Temple of Serapis (Ephesus)

The Serapeum (in ancient Greek: Σεραπεῖον, romanized: Serapeīon) or Temple of Serapis is the name used by archaeologists for an ancient temple of the city of Ephesus in Asia Minor, in present‑day Turkey. It is not known with certainty to which deity it was dedicated, but it is presumed to Serapis. The ruins of the temple are part of the archaeological site of Ephesus, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.​​​

History

It was built for the numerous Egyptian merchants who operated in Ephesus. Construction began during the Roman Empire, presumably in the 2nd century AD but it was never completed. The cult practiced in the temple was somehow linked to water.​​

At the beginning of Christianity, the temple was converted into a church.​​

Description

The temple was located at the edge of the Agora of Ephesus, near its western entrance. It was built on a platform of about 100 × 75 metres. It was situated in the central part of the north side of the platform. It resembled a prostyle temple, with eight Corinthian columns of about 14–15 metres in height in its portico. The temple measured about 29.2 × 36.7 metres.​​​