10 things you should know about Selcuk

1. It is located South, in the city of Izmir, in the Southern Aegean region of Turkey.

2. It is the site of the ancient city of Ephesus.

3. It is the site of the great Temple of Artemis, one of the original Seven Wonders of the World.

4. It is the site of the Great Theater, one of the best-preserved ruins from the Hellenistic period, now used for Selcuk's annual Ephesus Festival; it is believed to seat 25,000 people.

5. It is the site of the ancient Library of Celsus, built by Asian consul Gaius Julius Aquila, in 135AD, as a monumental tomb for his father, Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus. The statues symbolize wisdom (Sophia), knowledge (Episteme), intelligence (Ennoia) and valor (Arete). These are the virtues of Celsus.

6. It is the site of Prytaneion; Temple of Hestia (Vesta), speculated to have housed the sacred flame of the city of Ephesus.

7. It is the site of the Isa bey Mosque, built in 1375, and restored in 1934. The columns and stones incorporated are from the ruins of the city of Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis.

8. It is the site of the Ephesus Archaeological Museum, located near the Basilica of St. John.

9. It is the site of the Basilica of St. John, constructed by Emperor Justinian in the 6^th century in honor of the Christian apostle John. The basilica is on the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill near the center of Selçuk, just below the fortress and about 2 miles from Ephesus.

10. It is speculated that the House of the Virgin Mary is located in Orman Yolu Park, deep in the forest, 5 miles southwest of Selcuk.