10 September 2009

19:00-22:00 Optional Evening Programme  (Artemis Restaurant & Wine House in Sirince)

Artemis Restaurant & Wine House
 

Sirince is an ancient Greek village with its tiny houses arm in arm, which is 8 km far from the Selcuk District of Izmir, and maintains all of the memories of its own history in its streets and lanes under the shadow of olive and fig trees. The first thing, which you will see, when you arrive to this village, is the Sirince Artemis Restaurant and Wine House, in its magnificent building, which smells history and the road leading to this village is asphalt. The stone houses are spread to the both hillsides and faced to the vineyards, gardens and fig trees giving sweet fruits. Sirince Artemis Restaurant and Wine House keeps its garden under shadow of 196 years old giant pine trees, … so that it became the most important character of this fairy tale.

Establishment of this ancient Greek village went back to the 5th century A.D. and it is estimated that the restaurant had been established in the year of 1849. The furniture and decoration of this two-storied building, which was initially built as a primary school, had been completed.

Şirince Artemis restaurant & Wine House presents a modern service understanding based on history and settlement. Therefore, Greek author Dido Sotiruyu says “If there is a place, which can be named as heaven, on this world, our Kirkinca (Sirince) must be a part of that heaven” in his work named “Say my greetings to Anatolia”.     

11 September 2009

19:00-23:00 Conference Dinner  (Optional) (Dinner at Kervansaray)

Öküz Mehmet Paşa Kervansarayı
 

The Caravanserail of Okuz Mehmet Pacha,which has been constructed by the Grand Vizier in 1618, is situated at the center of Kusadasi.

Being restorated in 1966, it still carries the highlights of it’s Seljuk and Ottoman origins and today,it serves as the main accommodation and recration centre in town.

Kusadasi and  Okuz Mehmet Pacha  Caravanserail have been mentioned together since 3 centuries.
Kusadasi is a beutiful holiday town within 1,5 hours of reach from Izmir. It is worldwide famous with its harbour, open Grand bazaar and with the historical sites Ephesus, Virgin Marry’s Residence, Priene, Miletus, Didyma and Pamukkale that surround it.

12 September 2009

15:00-19:00 Optional Sightseeing Tours (Ancient city of Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary Tour)

Ephesus

Ephesus was one of the most famous cities of  Neolithic Age on the delta of the Small Menderes River (Cayster River). The fact, that its sheltered seaport was the point, where the King Road, which started from the Susa in Iran, met with the sea, and this fact increased the importance of the city significantly.
The Ephesus Hillside Houses are an independent theme in the archeological literature and should be visited. The “Celsus Library” is situated at the end of the street and it is one of the most beautiful buildings of the Rome Empire’s Age. After Celsus was died, who was the proconsul of Ephesus, the library had been built as a monument tomb in his name by his son. The tomb of Celsus is located under the west wall of the library. One of the most interesting buildings of Ephesus is the “Temple of Serapes” is placed behind the “Celsus Library”. The “Mazaeus Mithridates Gate” located near the Celsus Library is a passway to the “Trade Agora (Lower Agora)”.
Lower Agora is the start point of the “Marble Street”. At the end of the street, there is the largest theater of the world and had a capacity of 24.000 persons. Saint Paul gave his homilies here. Theater was open for all kind of culture activities and music events throughout the summer and autumn months. Right at the corner of the big theater, there is situated “Hellenistic Fountain”, which is the smallest building of Ephesus. The “Theater Gymnasium” had been built in the 2nd century A.D. and it has a separate bath.    
The Harbor Street (Arcadiane Street) leads to the “Ancient Harbor”, which is today completely filled up, and there are marble columns on the both sides of this street and it is the longest street of Ephesus and covered with marbles. The “Four Apostles Monument”, which is four columned and there is the statue of one apostle on each column, is situated almost in the middle of the street. At the end of this street, there are “Harbor Gymnasium and Baths”, which had been buit close to the harbor. The “Church of Virgin Mary (Church of Consul)”, where the Ecumenical Consul of 431 was held, is situated at the north side of this building.
 “Vedius Gymnasium” is placed at the north end of the city and near the city walls of Byzantine Age. Near this building, there is the “Stadium” built in the form of horseshoe during the times of Emperor Neron.

House of Virgin Mary

St. John tells in his Gospel that Jesus entrusted him the care of his mother, before dying on the cross, said to his mother “woman, this your child” and showed St. John and said to St. John “here is your mother” and showed the Virgin Mary. St. John brought Virgin Mary to the Ephesus 4 or 6 years later, after the death of Jesus Christ. It had been mentioned in notes of the year 431 that they stayed for a short period in a building, which remains partly under the today’s Consul Church (Church of Virgin Mary). Then, St. John brought Virgin Mary to a house, which he had prepared on Bulbul Mountain. Virgin Mary lived her last days in this house, but, the place of this house had been forgotten in time and it had been ruined.            

There is a cross planned and domed small church. This is the building, which is known as the House of Virgin Mary. This building dated to 6th-7th century had been found in a partly ruined onto its fundament and then, restored and brought to its today’s appearance. In order to distinguish the ancient walls from the new walls, they had been separated with red colored line. After the entrance with niches at both sides similar to doors, you pass into the vaulted inner area. The statue of Virgin Mary at the abscissa had been brought here hundred years ago. In front of it, the place, which can be distinguished with its gray color from the floor marble, had been determined as the fireplace. The coal remainders and some parts of the house fundaments found during the excavations had been dated as per the 1st century. As the Virgin Mary is also accepted as a holy person by the Muslims, Muslims make here their ritual worships. The scripts on the walls are the translations of the Suras related to the Virgin Mary from Qur’an. In a cupboard, there are also Qur’an translations in various languages, in order to serve the people, who intend to read the Suras of the Qur’an more comprehensively.

13 September 2009

10:00-17:00 Day Cruise/Tour  (Kuşadası)
Full Day Tour

The Kusadasi Gulf offers all visitors a great opportunity for sailing, swimming and relaxation. This gulf can provide a whole vacation in itself with many large natural bays and numerous coves and inlets.