Harbor Street, Ephesus
Harbour Street, also known as the Arcadiane, was one of the grandest ceremonial avenues in ancient Ephesus, stretching approximately 500 meters between the city鈥檚 Great Theatre and its once-thriving harbour. Originally constructed in the 1st century BCE during the Hellenistic period, it was later reconstructed and widened by the Eastern Roman Emperor Arcadius in the 5th century CE, giving the street its current name. This thoroughfare served as the grand entrance to the city for dignitaries and merchants arriving by sea, offering a dramatic, processional route into the heart of Ephesus.
At each end of the Arcadiane stood monumental triple-arched gates, echoing the design of Roman triumphal arches. Though the gate near the Theatre has not survived, its counterpart at the harbour end reveals the street's former grandeur. Eleven meters wide and flanked by two five-meter-wide pedestrian porticoes, the street was lined with Corinthian columns and paved walkways, beneath which ran sewage channels. Behind the porticoes were rows of shops, and the northern side also featured spaces dedicated to athletic activity.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Harbour Street was its street lighting鈥攁n extraordinary feature in Roman times. According to both ancient literary sources and inscriptions found during excavations, the Arcadiane was illuminated by fifty lamps at night, casting a glow so bright that it rivaled daylight. In the center of the street stood four distinctive columns, likely erected under Emperor Justinian in the 6th century CE, which once bore statues of the Four Evangelists. These were a clear statement of Ephesus鈥檚 Christian identity, especially significant as the street lay outside the Byzantine city walls by that time.
At each end of the Arcadiane stood monumental triple-arched gates, echoing the design of Roman triumphal arches. Though the gate near the Theatre has not survived, its counterpart at the harbour end reveals the street's former grandeur. Eleven meters wide and flanked by two five-meter-wide pedestrian porticoes, the street was lined with Corinthian columns and paved walkways, beneath which ran sewage channels. Behind the porticoes were rows of shops, and the northern side also featured spaces dedicated to athletic activity.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Harbour Street was its street lighting鈥攁n extraordinary feature in Roman times. According to both ancient literary sources and inscriptions found during excavations, the Arcadiane was illuminated by fifty lamps at night, casting a glow so bright that it rivaled daylight. In the center of the street stood four distinctive columns, likely erected under Emperor Justinian in the 6th century CE, which once bore statues of the Four Evangelists. These were a clear statement of Ephesus鈥檚 Christian identity, especially significant as the street lay outside the Byzantine city walls by that time.
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Harbor Street on Map
Sight Name: Harbor Street
Sight Location: Ephesus, Turkey (See walking tours in Ephesus)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Ephesus, Turkey (See walking tours in Ephesus)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Ephesus, Turkey
Create Your Own Walk in Ephesus
Creating your own self-guided walk in Ephesus is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Selcuk Introduction Walking Tour
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Ephesus Introduction Walking Tour
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles