The Tomb of Saint Luke, Ephesus

On the way from the Magnesian Gate, shortly before the parking lot, the ruins of a circular structure can be seen to left. It has a diameter of 16 meters and has marble revetment (wall covering ) on which crosses have been inscribed.

This lead to the false assumption that this structure was the grave of Luke the Evangelist. In fact , the building was constructed in the first century before the Christian era (B C E) and his heroon (monumental grave). Statues once stood in the sixteen niches around its circumference. With the coming of Christianity, an apse was added in the east, and a narthex in the west, thus forming a church.