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about ephesus>>celsus |
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CELSUS
LIBRARY
One of the finest structures in
Ephesus, the Celsus Library has recently been
restored. Raised on a high plinth, the
building is approached via a broad flight of
steps.
It
was built by the Consul Gaius Julius Aquila in
135 AD. as a heroon in honour of his father,
Celsus Polemaeanus, the governor of Asia Minor.
The façade is highly ornamented on two levels,
and there are three main portals. Over the
portals were columns and statues arranged in
niches. These statues were female figures
representing the virtues wisdom, fate and
intellegence. Niches on the interior of the
building were designeo to hold books. The tomb
of Celsus was placed in a crypt below the
central large niche.
According
to the inscription on the architrave of the
building, its patron, C.Aquila, died before it
was completed, and the construction was
carried on by his heirs. Aquila left 25
thousand dinar for the acquisition of books
for the library.
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