The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus prominently used the Ionic order.
The Ionic order is recognizable by its slender columns and scroll-shaped capitals, called volutes. The Temple of Artemis was famous for its forest of large columns, ornate sculpture, and extraordinary scale. Its design reflected the architectural traditions of the Greek cities of Asia Minor.
The sanctuary developed through several building phases. The monumental sixth-century BC temple is often associated with the architect Chersiphron and his son Metagenes, while later rebuilding followed its destruction by fire in 356 BC.
The temple’s Ionic style distinguishes it from the Doric Parthenon in Athens, although both were major Greek religious buildings. The Ephesian sanctuary ultimately declined as religious practices and political conditions changed, and its materials were later quarried or reused.