Photos of the House of Virgin Mary

The 14 pictures on this page take you around the House of Virgin Mary near Ephesus: the stone chapel under its plane trees, the shrine, the wishing wall, the holy water spring, the Assumption feast of 15 August and a pilgrim in 1962. Photography is not permitted inside the chapel, so most views are of the house and its garden.

Photography is not permitted inside the chapel of the House of Virgin Mary — a rule every visitor comes to love, because it keeps the little rooms silent. Everything else on the mountain, we photograph often: the stone house under its plane trees, the wishing wall heavy with prayers, the spring, the pilgrims of the Assumption feast. These are the places we walk to with your prayers. The whole mountainside lies within the UNESCO World Heritage area of Ephesus; the shrine’s history is summarized well on Wikipedia and told chapter by chapter on our own pages below.

Visitors walking the path beside the wishing wall at the House of Virgin Mary in Ephesus, its long stone face packed with thousands of folded white paper prayers — The wishing wall in the lower garden — thousands of prayers, tied one over another.

The House of Virgin Mary near Ephesus — the small domed stone chapel seen across its garden, framed by tall plane trees — The stone house on Bülbül Mountain, restored as a chapel.

The shrine inside the House of Virgin Mary with the statue of Mary and candles — The shrine inside: the statue of Mary in the apse, candles, and quiet.

Close view along the wishing wall: thousands of small folded paper prayers knotted tightly into the stonework, a few in colored paper among the white — Each folded paper is somebody’s hope — from every corner of the world.

A handwritten prayer note on the wishing wall reading “I wish for peace and a long healthy life” — “I wish for peace and a long healthy life…” — one of the notes resting on the wall.

A visitor placing her written prayer on the wishing wall at the House of Virgin Mary — A visitor placing her prayer among the thousands already there.

The old stone cistern beside the House of Virgin Mary — The old cistern beside the house — water has been gathered here for centuries.

The arched brick-and-stone entrance to the House of Virgin Mary near Ephesus, with the old plane tree growing close beside the doorway — The entrance to the house, found in 1891 by following a nun’s visions.

Inside the restored chapel of the House of Virgin Mary — Inside the chapel: the ancient home’s layout, kept.

Assumption service on 15 August at the House of Virgin Mary — The Feast of the Assumption service, every 15th of August.

Feast of the Assumption gathering in the garden of the House of Virgin Mary — Pilgrims of many nations gather under the pines for the Assumption.

A pilgrim at the House of Virgin Mary in 1962 — A pilgrim at the house in 1962 — the shrine as an older generation knew it.

The bronze statue of the Virgin Mary standing with open arms beneath the olive trees in the garden at the House of Virgin Mary — The bronze statue of the Virgin in the garden, beneath the olive trees.

An icon of the Virgin and Child.

Did you know? 📷

You will not find photos of the chapel’s interior taken by pilgrims — photography is forbidden inside the House of Virgin Mary. The rule keeps the two small rooms as quiet as a prayer.

“One thing I ask from the Lord… to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”

Psalm 27:4

Go deeper

The places in these photos

The Wishing Wall

Thousands of folded prayers on one wall — the tradition your prayer becomes part of.

Discover the tradition →

The old cistern beside the House of Virgin Mary

The Holy Water Spring

The spring that led the discoverers to the house — and still fills pilgrims’ bottles today.

About the spring →

The stone chapel of the House of Virgin Mary standing among plane trees on Bülbül Mountain

Did Mary live in Ephesus?

The story of the stone house on Nightingale Mountain — and how we know it was hers.

Read the story →

Now you know where your prayer will rest

Send it to us and we will place it on the wishing wall you see above — free, with reverence.

Send my prayer now

Free · No donations asked · Any language · Placed by our family in person