SELÇUK(EPHESUS)

South of Izmir on the south Aegean, Selcuk has been transformed since the 1990s into a major tourist destination, mainly as a base to visit the famous ruins of Ephesus a few kilometres away. The ancient classical city is one of the best preserved in the eastern Mediterranean and is a great example of Roman architecture.

Selcuk has many historical remains of early Christianity, including a house which many believe to have been visited by the Virgin Mary, and Ayasoluk Hill where St John write his Gospel. There are many small hotels and guest-houses, restaurants and shops which makes the town a good base to explore the area. The town gets busy during the famous annual camel wrestling festival, held in Ephesus around February.

History

According to ancient inscriptions, Ephesus is thought to have been inhabited since around 3000 BC, roughly the same time as Smyrna, and evidence of Ion, Roman, Byzantine, Seljukian and Ottoman civilisations are still seen today. The ancient city was a good centre for trading, mainly because of its location close to coast, and religion. It was known for the cult of Cybele, the Anatolian fertility goddess, then later for Artemis, the virgin goddess for which a temple was built in her honour.

The temple was destroyed in 356BC, and when Alexander the Great passed through in 334 BC he offered to pay for the cost of a new construction, provided it was dedicated to him. The Ephesus people declined, and rebuilt it with great success.

When the Romans made Ephesus their provincial capital, it became a busy town with great commercial, trading and political importance, and a population that grew to around 250,000. A significant Christian community grew, and the city was visited by St John the Evangelist in the 1st century, then by St Paul, who was there between 51-53 AD and wrote some of his epistles. It was also the venue of two Ecumenical Councils.

But the success of Roman Ephesus began to dwindle, mainly because of problems connected to the harbour, which was the main source of trade. The Cayster River was pushing silt up the harbour and despite attempts to dredge it and rebuild the harbour, the sea was pushed back to Pamucak, 4km away, and therefore Ephesus lost its source of wealth. By the 6th century, the city was unliveable and was shifted near to St John’s Basilica, and by 1090 it was taken over by the Turks.



Climate

Similar to a typical Mediterranean climate, the region has hot and dry summers, reaching around 30 degrees. The winters are cool and wet, and the nights can get cool and drop below 10 degrees.

Where to Visit

Selçuk Ephesus Archeology Museum

With a fine collection of statues, mosaics and artefacts, the museum in the centre of Selcuk helps shed a little more light on the Ephesus ruins. Many found before World War I were taken to the Vienna Museum, but wherever possible, most were returned after World War II.

The museum shows around 50,000 exhibits, in chronological order, from the Miken, Archaic, Roman, Byzantine and Turk periods, and is split into Archaeological and Ethnographic sections. The most interesting items include the Myken vases found at Ayasuluk Hill, pieces from temple of Artemis, a tomb from the Belevi Mausoleum, two statues of Artemis, an embossed image of Theodosius from Hadrian Temple, and many more statues and portraits from early Christianity. The ethnographic section is set up in an arasta (row of shops) with examples of Turkish and Ottoman daily life.

Museum Tel: (+90 232) 892 60 10.

Opening hours: Summer – 08.30–12.00 & 13.00-19.00. Winter – 08.30-12.00 & 13.00-17.00.

Çamlık Open-Air Rail Museum

The village of Camlik, around 10km from Selcuk, is the location of this museum, which exhibits over 20 steam locomotives in a 160-acre site that was the sidings of a train works. Ataturk had his headquarters here and kept his special white train at this station during Aegean manoeuvres, controlling them by being in close proximity to the coast. Most of the engines, some dating back to pre World War I, are German made (it was the Germans who built most of the Turkish railways) but there are also those made in Britain, America, France and Sweden.

Saadet Hatun Public Bath Museum

The origin of the Turkish Hamam comes from the Roman public baths, as the bathing culture has a significant part in Roman culture, preserving its importance until the middle of the Byzantine period. It later was forgotten in Mediterranean countries and Europe, but reappeared more actively in Turkey.

There are seven known hamams in the Selcuk region, one of which is the Saadet Hatun Hamam, according to its inscriptions. The exact identity is unknown, but she is thought to be a noble woman from the Aydinogullari governmental lineage. The hamam dates back to the 16th century and contains most of the traditional features, including the three sections of cold, tepid and hot water. The baths were in a state of disrepair until 1970 when they were restored in 1972 by the Ephesus Museum.

ANCIENT CITIES

Ephesus Ruins

This huge site, one of the best preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean, will take most of the day to see every part in detail. It is easily approached by road from Selçuk, or by public transport from Kuşadası.



Vedius Gymnasium and Stadium

Soon after the entrance to the site are the ruins of Vedius Gymnasium, which was built by a wealthy local businessman in the late 2nd century, in the name of Vedius Antonius. It is a magnificent structure, built as a venue for sporting and cultural education and contains exercise fields and covered rooms, baths, changing rooms, a courtyard and ceremonial room in the centre. To the south is the Stadium, where races, games, and Olympic events took place.