CELSUS LIBRARY

In the ancient times, kings used to have magnificent buildings constructed to show of their might and wealth. Libraries were among these buildings. One of Ephesus’ most attractive and enchanting sites is the Celsus Library. The library exhibits an artistic architecture as well as functionality as a library. All the books it contained were hand written manuscripts in the form of papyrus rolls which were kept safe in special boxes. The archaeologists guess that the number of the rolls in the library were somewhere above 12.000. Readers used to go to the premises and get the books they wanted to read from a librarian who were usually chosen amongst poets, writers, grammar experts or scholars.

Celsus Library is one of the most important structures in the ancient city of Ephesus. Its facade has been restored using blocks from the original building which was built in 125 AD by Gaius Aquilus in honour of his father. This magnificent library which used to keep around 12.000 manuscripts faces east so that the reading rooms get the best of the morning sun.

WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, INTELLIGENCE AND VIRTUE

Celsus is the third largest library of its time after Alexandria in Egypt and Pergamon in Turkey. The building still reflects its old glamour with its extraordinary facade, marble stairs and columns. The interior of the library contains a rectangular chamber along with small niches used as bookshelves.

Greek and Latin scripts along both sides of the stairs tell the story of Celsus’ life. There are four female statues in the indents of the outer wall, wisdom (sophia), knowledge (episteme), intelligence (ennoia) and virtue (arete). The actual statues were taken to Vienna during the excavations.

One of the most important facts about the library is that the architects had used a perpective trick to make the facade seem wider than it actually was. The front of the building looks as if it has two floors however the building consists of three floors. We can assume that the construction of the Celsus Library went smoothly and could be finished in time as the inscription on the side wall states that Celsus had bequethed 25.000 denarius to the library just before his death. He had willed his descendants to finish the construction of the library and use the remaining money to buy books.