The buildings located on the slopes to the right of the Curetes Street are known as the houses on the slopes of Ephesus. Two houses were built on each of the areas obtained by terracing the slope. And each of the houses faced a different street.
The ruins of houses lying in about the middle section of the Curetes Street which have not been restored were excavated about 30 years ago, and a part of the frescoes and mosaics uncovered were taken to the museum. Later it was decided to display the houses as and where they were, and the decorative elements of the houses such as mosaics and frescoes were put under protection, and restoration on the houses was begun. Of the houses on the same row two of those on the upper terrace are open today to visitors.
The houses on the slopes of Ephesus are quite different from their likes both in their planning and their inner arrangement. To say the least no houses planned on slopes were encountered in excavations of houses of the Roman period other than those in Ephesus. In this respect they differ considerably from houses preserved in good condition in Pompeii and other ancient cities. As they stand in the centre of the city they are also known as the houses of the rich or as the palaces on the slopes.
The narrow side streets opening onto the Curetes Street were terraced for building houses and two houses were erected on each terrace. The side streets were narrow and stepped, and it is believed that some of them were covered with a vaulted roofing. The houses looked quite simple and plain from the outside but they had very decorative interiors.
Of the two houses open to visitors the first can be reached by a stepped road in the middle part of the Curetes Street. The house has a doublewinged door. The stairs visible on the right upon entering the house enabled one to go up to the second floor. The second floors are in a completely destroyed state. According to a widespread tradition the second floors were reserved for bedrooms. From the entrance door a few steps descended to the ground floor.
The fountain standing in the entrance hall where the steps ended was for those who entered the house to clean themselves. From there one moves on to the peristyle across. In the middle of the peristyle there is a courtyard like section open to the sky and around this corridors with mosaic floors and behind these, rooms and halls. In the middle of the courtyard-like central section stands a fountain with a system of running water and its gutter.
To the south of this the low vaulted space was where the owner of the house rested on hot summer days. The room on the left is named the theatre room because of the subjects of its frescoes.
To the left of the entrance opening which is quite large a scene from Euripides play "Orestes" is depicted. In the Roman period theatre players were all men who used masks as required. Because of this the actors in the fresco were shown wearing masks. On the right there is a scene from the play Sikyonios" of the comedy writer Menander. And on the upper part of the wide wall on the left is represented the fight between Hercules and Achilles. Achilles who was the greatest river god of Greece wanted to marry Deianeira, the daughter of the King of Calydon. But Deianeira did not want to marry him as she knew that Achilles could take the shape of such beings as a dragon or a bull. Whereupon Hercules intervened and a fight broke out. The girl shown crouching in the fresco is the one the ffight was about.
The north side of the peristyle was changed in the 4th century and the main room of the house which stood there was divided into two little rooms. The traces of fire found in this section also belong to the same period. The upper part of the open section of the peristyle was reconstructed to resemble its ancient models with similar materials.
The rather large space on the right after crossing the opening to the right of the entrance is the bath of the house. Only the infrastructure was preserved of the bath. In the walls are visible flues through which hot air was circulated to heat the house in cold weather in winter.
Moving into the left side from here one enters the hall of Muses on this side of the second house which is called House B. The hall was so named because it had frescoes of Muses on its walls. Originally the entrance of the house should have been on the other side, but during restoration it was made this way. From the hall of Muses one enters the peristyle which is exceptionally beautiful. It is similar to that in House A, except that the open section in the middle is larger and more decorative. The Corinthian columns are slender and elegant. The well visible in the middle was used in times of water cut. Glass mosaics were worked onto the vault of the low vaulted section where the owner of the house rested. The mosaics represent Adam and Eve, or, as before Christianity, Dionysus and Ariadne, in a circle in the centre with around them animals such as peacocks, ducks, cocks, etc. which were thought to be present in heaven. The floor of this section is covered with black and white marble of basket weave design.
The last space on the west is the kitchen of the house. The arched hearths at the west wall of the kitchen which is quite narrow are the best preserved among their likes. From here one enters the atrium of the house. As also understood from the construction style the west wall of the atrium belongs to a later period. The original entrance of the house was closed by this wall.
House B which covers an area of approximately 900 square metres is among the houses on the slopes a complete house planned with no point missing and including an atrium. The atrium is in the shape of a narrow courtyard. It has columns at the corners and wooden beams between the columns. Appropriate sockets were provided on the columns to facilitate the mounting and dismounting of the wooden beams. At the west corner stands the multi person WC of the house. At the entrance of the WC there is a lavatory similar to the present day lavatories. The walls here are also completely covered with frescoes. The room next to the WC is the kitchen of the first stage of the house thought to be the 1 st century.
Coming out of the atrium the room on the left was used as a dining room. In this room the side facing the peristyle was arranged as a bar. We can assume that the household had their meals here together. The space next to this, looking like a hall, is the most important room of the house called the main room. The owner of the house received his guests here. The floor of this room is covered with plain mosaics at the sides and coloured mosaics in the middle. The sides were monochromic and plain because couches were put on these parts. The red table in the room was discovered in situ. The leg of the table which was quite high was stretched over the couch in a semi-horizontal position and was over carved to avoid its looking ugly to the diners. The washstands with hot and cold water taps standing on either side of the entrance of this room are an indication that the houses had great facilities.
The houses were first built in the 1st century AD and were used to the end of the 6th century.
This was my third visit to Ephesus, but my first view of the Terrace Houses. There is an extra admission fee, and there are LOTS of steps inside the sight, but it is worth it. If nothing else, you get of the hot sun and the horde of crowds for a while.
The beauty, remarkable preservation, and historical significance of Ephesus cannot be overstated. The best preserved glimpsed into the lives of the Ephesian elite lies under unassuming plastic coverings on the slope of a hill… If you have made the trek to Ephesus, spare no expense to see the Terrace Houses.
I enjoyed the Terrace Houses, and it is worth the extra money to see the dig in progress and the uncovered mosaics. If you are not overly interested in either of these, its a site you can miss and enjoy the incredible ruins of Ephesus around it. Note that there are an awful lot of stairs to climb !
So much has been uncovered that was original to Ephesus. We found this a particularly fascinating part of the city tour.
This was in our opinion one of the best parts of Ehesus. The mosaics, tile and marble work they have uncovered is spectacular. Well worth the extra entrance fee to walk through the newest part of the sight excavation. Also got us out of the sun for 30 minutes!!!. Kids also really enjoyed this side bar tour.
The preservation effort ongoing at the Terrace Houses is extraordinary! They had reassembled a large area of this feature like a giant jigsaw puzzle. It really gives one a glimpse into the past as to what houses of this time period looked and felt like. Do not miss this attraction even though it is an additional fee to tour.
Terrace Houses is the best part of Ephesus and not to be missed.
We enjoyed all parts of Ephesus. We had an excellent guide who made it even more interesting. We loved our visit to the Terrace houses because it is so rare to find domestic architecture that is 2,000 years old…usually one finds the stone monumental structures (the privy?) temple, library, theater, etc., but not often anything domestic. The hot and cold…
We booked private tours they took us through the main areas of Ephesus, but the tour also included the Terrace Houses, which are an additional charge and this is likely the main reason the cruise ship tours skip the Terrace Houses.
The Terrace Houses project adds a significant extra cost to touring Ephesus. But the townhouses give you a chance to see some excellent Greco-Roman art and decor and outstanding ongoing restoration work. The houses also offer relief from the crowds and heat at Ephesus.
Well worth the time and extra money to see if you are at Ephesus. Terrace houses themselves are fascinating to see and learn about.
We booked a privatetour while on a cruise. We requested a visit to the Terrace Houses and we are glad we did. It was very interesting to see how the rich lived in ancient times. Most large tour groups don't tour the houses because they are not set up for large groups.
This is a key part to any visit to Ephesus. Sure you have to pay extra, but it's 100% worth it. Nowhere in the world can you see Roman houses like this. The mosaics are amazing!
I wasn't sure what to expect but this place was amazing! It's fascinating to see how homes were in ancient times and all the time and effort used in excavation but the sights it yields. I would reccomendation this! Even the kids we were with – 9-14 enjoyed it.
Yes is costs more and yes most cruise boat tours don't include it – but it's the best part of the site. The houses are being reconstructed with marble walls, mosaic floors and amazing wall paintings. The great thing about most tours not visiting is that there are very few people in the houses.
The Terrace Houses are the ancient version of condos. Archealogists have found work reassembling the floor mosaics the tiles are laid out on huge tables like jigsaw puzzle pieces, and they have uncovered ancient wall murals reminiscent of soothing wallpaper.
so ancient yet so modern. the romans were indeed master builders felt we just didint have enough time.
Within Ephesus there is an extra fee to visit the Terrace Houses and everyone should make this a part of their time in Ephesus if one really wants to understand the culture, how people lived, and the advances in technology (such as indoor plumbing) that had been made at that time. We had a private guide which was very reasonabl…
We toured Ephesus and were lucky to get to see the ruins on one of the "cooler" days. In other words, it was about 90 degrees instead of over 100.
The entire city is beautiful and it is amazing to see what people built so long ago. However, the Terrace Houses give a more understandable peak into of the people…
You will not regret this at all amazing houses, marble facades, frescoed walls and mosaics.
This is a relatively new part of Ephesus to tour – you see archeologists uncovering more treasure sites as you go from level to level. Beautiful and breathtaking is the best way to describe it! The only problem is that people with disabilities really cannot tour this as lots of steps and climbing is required.
It was really neat to see how the wealthy lived centuries ago- with frescoes on their walls and mosaics on their floors. One house had its own chapel. Well worth seeing.
If you are visiting Ancient Ephesus and get a chance to tour the Terrace Houses, do so. They are well worth a visit, as they are extremely well preserved, and give a good idea how the wealthier citizens lived.
The houses are located inside Ancient Ephesus, but there is a separate admission charge.
The tile floors and wall paintings that are 2000 years old!
Amazed at all the modern conveniences they had; running water, sewer system, heating, air conditioning.
I was speechless, so much uncovered but so much to go. Sooo well preserved. Definitely a favourite.
These houses are an extra cost while walking through the ruins of Ephesus. The houses are so well preserved it is simply amazing. Murals, paintings and many other things are preserved in such a way the houses look very close to how they did over 2000 years ago.
This is an additional attraction within the Ephesus attraction and well worth the money. Highly recommend you visit to see how the upper middle class lived in ancient times.
Part of the Ephesus Tour,however, access is difficult for the mobility impaired. You must climb a series of steep terraced stairs to view the houses and the continuing excavation on the site.
This is a must see,but, in hot July weather you must carry your own water!
If you are traveling through the city of Ephesus do not miss the Terrace House. There is an additional fee and significant steep steps as you travel through an active archaeological project. The visual history you will encounter in these ruins is fantastic.
The Terrace Houses are part of Ephesus, the ancient ruins near Kusadasi, Turkey. Six 'townhouses' date from 1st century B.C. to 7th century A.D. The houses are covered by a giant metal (?) roof to protect the contents below. Catwalks allow you to walk just above the rooms and even through some rooms.
To be able to see all of this and walk around up close is amazing, I was in total awe..Its a must see
We paid extra to include the Terrace Houses. Some of the mosaics are very well preserved and they are gorgeous. Seeing these homes truly gives you a perspective of how those very wealthy people lived. They thought of every detail, including toilets and how they made their servants warm up the seat for them prior to using them.
If you visit Ephesus, be sure to include a visit to the Terrace Houses. They are truly amazing, especially the floor and wall mosaics and murals. There's a separate entrance fee for this site, but it's worth it!
This is a relatively new museum, and very well organized. For any folks who have been to Pompeii, or Herculaneum, or Ostia Antica outside of Rome expect similar delights at The Terrace Houses. If you are planning to visit Ephesus, do include this museum in your visit.The mosaics alone make the visit well worth it.
Absolutely amazing! It costs more to go here but it is well worth it. This is where archaeology and a commendable museum experience combine to give an insight into the lives and culture of a lost civilisation.
This is an extra cost but well worth it. This magnificent excavation just blew me away with how much was preserved. Also being under a sun roof it was a great break from the heat.
The painted walls, tiled floors and many more details are there to see. You can actually walked through the excavation and recovered homes. A must see.
The houses on the slopes in Ephesus
Def·i·nite·ly Worth It! An amazing renovation, well worth a visit !
This additional tour within Ephesus was well worth the price. It gave us incredible insight into the way the ancient wealthy people lived.
Don't miss this.
They have made it easy to tour this site with good steps and plateforms throughout. Extra cost from entrance fee but would be a shame to come this far and not see. Our guide was good at timing our tour so we had no long lines and could enjoy seeing all details that are being uncovered.
Don't skimp on this add-on to the Ephesus visit- it's really cool to see the homes, including some of the restored/in tact tiles.
With an additional cost and quite a high one and that I was happy to give the Terrace Houses a miss. After all the highlight was no doubt the Celsus Library and nothing would beat that. Eventually, I decided I'd go in with my friend, rather than wait around in the searing heat.
Easily the most interesting ancient site I've ever seen. The extra cost is well worth the money. A super glimpse into ancient (upper class) living.
We were there some 25 years ago. Terrace houses were not dug up then, it was amazing to see them on our last visit.
We opted to include the Terrace Houses in our visit to Ephesus and felt that it was very worthwhile. We did have a guide to explain everything , and I would highly recommend this – we often venture out on our own, but really feel that we wouldn't have enjoyed Ephesus (and Terrace Houses) nearly as much without a guide.
We spoke to several people that didn't tour the Terrace Houses because of the additional fee. We absolutely felt that the Terrace Houses were worth the additional fee and were a highlight of our day in Ephasus. The houses and mosaics were incredibly interesting and impressive.
Amazing place, and to think they are still excavating the site. Its amazing that it was built so long ago and is still in excellent condition
We had no idea what we were about to see when we reached the Terrace Houses. This remarkable "dig" (excavation) has been completely roofed over while the excavation continues. The cover helps protect the 3000+ year old remains, including the tile colors.
If you begin your tour of Ephesus early in the day, chances are, you will get to the terrace houses before the route through the exhibit becomes a train of shoulder to shoulder people. It's worth it just to see the amazing mosaics, in perfect condition and the frescoes on the walls of these ancient, wealthy homes.
The Terrace Houses, though not part of the regular tour, are well worth the cost to visit. The frescos and the tiled floors are great. impressive is that the plumbing from over 2500 years ago still works!!!!
The terrace houses are covered up by a tent like structure so from the outside they do not seem worth visiting. There is a fee so sometimes some tours do not include the visit. You will walk on plexi glass over excavated sites but although I am afraid of heights I had no problems.
It is worth paying extra for the extra terrace. They have done a lot of work to recreate the Roman houses and you can omagine the people who would be living there.
This is charged separately within the Ephesus remains. It's under cover. The remains of the terrace houses are stunning, mosaic floors, some still complete and also plaster and wallpainting still in tact from roman times. This is an outstanding part of a larger also outstanding historical site
The Terrace Houses are a must see for those of us who love to learn. The beauty of the architecture, design, and art, give us a glimpse into the lives of the people living in the thriving city of Ephesus, 2000 years ago. The excavations are amazing, and a favorite site for everyone in our party.
Highly recommended !
Terrace Houses, Ephesus
Amazing to see the Terrace Houses in Ephesus. So much design and art.
Birdseye insight into everyday life, plasterwork & mosaic floors remarkably intact. Glass walkway enables you to look down on it all.
My daughter, a couple from my roll call and I went here on November 2 using a private tour. The main site was packed to the brim with tourists courtesy of the 5 ships in harbour that day but the terrace houses did not have alot of people.
Restored by the Austrian and Turkish governments, these homes were for the top tier wealthy individuals that lived in Ephesus. They had running water, and sewer systems, very advanced for that era.
Great addition to the regular tour. Worth the extra cost. You get some well needed shade and there is real archeological work going on. It has many stairs, but they are modern steel and glass- not stone. Whole walkway is suspended above the ruins.
Hidden treasure within the site of Ephesus, well worth the extra fee. make sure you have time to dawdle in the tented space which goes up several flights of amazing stairs up a hillside of exposed marvellous villas.
Be prepared to climb lots of stairs, however well worth it!
To see their rooms with colourful wall paper similar to how we would decorate was mind blowing!
Great experience. Took me back to previous trip to Pompeii. Terrace houses is a separate entrance fee and is located inside the ruins of Ephesus. Allow 1-1 1/2 hrs. Visited with a guide. A lot of going up and down steps. Place is well taken care of and has a roof.
The Terrace houses within Ephesus are well worth the visit – work is still proceeding on the houses, as it is much of the site.
This part of excavations has a separate entrance and takes an extra ticket. The exposition arranged in a separate roofed pavilion and there are a lot of steps you need to pass up and down. A lot of houses and other structures are unearthed and preserved there with their unique mosaics and frescoes.
It is a separate admission but don't miss it. You will be amazed at what this ancient culture accomplished — how about interior plumbing and "air conditioning" more than 2,000 years ago!
I think the only reason that visitors hesitate to see these Terraced Houses are the lack of tour groups at the entrance and the small additional fee. If you are traveling on your own, that is the best reason to go inside and have an amazing look at how wealthy Ephesians lived. Their ornately decorated walls and the intact mosaic…
Seeing how people lived nearly 2,000 years ago and how they took advantage of what must have been considered ultra-modern science is fascinating. The housing units, while literally piled atop one another, are still separate and distinct.
Perhaps the best thing about visiting the Terrace Houses, though, is that you find the only relief from the sun, as the entire…
Amazing to see these ancient homes built into a hillside. Well done restoration with stairs and catwalks that make it easy to see.
I wasn't sure what to expect, but was blown away from what I saw. These buildings were extremely well preserved and it was neat to see some of the restorers at work on the frescoes. The area is enclosed to help preserve it and you are able to walk on a glass staircase throughout the ruins. The frescoes and mosaics…
Even though you have to pay an additional entrance fee for these Terrace Houses. It's a must see. These interiors are in the process of been excavated, and it's intriguing to see all of the archaeological efforts underway. It's like a huge jigsaw puzzle in there — it was a fabulous site, and I'm so glad we got the opportunity…
When visiting Ephesus you have the opportunity of purchasing an extra ticket to enter The Terrace Houses. You would be doing yourself a disservice if you don't buy it. Whilst most ruins in Ephesus are shops, & other municipal buildings the Terrace Houses is a residence & gives you a true impression of life. The site is well protected.
Must must see….go inside the ancient homes of the Rich and Famous…
this is an interesting site, because it is residential, not the municipal buildings that one usually sees. Very beautiful, well protected, and take a guide or get an audio one. very cool
I also wrote about the remarkable Slope Houses in my review of Ephesus. Visitors should definitely pay the extra fee to visit them as it's an extraordinary opportunity to see an archeological site in action from such great vantage points. You can actually wander through the multi-level site and observe archeologists at work on beautiful mosaic floors.
The Terrace Houses are under cover, so this is a welcome respite from being out in the elements. We were there on a Monday afternoon, and there was only one other couple visiting there at that time. Crews were working with the piles of stones, trying to find pieces in the vast jigsaw puzzle. That made us really amazing!
Most people walk through Ephesus and skip the Terrace Houses. They are missing the best part of the whole site. You also get to see active excavation and restoration work in process. The seven houses now excavated are amazing and give a great glimpse into the life of the elite of Ephesus. The mosaics and art is amazing.
It is well worth the extra to tour the Terrace houses while you are in Ephesus. This site is a working site and extremely interesting. Apparently where the richer people lived. There are , I think, 188 steps to climb, but it isnt all one climb so not that hard.
Ephesus was one of the largest cities in Europe in the first and second century. The terrace gives you an opportunity to see how builders expanded the city onto the surrounding hillsides.
Really neat place. Some of the colors on the walls are stil present which was neat. It was also soooooo hot it was nice to get into the shade. This was a big place. It does have stairs as you climb up everything. Excavaition underway makes this a really neat place.
Although some tour guide skip passed these terrace house, there a must see very well worth the cost. it's amazing how they lived and managed there life.
The best part of Ephesus and not to be missed.
The Terrace Houses are not to be missed. Before going there we thought they were outside of the ancient city of Ephesus; however, they are right there and easy to see when touring Ephesus. Amazing and a highlight of our tour. Do not miss this!! (There is a separate entrance fee that is SO worth it…you can pay right there)
So beautiful! Pay the extra money and enjoy this amazing architecture and tile floors. Interesting to see the excavation work continue as well.
Slope Houses ( Terrace Houses )
Slope Houses in Ephesus is Absolutely A·Maz·Ing !
this was fantastic and we were happy to have paid the extra fees. this is how they were actually living back in the days. what huge places, modern in their time, very efficient living
I was amazed at the precision and focus needed to put together these houses. So hard to beleive. i will warn you that there alot of stairs to climb to view the entire exhibit, however our personal guide from ephesustoursguide.com arranged with the manangement for us to only tour half so my Mom wouldnt have to climb so many.
I really enjoyed seeing the Terrace Houses. A glimpse of how the wealthy in those days lived was truly remarkable. The paintings and the mosaic art work was beautiful. You will truly enjoy such an experience!
What an amazing place! I loved the way you were able to walk over the ruins and excavation via glass walkways. We had a private tour guide with us and he really brought the place to life explaining all the little details. Such a find, it's a must see if you are visiting Ephesus.
We were amazed with the sophistication of the multi-level ancient houses. One large room was filled with tables full of small pieces of ruins, waiting to be assembled like a jigsaw puzzle. In one room, you saw an excavated window, while an adjacent window was still sealed with debris. Many colorful frescoes and mosaics remained.
Well worth seeing, the mosaics (still visible) were amazing, and the layout of the houses (which had clay water pipes).
Awesome! Again, this is something that must be seen! Hard to imagine this type and size of city existed almost 2 thousand years ago. Many stairs and steps so be advised….
Though the economically-built cover makes the visit comfortable, it really distracts from the visual enjoyment of these beautifully-preserved ruins. One can imagine the life of well-off families living here in those times. Taking photos here is facilitated by the well-planned elevated walkways. Carrying a small digital camera makes it easier to take some photos one-handed in between the scaffolds.
Do not even think twice about skipping the Terrace Houses – they're an important part of Ephesus. As with so many ancient cultures, we don't know how the commoners lived, but the homes of the super wealthy hold up, and here they are. You can still see mosaics and it helps to imagine this ancient city alive and filled with…
Ephesus is crowded at the best of times, but because there is an extra charge for the terraced houses, many people ignore them. As a result they can be peaceful and they are very beautiful. It is as though the people left the houses in the 1960's rather than 4th Century AD.
When in Ephesus don't miss the terrace houses for which there is an extra fee. Well worth it, you will better understand the way people lived, also beautiful frescos and mosaics.
Don`t cheap out- if you are going to Ephesus see the Terrace houses- an active archaeologic site well worth seeing.!
Some friends of mine told me about the Terrace Houses there, so we paid the admission to see them. There is still a lot of conservation going on there. The wall murals and tile work from biblical times are amazing. This is a fascinating tourist stop for sure.
If you've come this far to Ephesus, it would be a shame to miss these. Although not an overly large site, it is very interesting. The stairs go up gradually in the sense that there are platforms at several points to stop at, which makes it easier for those with walking difficulties. I would highly recommend having a tour guide…
Touring the Terrace Houses was the the highlight of our visit to Ephesus. It was easy to imagine what life must have been like so many years ago for these wealthy Ephesians. And you can catch glimpses of what they really looked like! It was also interesting watching some of the restoration/ excavation that is ongoing.
If you are visiting Efes, you must visit the Terrace Houses. The houses are part of the tour of the ancient city. Additional fee to get in. Great escape from the heat on a hot summer day!
If you go to Ephesus please don't miss the Terrace Houses, they are incredable. It's amazing to see the "condos" that they lived in and how well some part are preserved. Also, you can see how they are working on piecing some of it back together.
it just to see the amazing
The mosaics were fantastic! The houses were very well preserved.
Really amazing ruins. I highly recommend you spend the extra time and money to see the Terrace Houses. They really make you realize that they lived much more civilized than most of us really think. It was really fun to see how they are restoring this portion of Ephesus.
The Terrace Houses of the rich were fascinating. We could see rooms, mosaics & murals that were uncovered. There was alot of walking up & down, but it was well-worth the exertion.
The most interesting but least visited sector of the Ephesus site. A seperate admission fee allows for a shaded walk above the ongoing excavations of the richly decorated hillside homes of Ephesus' most affluent citizens. These up-scale residences were adorned with beautiful frescoes and mosaics reminiscent of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
I debated including these in our tour since there is an admission charge. DO NOT HESITATE. This was perhaps the highlight of our tour of Ephesus, which was maybe our best port of call. It's fascinating to imagine these ancient "condos" in use.
Although there is an extra entrance fee for the Terrace Houses, you mustn't miss them. We were blown away by the mosaics that are in the process of being excavated and the spectacular scale of the work here. Though the actual site of Ephesus was teeming with tourists outside, we had the Terrace Houses, which are right there on site..
Terrace Houses
Highly recommend a visit to Terrace Houses in Ephesus !
If you are in Ephesus, you must see the Terrace Houses. Typically, when you see ancient sites, they have removed the floors and frescoes. Here, they have put a high tech roof and stairs throughout the archeological site. it is really interesting to see everything in tact…and exactly where it was originally.
This is a separate fee from the city but well worth it and it's shaded so it's a nice relief from the heat.
You have to see how advanced these people were: living with hot water, heated floors, frescos on the walls, mosaics, etc.
I had read the reviews before going and knew not to skip the Terrace Houses, but even my highest expectations were exceeded. The reviews had prepared me for long lines and a slow pace through but for whatever reason it was almost like we had the place to ourselves.
The Terrace Houses are still being reconstructed. It is so worth seeing how the wealthy of that time lived. In all, six are available to view, though not completed. Each one is different, showing the interests of the people who lived there.
The in-process restoration of an ancient Terrace House provided insight to life for the wealthy in Ephesus. It was amazing (and a bit humbling) to view how they lived – the engineering, art, plumbing (yes, a "guest bath" in the entry), architecture, construction.
This shows you how the "upper crust" lived in those times. Worth the extra cost of admission. You can see the workmen putting together pieces of the mosaic ruins and it is very well preserved.
Despite the very hot temperatures in July, this was the single best historical site I have ever explored!
Take a good guide. It is worth it. Stay away from the huge cruise ship organised tours. I recommend Best of Ephesus tours which I will write a separate review of.
Walking on the colorful Roman Mosaics of Terrace Houses the thing that i love as a history lover. I certainly suggest you to visit Terrace Houses!
Interesting but the works have not been finished yet so not much to see. Your guide will tell you more info on them though
These are a must. Well worth the extra, a bit of a climb, but the effort is rewarded. That the original owners moved house, or redecorated is illustrated by the original frescos covered by marble.
Beautifully preserved and still a work in process. Very difficult vertical walk but well worth the visit. The area is completely covered so weather is not an issue.
Wonderful preservation and you get a birds-eye view of the houses from a viewing platform as you walk above the archeological areas. Lots of stairs.
Very well excavated and preserved. There is an extra charge to visit the houses but well worthwhile. The extra fee seems to keep the masses away… a good thing
It is amazing to see how the scientists work to put together the ceramic pieces like a puzzle to recreate the houses like they were thousands of years ago. Well worth the extra cost to take the tour in Ephesus
It's always so exciting to see a live archeological site, although work was a tad slowed down by the heat when we visited in August. Although this site was listed in many places as rigorous, I thought the Acropolis was far more physically demanding than all of the Ephesus ruins.
They call it the worlds largest jigsaw puzzle, but little by little they are getting it done. What an amazing accomplishment! It gives great insight into the lives of the people of Ephesus. Take at least an hour just for the houses.
Clearly the most amazing part of our tour in Turkey. Not to be missed. We were in awe of the amazing effort that is being put in to restore this historical treasure. The people in our group ranged from 17 to 63 and everyone was blown away.
The Terrace Houses of Ephesus are definitely worth the extra admission price. The mosaics and frescoes which are still be unearthed are fascinating to see. One can also view tables where the archeologists are piecing together the mosaics and earthenware which have been uncovered. Walking through the Terrace Houses, one truly gains a sense of what the area must have…
We were fortunate to see the ancient city of Ephesus 5 years ago and now we just saw the Terrace Houses. If I hadn't had my new camera with me I wouldn't have been able to show the amazing discoveries into the ancient life of those that lived there.
gives a great perspective of how the rich lived back then. the mosaics were quite impressive and nicely restored.
Don't miss it ! It is an amazing site, and is part of Ephesus. Seeing the Terrace House excavation is worth all of the steps you need to climb to get there, and you can even take photos.
I have been to tons of ruins all over the world and in my opinion, these are the best I have ever seen. The way these houses are built into the hill and the fact that they have uncovered so much is truly amazing. You must be able to climb steep, narrow steps to visit here.
But we still liked it. Lots of stairs. Was nice to get out of the Turkish heat. Very different from the surrounding ruins.
See how the rich lived in Ephesus! Amazing how much they have uncovered – but is still left to be uncovered. Gorgeous tiles, mosaic, and you get a real feel for how advanced technology was in architecture so long ago.
Well worth the price of admission. While quite a bit has been restored including many frescoes and floor mosaics, I found watching the workers putting together the jigsaw pieces fascinating. There are a lot of stairs, but handrails everywhere except exiting outside.
I was lucky as there were very few visitors at the time I went.
Don't miss this part…
Archaeologisits have been excavating 7 houses for many years. Some of them were two storied houses and each home had a courtyard surrounded by rooms without windows. Above the courtyard there was an opening for fresh air and when it rained, rain water was collected either in a pool or a well.
We visited the the Terrace Houses last October. It is an extra cost on top of the regular tour into Ephesus. The houses are located within the ancient town of Ephesus. We were actually past the Houses before it was brought to the attention of the tour guide that we had paid to see them.
We arrived by cruise ship and only had one day in Kusadasi Turkey so decided to make the most of it seeing everything we could in such a short time and we decided to book a privatetour of the ruins of Ephesus that included the terrace houses.
Worth the extra money as it shows the workers excavating and how advanced the culture was at the time.
Terrace Houses in Ephesus
A good guide may be able to make this covered work in progress come alive. Great for archaeology buffs, but average people will just pay more money to see some square walls and a few bits of mosaic.
By far the best part of Ephesus. Ms. Arzu from aboutephesus.com was our guide and she gave us a thorough and interesting look into real life in the ancient past.
The ancient city of Ephesus was a thriving metropolis of some 300,000 people in its day, and currently only 15% of the ruins have been excavated. To walk down the Arcadian Way to the Great Theatre has to be one of the most rewarding experiences for a traveller. We also highly recommend the Terrace Houses.
I was told about 12 years ago that these houses were going to be opened "shortly". My next 3 visits resulted in disappointment as they weren't open yet. Finally, we got in. It is absolutely spellbinding. It's like stepping back 1700 years into peoples' front rooms. And what rooms they are! This is not how ordinary people lived in Ephesus…
Make sure you afford yourself enough time and buy the ticket to the Terrace Houses. Covered beneath a modern structure, the terrace house excavations afford you a chance to see how the wealthy lived nearly 3000 years ago. Central heating, views and spectacular mosaics sure set them apart from the other residents.
We loved seeing inside the homes of the ancient people who lived in those houses. There is a lot of preservation happening at the site. You can still see the frescos and tiles – how can that be after so many thousands of years? The ticket cost is extra from Ephesus and well worth it.
If your itinerary doesn't include the Terrace Houses, see if you can add it on–it is worth the entrance fee and the time. You will see not only details from Ephesian life (such as preserved mosaics, frescoes, and ceramic plumbing pipes) but also the painstaking process of restoring, sometimes piece by piece, the interior walls.
The terrace houses are amazingly well restored and preserved. The mosaics alone are worth the visit. Such an incredible find – only wish someone with more money would pay for more excavations nearby! Such a worthwhile site to visit!
This can compare with Pompeii and Akropolis, with it's fantastic details in mosaics and wallpaintings. If you visit Ephesus, I advice you to buy an extra ticket to get into this museum (which lies inside the Ephesus open air museum). We did a private tour to got there before the crowds from the cruiseships…
Well worth the extra entrance fee. Lots of stairs, so be prepared. The intact wall paintings, floor mosaics and other decorations are fabulous to see. Also seeing the rooms, learning about their uses was a great peek at (wealthy) life in the time of Ephesus.
Terrace Houses
If you have traveled all the way to Ephesus, it would be a shame to miss the Terrace Houses. Take the time. Spend a little more. You will be awed at the refinement and cosmopolitan nature of the homes of these ancient people. The decor and efficiency in the living areas bring a new perspective to the appreciation of these…
I think a tour in Ephesus must include the terrace houses. They explain so much about daily living and the truly advanced accommodations available in those ancient days. Hot running water in the baths, beautiful paintings on the walls. There is still much to be excavated…very interesting. It was crowded and a lot of stairs, but worth it!
We were not sure if we should go as it incurs an extra charge. Private Tour guide recommended and because we might not return to Ephesus we went. It is amazing and worth every penny!
This has been so well designed for the visitor to see everything that has been discovered. There are a lot of steps but it is well worth the climb. You can see intact mosaic floors and frescoes on the walls. It gives a fascinating insight into the life of the rich in Ephesus.
Excellent ! Was an interesting experience.
It is so cool to imagine what it must have been like.
Don't get confused by the name "houses". It's actually more like a giant housing complex that contain 5 or 6 families. In my opinion I found that these houses were better preserved than most of the other ruins outside. There are many mosaics and frescoes inside that are spectacular. Beware that it is hotter inside the houses and there are…
If you want to learn how the middle-class families of Ephesus lived, you should tour the terrace houses. You actually climb stairs and stand on clear, plexiglass landings so that you can look down on the lovely mosaics and paintings. It is difficult to imagine that these people had running water and heat in their houses until you actually see…
Ephesus is amazing and overwhelming but don't miss this beautiful presented museum of these ancient homes. You won't be disappointed
This is must see while in Ephesus and its still being explored and excavated.
These cliff houses are amazing and worth the visit. the method of displaying them with glass walkways is superb. It is a must in Ephesus.
If you book for Ephesus tour ask your travel agency to include Terrace Houses! Otherwise it means nothing
The terrace houses, currently in the process of being excavated, are covered by a structure that is out of place within the Ephesus archeological site. Excavation has been going on for at least 30 years, and it is fascinating to see pictures of what the site looked like in 1967.
When we visited Ephesus, we made sure to book a tour that included the Terrace Houses as we were told they were not to be missed. We were certainly not disappointed. The houses are beautifully preserved and have a igneous set up of see through platforms and stairs which allow you to see all aspects of the ruins.
Ephesus is a great tour but the slope houses are a highlight of the Ephesus tour. Don't miss out! These are a remarkable discovery and the explanation from our tour guide was great.
It is amazing at how large and developed the houses were so long ago.