Curetes Street

The Ancient city of Ephesus is one of the richest cities around the world for centuries. There are a lot to see in this city. There are fantastic highlights that await every visitor coming to this very wonderful place. The Ephesus City has two main entrances, the upper and the lower. Once you walk through these gates, locate at the hillside, a carved small theatre called the Odeon. This small theatre is built in 150 A.D. The Odeon was used for several purposes: musical performances, lectures and council meetings. During the ancient times, this theatre was roofed this is why the Romans couldn’t take a peak of the mountains. So this time, you can now view the beautiful mountains that the Romans are deprived of doing so.

Down the city, there are two standing marble pillars found at the roads opposite sides. These pillars forms the Hercules Gate, decorated with fascinating relief that represents the famous strong man. These gates are the entrances to get to Curates Street. It is one of Ephesus main streets. In mythology, the word Curates is pertaining to demi- gods. It was the name used in a class for priest in the place of Ephesus. It forms the city’s largest union for cults. This street is connecting the whole city of Ephesus where all the aristocrats once worked and lived.

What is on the Curetes Street?

The Curates Street is one of the Ephesus main arteries. It is already mentioned, this street is mainly made of marble, covering an extensive drainage pipes system. There are rows of different shops, lined this way representing the illustrious citizens of the city. All that only remaining in the location are the pillars that has stood with time.

On the right of the Curates Street, there lays the Hadrian Temple, dedicated to the emperor during the 129 A.D. The street’s façade was rich with Corinthian fashion, more flowery when compared to the Ionic fashion of the Greeks. It is decorated by very intricate relief of the Olympian Gods, Amazons and Medusa.

The sides of the Curetes Street are bounded with mosaics as well as with galleries of columns. These galleries will lead every tourist into the shops in the city and homes. There are inscriptions found on each column pedestals, serves as a remembrance of those people who had aided the city. An example of this is the statue found at the Gate of Heracles going to doctor Alexandros. This is the Consul Stephanos statue, it is being displayed at the Ephesus Museum, found on the Curetes Street. The street is made of marble and underneath it is a sewer system.

The main street at Ephesus.

• The Curates Street end, there is something you should not miss. This is the Library of Celsus, it is considered as the grandiose infrastructure in Ephesus. The infrastructure was built to commemorate the late Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, Asia’s Roman Governor. It was used to house more than 12, 000 scrolls. These are protected by niches constructed on walls against humidity and heat. The only part left of the library is its façade because it was put on fire by the Goths. But you will not forget how gorgeous the Corinthian-inspired columns. The Romans have employed an optical illusion to make the infrastructure to look greater in size.
• As you take the path of the Curetes Street to the Celsus Library, from this building go down the Marble Street, there you will see the commercial market remains on the left part. Turn left down of the Marble Street, you will find the Ephesus main boulevard called Harbour Street. This boulevard was once of the busiest harbour on Earth. You will be admiring the remains of the baths and the gymnasium to witness the beauty of the sea.
• Not far from here, a royal highway will be leading you to Anatolia’s central, here where the emperors enter. Ephesian throngs greeted here the Asia Minors that were departing that time. These gathering spot is bounded with shops as well as with colonnades making the city of Ephesus as one of the three cities with Rome and Antioch that has street lighting to boast.

Explore the Curetes Street!

Good thing about the Curetes Street, once you visit it, it serves as the primary pathway to explore the historical areas found in the ancient city of Ephesus like the Temple of Artemis and the Library of Celsus. You will be amazed on what places, this street will lead you. Your exploration will be filled with more excitement and at the same you are given the chance of learning about its rich history. The street is like bringing you to the past on how the Romans lived their lives long time ago.

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