This
seaside resort town has grown immensely in the last
30 years, and is especially popular with package
holiday-makers from Europe. From a population of
6000 in the 1970s, it is now closer to 50,000,
although a high proportion of this are part of the
tourist industry and here only for the summer. Many
cruising ships travelling around the Aegean Islands
stop here, especially because of its close proximity
(20km) to Selcuk. Kusadasi is a good base to explore
this and other ancient cities like Priene and
Didyma.
Although
there is little of historical interest in Kusadasi
itself, the town is popular predominantly because of
its many hotels, restaurants, souvenir and carpet
shops, and lively nightlife. The Kale district has
some old traditional houses and narrow streets, and
gives some indication of what the town used to be
like. The most famous beach is Kadinlar Plaji, 2.5km
south of the town, dominated by huge hotels and can
get very crowded in summer. There are several small
beaches further south, and
closer to town is Yilanci Burnu, the peninsular.
Ephesus
/ SELÇUK
The
Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John
The Apostle
Ephesus-
Very probably the largest
archeological site in Turkey, it
rises on the north slope of
Mount Pion extending southward
to the slope of Mount Koressos.
First founded some 2000 years
before Christ, it was rebuilt in
the year 1000 B.C.. Lysimachus,
left here by Alexander the Great
in 334 B.C. fortified the city
by walls for the fist time.
Third after Alexandria and
Antiochia, during the Roman
period it was designated as the
capital of Asia Minor. Paul came
to Ephesos for a first short
visit in 51 A.D., but was back
for three years from 54 to 57
A.D.. Among other things, in
Ephesus there are the remains of
the first church to be dedicated
to the Blessed Virgin Mary,
where the Third Ecumenical
Council was held in 431 A.D..
Saint John lived here and wrote
his Gospel and the last Book of
the New Testament, the
Apocalypse or Revelation. The
first letter of this Book is
addressed to the community (church)
of Ephesos. He died here at a
very old age and was buried on
Ayasulug Hill, where the Emperor
Justinian in the sixth century
build a famous basilica, now in
ruins.
THE
HOUSE OF THE VIRGIN MARY (MERYEM
ANA EVI)
The
House of Mother Mary is on the
top of Bulbul Dağ (the Mount of
the Nightingale), seven
kilometres south of the ancient
city of Ephesos. Here the
Blessed Virgin is said to have
lived her last years on earth.
It was reconstructed on the
foundations unearthed in 1891 by
the Lazarist Fathers following
the detailed description given
by a German bedridden pious lady
who claimed to have been shown
this neighbourhood during
visions of the Virgin Mother
with which she has been
pridileged. Soon after, this
place started to attract
pilgrims and today this is
visited by pilgrims who come
from all over the world. Pope
John XXIII visited this shrine
many times during his stay as
Apostolic Delegate in Turkey
while Pope Paul VI and Pope John
Paul II came here as pilgrims in
1967 and 1979 respectively.
NATIONAL
PARK
The
ideal place to escape from town
fuss and noise is a well-merited
rest and beach afternoon in the
national park (since 1960's) of
Kalamaki in the
" Dilek Peninsula
". Located approx. 30
km South of Kusadasi, it is only
1-2 km far from the Greek island
Samos.
The
Kalamaki
beaches count several bays of
which the most important ones
are Icmeler (1st bay and only
sandy one), Kavakli and
Karapinar. Winters are mostly
rainy and Summers dry. This
explains that water sources are
the main place where fauna
gathers for drinking. The most
dense specie is the wild pig so
do not be bewildered when you
see a wild pig family wandering
around in the afternoon.
Due
to its clean environment,
Kalamaki is
also ideal for picnics. All
necessary facilities have been
thought of : water from the
mountains, lavatory and picnic
tables and benches. And while
you walking around, according to
the season, look at the various
kinds of flowers in almost any
color and do hesitate to taste
the wild strawberries.
