Terrace Houses, Ephesus, Turkey, UNESCO World Heritage Site

UNESCO World Heritage Site “The Houses of the Rich“ are luxury Roman Villas located on a slope opposite the Hadrian Temple during the Roman period. There are six residential units on three terraces at the lower end of the slope of Bulbul Mountain. The oldest building dated back to 1C BC and was a residence until 7C AD. Ephesus terrace houses are covered with protective roofing, which resembles Roman houses. They had interior courtyards (peristyle) in the center, with the ceiling open. They were primarily two-storied, and upper stores have collapsed over time. On the ground floor, living and dining rooms opened to the hall, and bedrooms and guest rooms were upstairs. The heating system of the terrace houses was the same as that in the baths. Clay pipes beneath the floors and behind the walls carried hot air through the houses. The houses also had cold and hot water. The rooms had no window, only illuminated with light from the open hall, so most of the rooms were dim.