Curetes Street

     This is one of the main streets Ephesus, 210m. long, that connects the Magnesia Gate to the Koresos Gate. This sacred path, earlier known as the Cortege Path of Artemis, had religious importance and it continued its existence contrary to hippodamic system of the  Hellenistic-Roman city. There is a 20m. difference in height between the ends of Kuretes Street; which is why the ephesus exorsions begin from the upper end of this Street. It was named Kuretes Street following the discovery of column tambours that had been taken from the Prytaneion and were reused in the entrance of this street, that carries the names of the Priests(Kuretes). This Street, largely  paved in marble, has in parts stone pavements and there is a deep drain pipe under the Street. Secondary roads connect to the Kuretes Street horizontally in accordance with the grid iron plan of the city. Mount Pions is connected to Kuretes Street by four narrow paths from its northern slope, two of which continue as alleys with stairs. These secondary roads are paved not only in limestone blocks, but also with a small number of reused marbles and the drain pipes are connected to the main pipes of the city extending under  this street. While there are columns on both sides in the large area on the upper section of the street which is paved with marble blocks, there are more puplic structures on the northern side of the  Tetragonos Agora (including the Fountain of Traianus, Bath of Varius and the Temple of Hadrianus) and there are tombs and monuments on its southern side. In addition to the monumental structures, statues of prominent people of the city were placed on the pedestals  erected at the sides of this Street and there are stoas with mosaic on both sides of the street. In places there are stores, shops, restaurants, taverns and spices stores behind these stoas and the rooms behind these stores were used as workshops.