Selçuk

Selçuk is a town and district of İzmir Province in western Turkey. It serves as the administrative center of Selçuk District and lies inland near the Küçük Menderes River, close to the Aegean coast. The town is best known as a gateway to the ruins of ancient Ephesus and to other historic sites in the area, including the House of the Virgin Mary and the Basilica of Saint John.

Historically, the name Selçuk is linked to the Seljuk Turks, whose medieval state once controlled much of western Anatolia; the modern town developed along trade routes that served the region’s agriculture and pilgrim traffic.

Key attractions include the Ephesus archaeological site, the well-preserved Isa Bey Mosque (a 14th-century Ottoman–Seljuk mosque) in the town, the Selçuk Archaeological Museum which houses finds from nearby Ephesus and other sites, and the ruins of the Basilica of Saint John on nearby hills. The Meryem Ana (House of the Virgin Mary) shrine sits just outside Selçuk and is a major pilgrimage site.

Selçuk is connected by road and rail to İzmir and other cities; the town lies on the Turkish State Railways network and serves as a base for visitors touring the Aegean coast and the ancient sites around Ephesus. The local economy is dominated by tourism, supported by hospitality services and agriculture in the surrounding villages.