Walking Guided Tours Ephesus – Discovering the Odeon of Ephesus
Introduction to the Odeon at Ephesus with walking guided tours Ephesus
Walking guided tours Ephesus through the ancient city of Ephesus, you’ll quickly discover that the city actually had two theatres. First, there was the large Great Theatre, and second, alongside it, a smaller structure known as the Odeon. Interestingly, this same Odeon that people also knew as the Bouleuterion, likely served a dual purpose — not only hosting musical performances but also serving as the meeting place for the city council. As for its origins, around 150 AD Publius Vedius Antoninus and his wife Flavia Papiane built the theatre.
This structure is located near the State Agora and the Prytaneion, the ancient town hall. If you join one of our walking tour Ephesus options, you’ll see this special site up close.
Use walking guided tours Ephesus to learn about design and layout of the Odeon
To begin with, the Odeon looks like a small theatre with a seating capacity of around 1,500 people. People used to call the seating area the cavea and it is semi-circular in shape. In addition, right in front of the audience sits a shallow stage called the pulpitum. The stage could be reached from both sides through sloping side entrances called parodoi. Furthermore, behind the stage were five doors that connected the Odeon to another building, the Basilica Stoa.
Moving on to access, visitors could enter through several different points: first, through doors in the Basilica; second, via side arches at the parodoi ends; and third, by way of an upper-level passage. As a result of this layout, entering and exiting the building was quick and easy for everyone involved.
Ultimately, then, if you’d like to explore structures like this for yourself, why not join one of our walking guided tours of Ephesus? That way, you’ll be able to see firsthand exactly how public spaces worked in Roman times.
Seating and Structure Features
To begin with, the seating area had two levels, which were, in turn, separated by a walkway known as the diazoma. The seats themselves, meanwhile, were made of marble and, furthermore, arranged into 13 wedge-shaped sections called kerkides. More specifically, the lower tier had 13 rows of seats, whereas the upper tier had 10.
Surrounding all of this, in addition, was a curved outer wall enclosing the entire cavea. Above the seating, moreover, a red marble colonnade likely once stood, thereby providing both beauty and shade.
Evidence of this includes cuttings in the floor for pilaster bases and many marble fragments.
Altogether, then, and for all these reasons, this clever and beautiful layout is one reason why people continue to enjoy walking guided tours of Ephesus today.
Stage and Orchestra Details
The orchestra is a sunken semi-circular area in front of the stage. It measures about 9 metres by 4.5 metres.
The stage is around 4 metres deep and was backed by a decorative wall called the scaenae frons.
This wall once had columns and statues.
J.T. Wood, an archaeologist, removed some statues in the 1800s. These now rest in the British Museum.
The statues include images of Lucius Verus, Faustina the Younger, the Muse Erato, and a silenus torso. You’ll learn about these on our customized tours Balkan and cultural packages.
Was there any cover over the Odeon?
Most large Greek and Roman theaters were open to the sky. They sometimes had fabric awnings to protect people from the sun and rain.
However, smaller buildings like the Odeon often had roofs. This protected performances and meetings from bad weather.
There are no drains in the orchestra, suggesting that the Odeon had a roof. It was likely built with wooden beams and clay tiles, supported by strong wooden trusses.
Between the Odeon and the Basilica was a narrow corridor with a deep rainwater drain. This helped collect and remove water from the roofs of both buildings.
To learn more about ancient engineering like this, join one of our private tours Istanbul.
Restoration of the Odeon
Before 1970, the Odeon was mostly ruins. Only six rows of seats were visible, and the building was falling apart.
In 1970, the Selçuk Museum started a restoration project. They used concrete to support the seating and paved the stage to protect it.
In 1990, more work was done to rebuild the upper tiers. They added back the second level of seating above the original few rows.
These rows are now safe and open for tourists to visit and sit on.
Thanks to this effort, the Odeon remains a popular stop on all walking guided tours Ephesus.
Plan Your Visit Today
The Odeon of Ephesus is a hidden gem filled with art, music, and history. It is smaller than the Great Theatre, but it holds big stories and cultural value.
You can walk through ancient entrances, sit on marble seats, and imagine concerts from 2,000 years ago.
Want to visit? Have questions? Just contact us. We’ll help you book the perfect tour.
Whether you love history, architecture, or culture, this site will leave a strong impression.
Book your walking guided tours Ephesus today and experience the past like never before.
