Cave of The Seven Sleepers
The Cave of Seven Sleepers is a treat for the eyes of the lovers of history. The visit to this historical spot of Turkey will bring you very close to the history of Turkey. This place is
the soul for the tourist department in Turkey. It is a gorgeous place which is around 13 km away from the centre of the city. There are number of elegant gardens with plants of lavenders and roses. There are several beautiful trees of olives and pine.
History Of The Caves Of Seven Sleepers
The seven sleepers were the seven juvenile men who were walled up in the cavern at the time of the persecution under Decius. These seven men fell asleep. They miraculously walked around 435 in the era of Theodosius II. The men wandered in the city of Ephesus. They were astonished to see the churches and the freedom of worship for the Christians. The sleepers died natural death and were buried in the caves in which they had once slept.
Spots To See In The Caves
The cavern of the seven sleepers is presently fenced off. A large outlet in the fence allows a complete entry in the cave. The site of this cavern is quite off the beaten track. But still this spot of Turkey is visited by a number of tourists and pilgrims. There is a small local restaurant at the site. The main part of the grotto is the cave church in which the seven sleepers were obscured. The huge cave has a high ceiling as in all regular churches. The burial places of these seven sleepers in the floor have now transformed into empty holes.
One of the fascinating and appealing aspects of this site is the treasure trove of the terracotta lamp which was explored in the grotto. Most of the lamps are decorated with the cross. There is a large variety of the secular scenes like the fisherman and the performances of the theatre.
Apart from all these artworks there are the pagan religious scenes such as Hercules and the Lion, Zeus and the Aphrodite. You may also cone across the pictures of the temple facades and the head of the God Attic. Generally the people coming at this place think wonder if the lamps used by the Ephesians who considered themselves as the Christians were burnt in the Cave of the seven sleepers! The answer to this is that it may so.
This is a great place for the people who love to explore the history of any country. This place is surely the ideal vacation spot for all the history bugs!
