What to see and do at the Ephesus House of Virgin Mary, Turkey

The House of the Virgin Mary is a holy site located near the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey

It is also known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel,. According to Christian tradition, it is believed to be the final residence of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.

We visited the House of the Virgin Mary on 10/9/2022.  While there,  we house toured the house, the holy spring, and the garden. We joined other visitors in touching the spring water, lighting candles and leaving prayers for friends and family members.

The story of the House of the Virgin Mary dates back to the early days of Christianity. After the crucifixion of Jesus, it is said that St. John the Apostle took Mary to Ephesus to live out the rest of her life. It is believed that the House of the Virgin Mary was built on on Mt. Koressos  overlooking the city of Ephesus, and that Mary lived there until her death. The house was rediscovered in the 19th century by a German nun named Anne Catherine Emmerich, who had visions of the location and described it in great detail. The house was subsequently excavated, and a small chapel was built on the site.

Today, the House of the Virgin Mary is a popular destination for pilgrims and tourists from all over the world. The site has been recognized by the Catholic Church as a holy site, and many popes have visited the house and left gifts and messages of devotion. The house is open to visitors and features a small chapel, a holy spring, and a garden where visitors can light candles and leave prayers.

Overall, the House of the Virgin Mary is an important site for both religious and historical reasons, and it continues to draw visitors from all over the world who are interested in exploring its rich cultural heritage.

Looking for things to do?  Viator offers numerous tours in the Ephesus area. Click here for details.

From the mountain, you can see the city of Ephesus and the seacoast.

There is a bronze statue of Mary along the trail to the house.

There is also a nativity scene along the trail.

On the way to the shrine, visitors pass a key hole-shaped baptismal pool, larger than the one located at the basilica in Ephesus. It is thought that an early community of Christians may have lived or were baptized here in seclusion in order to escape the nearby Romans.

Visitors pass through the house and exit out a side door near the back of the house.

After exiting the house, there is a spring where people take a drink or collect water to take home with them.

There is also a place where people light votive candles.

Additionally, people write prayers on pieces of paper and tie them to a wall near the house.

Near the exit of the shrine are a few souvenir shops and snack shops.