The horsed protectors of Ephesus are mounted gendarmes, riders of the Turkish gendarmerie who watch over the ancient city on horseback. Their horses are calm and used to crowds, so visitors can pet them and take photos. Mounted gendarmerie teams have worked in the Selçuk district, where Ephesus stands, since 2014.
Visitors coming to Ephesus Ancient City are no strangers to friendly kittens and pups. Recently, some ”bigger” 😊 animal friends became residents of Ephesus too!
The safety of the ancient city of Ephesus is now provided by the equestrian gendarmes. You can visit Ephesus any time of the year and have a chance to have photos with these amazing horses.
Unlike their majestic size, these horses are very friendly and their riders let people to touch them. The world-famous Celsus Library and a stunning horse! You can’t have a better photo for your Instagram account!
What Do the Mounted Gendarmes Do at Ephesus?
The mounted gendarmes patrol to prevent trouble, keep order and answer fast when something happens. They belong to the gendarmerie, called Jandarma in Turkish, the armed law enforcement force under the Ministry of the Interior that looks after public order mostly outside the cities. So they are not city police, even if many visitors call them mounted police.
Horse can go on rough ground and narrow paths where a car cannot, and in a crowd the rider sits high enough to see what is happening. That is why the gendarmerie uses horses in tourist areas, beaches, forests and historical sites around Turkey.
Where Do the Horses of the Gendarmerie Come From?
The gendarmerie trains its horses and riders at its Horse and Dog Training Center in Nevşehir, in Cappadocia, called JAKEM. The horses are chosen and trained to stay calm near crowds, loud noises and changing surroundings, and a rider learns to ride and care for them in a basic course of many months. In 2020 the İzmir team, which also works in Selçuk, had three horses from this center, called Fulya, Pamir and Aybüke.
When Did Mounted Gendarmes Start in Selçuk?
Mounted gendarmes were sent to the Selçuk district in the summer of 2014. Turkey borrowed the system from southern Europe and began with tourist areas in Kemer, near Antalya, and in the İzmir districts of Selçuk, Seferihisar and Menderes. In 2020 the İzmir team patrolled beaches, picnic areas and ancient sites there. In 2026 the list of İzmir districts with mounted patrols had twelve names, and Selçuk is one of them.
Where Can You Meet the Horses in Ephesus?
In the photo above, the horse stands in front of the Library of Celsus, at the lower end of Curetes Street, the main street of the ancient city. The gendarmes are on duty, not on show, and they move around, so I cannot promise that you will meet them on your day.
If you meet them, ask to the rider before you touch the horse and listen to the answer. Keep your hands away from the nose, do not feed the horse, and do not use a flash close to its face. Children like the horses a lot, and my post on Ephesus with Kids has more ideas for a family visit. The horses are not the only animal friends of the site, I also wrote about the Cats of Ephesus.
By the way, Ephesus had its horsemen in stone long before. On the frieze of the Temple of Hadrian the founder Androclos rides a horse and attacks a wild boar, and the story is in my post Androclos The Founder Of Ephesus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the horse riders at Ephesus?
They are mounted gendarmes, riders of the Turkish gendarmerie, which looks after public order mostly outside the cities. Many visitors call them mounted police, but the gendarmerie works under the Ministry of the Interior and has its own horse teams.
Can you pet the horses at Ephesus?
Usually yes. The riders let visitors touch the horses, but please ask first and follow the answer. The horses are trained to stay calm near crowds, so a quick photo is normally easy.
Why does the gendarmerie use horses at ancient sites?
A horse can walk where a car cannot, moves quietly through a crowd and gives the rider a high view. Mounted gendarmes use this in tourist areas, forests, beaches and historical sites around Turkey.
