The Library of Celsus 

The Library of Celsus in Ephesus, built in 135 AD, is one of the few surviving libraries of the Roman Empire and was the third largest library in the ancient world, after the Library of Alexandria and the Library of Pergamum. The Library of Celsus housed 12,000 scrolls, and a 1-meter space between its inner and outer walls protected these valuable documents from extreme temperatures and humidity.

With its spectacular scale and exquisite sculptures, the Library of Celsus is a model of Roman architecture. The library was damaged multiple times by earthquakes and fires, and what we see today is a reconstruction based on the original. Around 135 AD, Aquila built this library over his father Celsus’s tomb to honor him (Celsus was a wealthy local citizen who had served as governor of the province of Asia). However, Aquila died before the library’s completion, and his descendants finished the work. The style of the library, with its ornate, balanced, and well-planned facade, reflects the influence of ancient Greek architecture on Roman building. The construction materials, including brick and concrete, signify the use of new materials in the Roman Empire around the 2nd century.

The library had three doors, and above each were statues of goddesses symbolizing wisdom, destiny, and knowledge. The library was located directly across from a brothel, with a secret tunnel connecting the two underground. At that time, only men were allowed into the library. Many men would use the excuse of going to the library to secretly go to the brothel through this tunnel. The fact that the library, a symbol of human civilization, could be connected by a secret tunnel to a brothel, a symbol of debauchery, highlights a profound truth: “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6). This was a lesson that the believers living in Ephesus would have understood deeply.