One Day in Selçuk: What to See

Historic & Cultural

Ephesus

Ephesus was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, in present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. It was built in the 10th century BC on the site of Apasa, a city-state that was also the capital of Arzawa, by Attic and Ionian Greek colonists. During the Classical Greek era, it was one of twelve cities that were members of the Ionian League. The city came under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BC.

Historic & Cultural

Library of Celsus

The Library of Celsus is an ancient Roman building in Ephesus, Anatolia, located near the modern town of Selçuk, in the İzmir Province of western Turkey. The building was commissioned in the years 110s CE by a consul of the Roman Empire, Tiberius Julius Aquila Polemaeanus, as a funerary monument for his father Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, former proconsul of Asia, and completed during the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, sometime after Aquila's death.

Historic & Cultural

Temple of Hadrian

The Temple of Hadrian is a historic site located in the ancient city of Ephesus, in Selçuk, Aydın. It was built in the 2nd century AD in honor of Emperor Hadrian and features Corinthian order architecture. The temple is notable for its rich reliefs depicting the founding legend of Ephesus and mythological stories. It is within walking distance of Ephesus (425 m), the Celsus Library (119 m), and the Church of Mary (795 m).

Historic & Cultural

Prytaneion (Ephesus)

The Prytaneion is a historic site located in Selçuk, Aydın. It served as the religious and administrative heart of the ancient city of Ephesus. Built during the 3rd century BCE under Lysimachos, the Prytaneion housed the sacred eternal flame, which symbolized the city's existence and was crucial to keep lit. The Prytaneion is within walking distance of Ephesus (624 m), the Celsus Library (373 m), and the Temple of Hadrian (254 m).

Museums

Efes Deneyimi Müzesi

Efes Deneyimi Müzesi is a museum located in the Selçuk district of Aydın. It is open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00. Ephesus, the Celsus Library, and the Church of Mary are within walking distance.

Today 08:00–18:00

Religious Sites

Church of Mary

The Church of Mary was an ancient Christian cathedral dedicated to the Theotokos, located in Ephesus. It is also known as the Church of the Councils because several councils of importance to the history of Early Christianity are assumed to have been held within, although only the first one is accepted by Chalcedonian Christians. The church is located in the south stoa of the Olympieion next to the harbor of Ephesus.