Terrace Houses
On Gingerguide's self-guided Ephesus audio tour, Terrace Houses is a stop worth about ~45 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type historic
- Suggested visit ~45 min
- Ephesus Ephesus guide
About Terrace Houses
The lavishly decorated hillside homes of wealthy Ephesians, preserved under a large shelter roof with mosaics, frescoes, marble panelling and under-floor heating; visiting them needs a separate ticket.
The Terrace Houses, known in Turkish as Yamaç Evleri, stand on the slope of Mount Coressus on the south side of Curetes Street, opposite the Temple of Hadrian. They were the homes of wealthy Ephesians, built on terraces cut into the hillside and occupied from around the first century AD until the seventh, with their peak in the first to third centuries. The complex comprises two housing blocks containing several multi-storey peristyle residences arranged around colonnaded courtyards.
The interiors are lavishly decorated with floor mosaics, marble wall panelling and painted frescoes, counted among the best-preserved examples of Roman domestic wall painting anywhere. The houses were fitted with hypocaust under-floor heating, piped running water and clay drainage. Among the frescoes is a figure identified by inscription as the philosopher Socrates. The excavation, led by the Austrian Archaeological Institute, is protected under a large shelter roof, toured on raised walkways, and requires a separate admission ticket.
Did you know? The houses had comforts we think of as modern: hypocaust heating warmed the floors with circulating hot air, while piped water supplied the rooms and clay drains carried waste away.
How much time do you need at Terrace Houses?
Around ~45 min works well for Terrace Houses — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Terrace Houses?
Yes — Terrace Houses made the cut as one of 18 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Ephesus. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Ephesus
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Terrace Houses and read more:
Day 1 of the Ephesus in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Terrace Houses
Preview the Ephesus tour free in the Gingerguide app.