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Selcuk
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Selcuk is the central town of Selcuk district, Izmir Province in Turkey, northeast of Kuadasi, northeast of Ephesus. Its original name was Ayios Theologos , from which the Ottoman Turkish name Ayaslug is derived. In 1914 it was renamed Selcuk, after the Seljuk Turks who settled in the region in the 12th century.
Selcuk is one of the most visited touristic destinations within Turkey, known for its closeness to the ancient city of Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary and Seljukian works of art. The 6th century basilica of St. John the Apostle, which, some claim, is built on the site of the Apostle's tomb, is also inside the town. With the vast majority of tourists only using Selcuk as a stopping point for Ephesus and not visiting the town itself, the old quarter of Selcuk remains generally undisturbed and undeveloped, retaining traditional Turkish culture and locality.
Ayasoluk Hill dominates the surrounding area, with several historical buildings on its slopes, including the Isa Bey Mosque built by the Seljuk Turks in 1375, and the Grand Fortress.
The Ephesus Airport and Selcuk Training Center of the Turkish Aeronautical Association is only 3 kilometers away from Selcuk, offering piloting, parachuting, and microlight training.
The annual camel wrestling championship takes place in Selcuk in the Winter, near Ephesus
See also
Ephesus
Temple of Artemis
House of the Virgin Mary
Sirince
Twin cities
Siegburg, Germany
External links
Selcuk District, governmental site
Selcuk - Turkey Travel Planner by Tom Brosnahan
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Selcuk