The city was noted for its rich merchants and talented artisans, particularly workers in silver, who made amulets, bracelets and charms as keepsakes for tourists who came to see the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Sadly, all that remains of that great wonder is one lone column and a few scattered building blocks. It was a thoroughly cosmopolitan city, second in the view of many only to Rome in its glory and grandeur. The city boasted such amazing, at the time, innovations as a sewer system which ran under the main paved streets and street lights along its major thoroughfares. Upwards of one million people came to the city each spring to take part in the Festival of Artemis, which featured drama and musical presentation in the city's huge amphitheater, which could, and did, seat 25,000 people for its performances.
Many tourists choose to enter by the East Entrance, since it is the higher ground.
Entering there allows one to walk down hill while viewing the ruin, rather than up hill as one would if they came in at the Harbor Street entrance. It is a fairly gentle slope, but it is a welcome saving of energy. Entering at that point, one comes to the upper agora and a collection of the remains of government buildings. Proceeding through that area, we emerge in the Street of Curetes, which is the best preserved area in the excavation. This graceful and sloping street, with pillars on either side, gives one the best sense of the highly civilized life that was lived in this ancient city.