Selcuk, which has a history of 8 thousand years, is one of the most important centers of the world in terms of archeology, history, religion, and culture. Selçuk is one of the leading tourism centers of our country with its cultural and historical values. The first settlements in Izmir, which has a distinguished place in the world with its cultural assets, especially the Ephesus Ancient City, go back 8 thousand years.
Ephesus, which is visited today, was founded by Lysimakhos, one of the generals of Alexander the Great, in 300 BC. Ephesus was relocated again in the Byzantine Age and came to Ayasuluk Hill, where it was first founded.
Ephesus which is known as Selçuk today is a city located in the western part of Anatolia (Turkey), in the old Ionian region as it was once called. Today, it is established in the Küçük Menderes valley in the west of Selçuk district, located in the southeast part of İzmir city which is the third-biggest city of Turkey and which is located on the Aegean coast in Western Turkey.
Thanks to its strategic location, Ephesus once was a gate that opens the West and the East to each other and the melting point of two opposing cultures. Ephesus or today’s Selçuk is located approximately 82 km from Izmir, and it is about a one-hour drive away. The history of the ancient city of Ephesus dates back to 6000 BC. Ephesus was an important port city, but Ephesus moved away from the sea later on and far from the sea today.
Selcuk was taken by the Turks in 1307. Selçuk, which came under the control of the Ottoman Empire in 1426, was made a precinct of Izmir in 1957. Today, Selçuk has a population of more than fifty thousand.
The climate in this region is Mediterranean. The summers are hot and dry, and the winters are warm and rainy. Selçuk district is spread over an area of 295 km². The distance from the sea to the sea is 8 km, and the height from the sea is 16 meters. Since a large part of the region is forested, this situation adds a natural beauty to the City of Ephesus. Ephesus Antique City is located 3 km from Selçuk district.
