Selcuk, Turkey: Capital of Faith Tourism

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TURKEY FAITH TOURISM

Selçuk: capital of faith tourism
Turkey continues to raise the bar for its tourism industry, a prime contributor to the nation's economy. Turkey, with its historical, natural and cultural treasures, has phenomenal tourism potential, offering opportunities often not found anywhere else in the world in terms of tours, sightseeing, entertainment and relaxation.

An average of 20 million tourists visit Turkey each year, with the "tourist paradises" of Antalya, Alanya, Marmaris, Didim, Bodrum, Kuşadası and Çeşme attracting a good portion of this number. Two new trends in tourism, though, may shift the balance. Faith tourism and nature tourism are growing in popularity, drawing new visitors and highlighting new places.
Where faith tourism is concerned, spots like the Hagia Sophia, the Sümela Monastary, Mt. Nemrut, Balıklı Lake, Cappadocia, Ephesus and of course the Meryam Ana Evi, or House of the Virgin Mary, which Pope Benedict XVI visited during his trip to Turkey, on Nov. 29, 2006, are popular draws. The House of the Virgin Mary, located near Ephesus in Selçuk, is considered by Christians all over the world to be a holy spot and is visited by more than half a million people every year.
Well-known visitors to the House of the Virgin Mary over the years have included Pope Paul XI, Pope John Paul II, former US President Bill Clinton, Sting, Brian Adams, Elton John and James Brown. Of course, another significant treasure nearby in Selçuk are the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. Ephesus, which is estimated by archeologists to date back to 6,000 B.C., is visited by around 1.5 million tourists every year.
Near to all of this is Turkey's third largest city, İzmir, also known as the "pearl of the Aegean." In addition to the historical points of interest in İzmir city center itself, the nearby spots of places like Çeşme, Foca, Bergama and Selçuk make the entire region a magnet for tourists. The relatively small city of Selçuk, with its population of around 25,000, lies only 75 kilometers from İzmir's city center and offers countless treasures. The town also boasts the İsa Bey Mosque, an important example of Selçuk Turk architecture. What's more, transportation to Selçuk couldn't be easier; visitors can reach it by sea, air, road or train.
As a result a significant portion of Selçuk's economy is based on profits from tourism. This income is supplemented by agriculture and animal husbandry, important ways of life for the people in the region thanks to the fertile soil.
In terms of figures Selçuk's recent popularity from Pope Benedict XVI's visit wound up raising the number of tourists coming to the region at the end of 2006 to 1.6 million. Visitors stopping at the House of the Virgin Mary were in 2004 calculated to have been 462,000, in 2005 517,000 and 650,000 in 2006.
Plans to further expand the already lively tourism industry in the region are at hand. Selçuk Mayor Vefa Ulgur talks about the plans to build three golf courses in the Selçuk district of Pamucak, which lies on the coast. Mayor Ulgur notes that while the city of Selçuk currently has a bed capacity of 11,000, there are immediate plans to expand this capacity up to 30,000.
A quick glance back at the basic history woven into the fabric of Selçuk is as follows: It was around 6,000 B.C. that the ancient city of Ephesus was founded near the Aegean gulf into which the waters of the river Menderes (Meander) flows. The soil in this area was prime for agriculture, and the position on the sea meant Ephesus would become an important trading and shipping post. The city was also a significant religious center in both pre-Christian times and the early years of Christianity. Ephesus brought forward such well known names in the religious and artistic world at the time as Artemidorus the dream-diviner, the poets Callinos and Hipponax, the philosopher Herakleitos, and the artist Parrhasius. The history of Ephesus, though, as mentioned before, actually stretches much further back, a fact that findings at the burial mounds at Arvalya and Cukurici have confirmed. Archaeological digs at Ayasuluk Hill have revealed that the region in which Ephesus is located was in fact populated from the Bronze Age through the Hellenistic Age, without interruption. It has also been confirmed that the city of "Apasas" mentioned in Hittite texts was in fact a reference to the original city of Ephesus, which was located on Ayasuluk Hill.
The Ephesus that tourists now visit was built by one of Alexander the Great's generals, Lysimakos, in the year 300 B.C. The building of the magnificent walls, theaters and agora which can be toured even today was the start of this city. Ephesus experienced one of the heights of glory during the second century. In part due to its well-used port, Ephesian trade began to increase, and the city became very wealthy. During the reigns of Emperors Trajan and Hadrian, giant architectural projects took hold in the city, and the number of theater seats alone in the city rose to 24,000. Estimates are that the population of Ephesus around this time was near to 250,000. At the start of the 13th century, the region fell under the control of the Turkish Aydinogullari rule. It was during this period that the largest mosque of the time was built by Isa Bey; the mosque bearing his name was built in Selçuk in 1375. In 1426, Ayasuluk was added to the rest of the growing Ottoman lands and in 1912, Ayasuluk's name was changed to Selçuk, officially becoming a province connected to İzmir in 1957.
According to Christian belief, shortly before he was crucified, Jesus Christ entrusted the care of his mother, Mary, to his friend and one of his disciples, St. John. According to some accounts, after Christ's crucifixion, St. John, believing it was not safe for Mary to remain in Jerusalem, took her with him to stay on top of Mt. Bülbül (Mt. Koressos) just above Ephesus. Over time, the exact location of this place, one that many believe to be the spot where the Virgin Mary spent the last days of her life, was forgotten. The house was rediscovered after the Middle Ages and became the subject of widespread debate. This went on until statements made by a German woman, Katherine Emmerich, who was bedridden and had never left her country, claiming she knew where the Virgin Mary's house had been. Then, in 1891, Eugene Poulin, the director of an İzmir school and a Lazarist priest, commissioned a group of people to look into how true the statements made by Emmerich might be. The group searched around the mountains to the south of Ephesus and, in the end, came upon a small house referred to by locals as the "Panaya Kapulu." This small house fit the description provided by Emmerich perfectly. After further research, the then archbishop in İzmir, Archbishop Timoni, gave permission for a religious ceremony to take place at the house. Later, in 1961, Pope John XXIII put an end to the debates swirling around the House of the Virgin Mary, declaring it an official point of pilgrimage for believers. The visits made by Pope Paul VI in 1967 and Pope John Paul II in 1979 also served to underscore the significance of the spot. Now every year on Aug. 15, the day that Christians believe the Virgin Mary fell into eternal sleep (referred to as the "dormission"), there is a special Mass that takes place at the house. Many people come for these religious services.
Camel wrestling festivals, which happen in no other country in the world, take place every year on the third Sunday of January in Selçuk. This year's 25th Selçuk-Ephesus Camel Wrestling Festival occurred on Jan. 21, 2007, and attracted much local and foreign attention. The day before the actual camel wrestling occurs, promotion, parades and all sorts of entertainment work to build local excitement. The wrestling begins on Sunday at 10 a.m. and finishes later that day. Another important festival in Selçuk is the Selçuk-Ephesus Culture, Arts and Tourism Festival. This is a festival which has been occurring since 1962, always during the first week of May.

What to eat and where to eat in Selçuk

You can find all sorts of examples of food specialties peculiar to Selçuk when you visit this city. The Aegean region, where Selçuk is located, is famous for its fish dishes (like sea bass and grey mullet) and its seafood in general. Selçuk is also known for dishes that use local herbs and vegetables unique to the region (such as mallow and arapsaci). The local fruit is also famous - fruit such as peaches, apples and watermelons can be picked fresh off the branch year round. Meat dishes like köfte and shish kepab have also become symbols of Selçuk cuisine. A popular stop-off point for Selçuk visitors is the Selçuk Köftecisi, featuring the köftes and other grilled meats that have become synonymous with eating in Selçuk. Follow your dinner here with the famous Artemis dessert, a milk-based treat found only in Selçuk. Another place to be sure not to miss is the outdoor restaurant Askeri Yeri, a stop-off point for visitors touring the Yedi Uyuyanlar Cave. Here, you won't be able to get enough of the delicious varieties of gözleme (a Turkish version of crepe or pancake filled cheese, ground beef, parsley and other herbs or even chocolate). How to get thereYou can reach Selçuk, situated only 75 kilometers from İzmir, by air, land, sea or rail. For those wanting to save time, flights into İzmir's Adnan Menderes Airport will have you in Selçuk quickly, as this airport is only 60 kilometers from Selçuk. Tourists choosing to come in by boat have two choices. Boats docking at the İzmir's Port of Alsancak have only an hour of road travel to reach Selçuk. Boats docking at Kuşadası are even closer, traveling only 25 minutes to get to Selçuk. Where to stayThere are a number of hotels and pensions dotting Selçuk, so much so that the small city already boasts an 11,000-bed capacity. Also, located nine kilometers from Selçuk is the town of Pamucak, which has many four- and five-star hotels of its own. For those who want to stay far from the city and closer to nature, the village of Şirince is an ideal option, only seven kilometers from Selçuk.

03.06.2007

Travel

ÖZDEMİR ÖZKAN