Library of Celsus

The Library of Celsus was an ancient Roman building in the city of Ephesus, located in what is now modern-day Selcuk in Turkey. It was built in honor of the Roman Senator Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus by his son, Gaius Julius Aquila, in the 2nd century AD.

The library was a grand public building that housed over 12,000 scrolls and was one of the largest and most impressive libraries of the ancient world. The facade of the library was adorned with intricate carvings and statues, including four statues representing the virtues of Celsus: Sophia (wisdom), Arete (virtue), Ennoia (thought), and Episteme (knowledge).

The library was destroyed by an earthquake in the 3rd century AD, and it lay in ruins for many centuries until its facade was restored in the 1970s. Today, visitors can explore the ruins of the library and marvel at its grandeur and architectural beauty. The Library of Celsus is considered one of the most impressive and iconic structures of ancient Ephesus.

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