes you past the Gymnasium, Odeum, the Temple of Hadrian, the Fountain of Trajan, Upper Agora, Roman baths, and the Great Theater, known for its excellent acoustics. This is where St. Paul preached to the Ephesians, imploring them to give up their worship of Artemis and embrace the Christian faith. Today, it is used for local spring festivals. Most of the buildings you see date from the era when Ephesus had nearly one quarter million inhabitants. Of special interest is the Celsus Library with its finely decorated columns and sculptures. It was erected in 135 BC by a son in homage to his father.