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Most people pass through the town of Selçuk, Turkey, to visit Ephesus. If you stick around long enough, there are a few minor attractions to explore outside the major archaeological sites and museums.

 

Selçuk Atatürk Monument

First, near the bus terminal and in front of the town government building is a monument to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938). The monument contains a statue of Atatürk on a pedestal and relief panels of Turkish youth and families on either side.

Atatürk monument
Atatürk monument
Atatürk monument
Atatürk monument


 

Ahmet Ferahlı Park

Across the street to the west and in front of the Ephesus Museum is Ahmet Ferahlı Park (Ahmet Ferahlı Parkı). It’s a nice shaded green space with benches. The park is named for Ahmet Ferahlı (1922-1998), a former mayor of Selçuk. I’ve seen families having picnics there, people walking their dogs, groups of friends having conversations, and individuals doing work. In addition to the green space, there are a couple cafés and restaurants on the south side of the park.

Ahmet Ferahlı Park in Selçuk, Turkey
Ahmet Ferahlı Park
Ahmet Ferahlı Park in Selçuk, Turkey
Ahmet Ferahlı Park
Bust of Ahmet Ferahlı
Bust of Ahmet Ferahlı

 

Ishak Bey Mosque

On the north end of the park is the Ishak Bey Mosque (İshak Bey Camii). This small mosque was built in 1648 by Ishak Pasha, the governor of Aydın, possibly on the site of an older mosque built by the Aydinids in the 14th century. It was constructed with cut stone and is on a square plan. The mosque is topped by a terra cotta tiled dome and has a detached minaret.

Ishak Bey Mosque
Ishak Bey Mosque

 

Uğur Mumcu Love Path

Running along the west side of the park is the Uğur Mumcu Love Path (Uğur Mumcu Sevgi Yolu). It honors journalist Uğur Mumcu (1942-1993), who was assassinated by a car bomb outside his home in Ankara.

Uğur Mumcu Love Path in Selçuk, Turkey
Uğur Mumcu Love Path
Uğur Mumcu Love Path
Uğur Mumcu Love Path
Portrait of Uğur Mumcu on the Uğur Mumcu Love Path in Selçuk, Turkey
Portrait of Uğur Mumcu

The path contains a monument dedicated to Mumcu as well as quotes etched in granite panels. The quotes are written in Turkish and English.

Monument to Uğur Mumcu
Monument to Uğur Mumcu
Quote by Uğur Mumcu in Selçuk, Turkey
Quote by Uğur Mumcu

 

Saadet Hatun Hamam

The Saadet Hatun Hamam (Saadet Hatun Hamamı) sits on the southwest corner of the park. It’s thought to have been built in the 16th century. No information has been found about Saadet Hatun, who’s believed to be a descendant of the Aydinids. Depending on the season, you may see a stork nest above the main dome.

Saadet Hatun Hamam in Selçuk, Turkey
Saadet Hatun Hamam
Stork nest on the Saadet Hatun Hamam
Stork nest


 

Old Town of Selçuk

The hill between the Ephesus Museum and the Basilica of St. John makes up the oldest part of Selçuk, when the town was known as Ayasuluk. It’s a nice quiet area full of historic homes, many that have been converted to boutique hotels.

Old Selçuk, Turkey
Old Selçuk

 

Ayasuluk Library

In the middle of the neighborhood is the Ayasuluk Library (Ayasuluk Kitaplığı). It was built in 1365 by Aydinid ruler Isa Bey and originally functioned as a soup kitchen. The building is on a rectangular plan and measures 8.4 x 3.3 meters with walls that are 1 meter thick. Ancient stones were incorporated into the building, which has two parts topped by domes. It was restored in 1965 and 1990 and currently functions as a library.

Ayasuluk Library in Selçuk, Turkey
Ayasuluk Library

 

Alpaslan Mosque

The Alpaslan Mosque (Alpaslan Camii), across the street from the Basilica of St. John, was built in the 14th century by the Aydinids. It has a square plan topped by a single dome. The mosque was restored in 1965 and is open for worship.

Alpaslan Mosque in Selçuk, Turkey
Alpaslan Mosque
Alpaslan Mosque
Alpaslan Mosque


 

Isa Bey Mosque

The Isa Bey Mosque (İsa Bey Camii) is one of the finest examples of architecture remaining from the Anatolian beyliks. It’s located just west of the Basilica of St. John and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Ephesus.

Isa Bey Mosque in Selçuk, Turkey
Isa Bey Mosque
Isa Bey Mosque in Selçuk, Turkey
Isa Bey Mosque

The mosque was built between 1374 and 1375 in honor of Isa Bey, the Aydinid ruler from 1360 to 1390. A bust of Isa Bey stands outside the entrance.

Side view of the Isa Bey Mosque
Side view of the mosque
Bust of Isa Bey outside the Isa Bey Mosque
Bust of Isa Bey

The architect was Şamlı Dımışklıoğlu Ali, who modeled it after the Great Mosque of Damascus. Many of the materials to build the mosque came from the ruined Basilica of St. John, of which some were originally from the Temple of Artemis and Ephesus.

Entrance to the courtyard of the Isa Bey Mosque in Selçuk, Turkey
Entrance to the courtyard
Inscription above the entrance to the courtyard of the Isa Bey Mosque
Inscription above the entrance to the courtyard
Entrance of the Isa Bey Mosque
Entrance to the mosque

The mosque was damaged by earthquakes in 1653 and 1668. This caused the minaret on the east side to collapse and caused partial damage to the other. By 1829, the mosque was in ruins and the other minaret fell in 1842. It was used as a caravanserai for much of the 19th century. In 1975, the mosque was completely restored and reopened to worship. Another restoration took place in 2005.

Courtyard of the Isa Bey Mosque in Selçuk, Turkey
Courtyard

 

Courtyard of the Isa Bey Mosque

The Isa Bey Mosque features a large courtyard with a fountain in the center. 12 columns stand around the perimeter. There are also tombstones on display around the walls of the courtyard.

Courtyard of the Isa Bey Mosque
Courtyard
Columns in the courtyard of the Isa Bey Mosque in Selçuk, Turkey
Columns in the courtyard
Tombstones at the Isa Bey Mosque
Tombstones
Tombstone in the courtyard of the Isa Bey Mosque
Tombstone

While the mosque originally had two minarets, only one has been rebuilt. It was built of brick and stands on an octagonal base on the west side. The other minaret stood on the east side.

Brick minaret on the west side of the Isa Bey Mosque
Brick minaret on the west side
Base of the ruined minaret on the east side of the Isa Bey Mosque in Selçuk, Turkey
Base of the ruined minaret on the east side

 

Prayer Hall of the Isa Bey Mosque

The prayer hall of the mosque contains a modern mihrab because the original was moved to another mosque. It’s quite bare inside other than Iznik tiles decorating the underside of the domes. The domes are 9.4 meters (31 feet) and 8.1 meters (27 feet) in diameter.

Prayer hall of the Isa Bey Mosque
Prayer hall
Prayer hall of the Isa Bey Mosque
Prayer hall


 

Isa Bey Hamam

The Isa Bey Mosque was part of a complex that included the Isa Bey Hamam (İsa Bey Hamamı), which lies in ruins about a block south. It was built around the same time as the mosque of cut stone and brick. The bath contained a cold room, a warm room, and a hot room. All three sections were covered with domes.

Isa Bey Hamam in Selçuk, Turkey
Isa Bey Hamam
Isa Bey Hamam
Isa Bey Hamam

 

Byzantine Aqueduct

One of the most noticeable landmarks in Selçuk is a Byzantine aqueduct that cross through the heart of town running east to west. The aqueduct started in the valley of Şirince to the north, crossed through what is now the modern town center, and emptied into a basin next to the Basilica of St. John.

Byzantine aqueduct
Byzantine aqueduct
Byzantine aqueduct in Selçuk, Turkey
Byzantine aqueduct
Bases of the Byzantine aqueduct
Bases
Water basin for the Byzantine aqueduct
Water basin
Water basin for the Byzantine aqueduct
Water basin

The tallest pillars of the aqueduct are just west of the train station. They were reconstructed using original materials and reach a height of 15 meters.

Tallest section of the Byzantine aqueduct in Selçuk, Turkey
Tallest section of the Byzantine aqueduct

 

Stork Nests in Selçuk

If you’re in the town of Selçuk during the spring and early summer, you’ll see stork nests atop the pillars of the aqueduct. They also build nests on light posts and minarets.

Stork nest on the Byzantine aqueduct in Selçuk, Turkey
Stork nest on the Byzantine aqueduct
Storks tending to their nest
Storks tending to their nest
Stork nest on a light post in Selçuk, Turkey
Stork nest on a light post
Stork nest atop a minaret
Stork nest atop a minaret


 

Ephesian Artemis Monument

In the center of town downhill from the Basilica of St. John is a replica of the Ephesian Artemis. It was one of three cult statues of Artemis found at Ephesus on September 18, 1956. The original can be seen in the Ephesus Museum.

Ephesian Artemis monument in Selçuk, Turkey
Ephesian Artemis monument

 

Selçuk City Memory Museum

The Selçuk City Memory Museum (Selçuk Kent Belleği Müzesi), on Namık Kemal Street, is a good place to learn about the history of Selçuk. Admission is free (as of October 2024), but most information is presented in Turkish.

Selçuk City Memory Museum in Selçuk, Turkey
Selçuk City Memory Museum
Selçuk City Memory Museum
Selçuk City Memory Museum

The three-story museum is situated in a former tobacco warehouse, which was once the major industry in Selçuk. Exhibits on the first floor chronicle the local tobacco industry as well as excavations at Ephesus. You can find old photos of the town of Selçuk on the west wing of the first floor.

Tobacco industry exhibit at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Tobacco industry exhibit
Cigarette packs at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Cigarette packs
Model of the train station at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Model of the train station
Photos of Selçuk at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Photos of Selçuk

The second floor contains the museum’s ethnographic section. The first section features items used by locals as well as old photographs of the town.

Ethnographic section at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Ethnographic section
Circumcision tools in the ethnographic section at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Circumcision tools
Radios in the ethnographic section at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Radios
Adding machines in the ethnographic section at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Adding machines

The second section covers immigrants who relocated to Selçuk. Many arrived during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923 while others came from Bulgaria and other parts of Turkey. Stories and photos of immigrants and their descendants line the walls. Several family heirlooms and other items belonging to these immigrants are on display.

Immigration section at the Selçuk City Memory Museum in Selçuk, Turkey
Immigration section
Nomadic wedding dresses; silk; 1920s in the immigration section at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Nomadic wedding dresses; silk; 1920s
Hand sewn sheets from Crete; 1900; donated by the Akbulut family in the immigration section at the Selçuk City Memory Museum in Selçuk, Turkey
Hand sewn sheets from Crete; 1900; donated by the Akbulut family
Glasses, coffee cups, and a decanter on a porcelain tray; early 20th century; donated by the Akbulut family in the immigration section at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Glasses, coffee cups, and a decanter on a porcelain tray; early 20th century; donated by the Akbulut family
Sewing machines in the immigration section at the Selçuk City Memory Museum
Sewing machines


 

Grotto of the Seven Sleepers

Outside the town of Selçuk on a road between the two entrance to Ephesus is the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers. The entrance to the archaeological site is past a few small restaurants.

Restaurants near the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
Restaurants near the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
Entrance to the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
Entrance to the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers

The site is a little confusing to first-time visitors because the interpretive panel sits in front of a couple rock-cut tombs. The actual Grotto of the Seven Sleepers is a bit further up the path next to a small building covered by corrugated roofing sheets.

Rock-cut tombs at the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
Rock-cut tombs
Rock-cut tombs at the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
Rock-cut tombs
Entrance to the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
Entrance to the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers

 

Story of the Seven Sleepers

The Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, on the slopes of Mount Pion, is tied to both Christian and Islamic traditions. Christians believe the legend took place at Ephesus while Muslims believe it took place in the Eshab-I Kehf cave in Tarsus or in Afşin. The Islamic version was quoted in Surah Al-Kahf (18:9–26) in the Quran.

Grotto of the Seven Sleepers in Selçuk, Turkey
Grotto of the Seven Sleepers

According to tradition, the Seven Sleepers were seven young Christian men who lived during the reign of Roman Emperor Decius in 250. Their names are typically listed as Maximian, Martinian, Dionysius, John, Constantine, Malchus, and Serapion. They were persecuted and given the chance to renounce their faith, but instead chose to give up their possessions and move into a cave to pray. They fell asleep and the emperor ordered the cave to be sealed.

Grotto of the Seven Sleepers in Selçuk, Turkey
Grotto of the Seven Sleepers

In 447, the owner of the cave decided to open it up and use it as a cattle pen. He found the Seven Sleepers inside. They awoke believing they had slept just one night. Malchus went into Ephesus to buy food. When he entered the city, he was surprised to find buildings with crosses attached to them. He went to pay for his food, the merchant noticed it was an old coin depicting Decius. At that moment, Malchus learned he was actually in the time of Theodosius II and had slept for nearly 200 years.

Tombs at the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
Tombs
Tombs at the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
Tombs

Malchus returned to the cave and told the others what had happened. They all fell asleep and never woke up again. Local Christians held a funeral for them and built a church over the cave where they were buried. Excavations unearthed a church and several graves.

Tombs at the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
Tombs
Tomb at the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers
Tomb

 

Map of Selçuk Town

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Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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