Ephesus is an important place in Christian history as it is recognized as the final residence of Mother Mary. During the second half of the first century, Christians were heavily persecuted under Roman rule. According to tradition after the crucifixion of Jesus, St John did bring Mother Mary to Ephesus with him to hide and escape persecution. They spent their last years in Ephesus, a very prosperous trading city. The shrine was visited by several popes. Ephesus, informs you about the history of impressive Roman structures as you walk through the magnificent Marble Street of the city. It is the most visited ancient site in Turkey and the third-largest city of the Roman Empire after Alexandria and Rome. Once it was a trading center in the Asia province of the Roman Empire known as Asia Minor. The last historical spot of your tour will be the Temple of Artemis (Diana) which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.