Selçuk is the central town of Selçuk district, İzmir Province in Turkey, 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Kuşadası, 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Ephesus. Its original name was Ayios Theologos (Greek: Άγιος Θεολόγος), from which the Ottoman Turkish name Ayasluğ is derived. In 1914 it was renamed Selçuk, after the Seljuk Turks who settled in the region in the 12th century. She was a township in Kuşadası district till 1954 and Torbalı between 1954-1957. Her neighbours are Torbalı from north, Tire from northeast, Germencik from east, Kuşadası from south, Aegean Sea from west and Menderes (formerly Cumaovası) from northwest. Selçuk is one of the most visited touristic destinations within Turkey, known for its closeness to the ancient city of Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary and Seljukian works of art. The 6th century basilica of St. John the Apostle, which, some claim, is built on the site of the Apostle's tomb, is also inside the town. With the vast majority of tourists only using Selçuk as a stopping point for Ephesus and not visiting the town itself, the old quarter of Selçuk remains generally undisturbed and undeveloped, retaining traditional Turkish culture and locality.
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