It
is believed that the evangelist St.
John had spent his last years in the
region around Ephesus and buried in the
southern slope of Ayosolug Hill. Three
hundred years after the death of Saint
Paul, a small chapel was constructed over
the grave in the 4th century. The church
was changed into a marvelous basilica
during the region of Emperor Justinian
(527 -565 AD).
The monumental basilica was in the shape
of a cross and was covered with six domes.
Its construction, being of stone and brick,
is an extremely rare find amongst the
architecture of its time. Raised by two
steps and covered with marble, the tomb
of St John was under the central dome,
that was once carried by the four columns
at the corners. The columns in the courtyard
reveals the monograms of Emperor Justinian
and his wife Theodora. Constructed in
the 5th century AD, the baptistery is
north of the nave, with its key hole shape.
Rampart walls around the church were constructed
for protection from the Arabian attracts
in the 7th - 8th centuries AD. The impressive
10th century AD frescoes representing
St John, Jesus and a Saint, ornament the
chapel. With the invasion of Turks, the
chapel was used as a mosque in the 14th
century; unfortunately Basilica of
Saint John became unusable due to
the serious earthquake in the same century.
The excavations around
the Basilica of Saint John has been continuing
under the supervision of Ekrem Akurgal
since 1973, with the financial supports
of George B. Quatman.
Quoted
from From KusadasiGuide.com
with permission.
