Ephesus Ancient Canal project takes its shape

İZMİR

It has been reported that the first phase of the Ephesus Ancient Canal Project will be finished by the end of 2022.

The project will bring the ancient city of Ephesus in İzmir’s Selçuk district together with the sea again after 2,500 years.

As some 60 percent of the piling works in the construction have been completed, the marina, where marble coating processes still continue, is slowly taking shape.

The ancient city of Ephesus and harbor were located at the starting point of the royal road where western and eastern cultures intersected for thousands of years. However, in 2,500 years, due to the alluvium brought by Little Maeander and Marnas Stream, the ancient city moved 9 kilometers away from the sea and took its present form.

With the project, which is expected to make a great contribution to the country’s tourism, it will be possible to travel to Ephesus on boats again after 2,500 years.

The goal is to increase the number of tourists coming to Ephesus every year and make it one of the most important destinations in Turkey. The project will be completed by the end of 2022.

Within the scope of the first phase of the project, the entrance of the ancient canal will be rearranged and a marina will be built in accordance with the historical texture.

A project official, Birol Çınar, said that the first phase of the Ephesus Ancient Canal Project covers the line on the Kuşadası-İzmir highway from the coast.

“We are building a 600-meter-long channel and a 100-meter-wide and 250-meter-long marina that will provide short-term accommodation for boats in this area. Currently, we are covering the walls of the marina and its surroundings with marbles suitable for the historical texture. We have completed the coating works on an area of approximately 2,000 square meters. The marina is slowly starting to take shape.”

The project, which will bring the ancient city of Ephesus, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, together with the sea, consists of two phases. The first phase of the project includes a 600-meter-long canal, a breakwater structure and a marina. In the second phase, the area from the İzmir-Kuşadası highway to the Ephesus Port will be cleaned and reorganized in accordance with the historical texture, and the boats will be brought to the ancient city.