Visiting the House of Virgin Mary at Ephesus in Selcuk, Turkey

Author: Janice Vazquez | Last updated: February 14, 2024


The House of Virgin Mary at Ephesus in Selcuk, Turkey
The House of Virgin Mary

The House of Virgin Mary is located on top of Mt. Koressos, overlooking Ephesus, in Selcuk Turkey. It is widely believed by Christians to be the final resting place of Mary, the mother of Jesus. According to tradition, Saint John brought Mary to this stone house, where she spent the remainder of her earthly life. 

Selcuk is an incredible city to visit in Turkey due to its proximity to the most popular attractions in Turkey. The attractions include the Ephesus Archaeological Site, Ephesus Archaeological Museum, Basilica of St. John & Castle of Ayasuluk, and Temple of Artemis. In this article, I’ll share my experience visiting the House of Virgin Mary in Selcuk, Turkey. 


The House of Virgin Mary

During my visit to the House of Virgin Mary, our taxi driver dropped my family and me at the front entrance. As I ventured inside, I followed a dirt path that led me to a baptism pool.

Water system for house of virgin mary
Julius standing by the water system

Continuing along the path, it transitioned into a stone walkway adorned with poems and quotes about the Virgin Mary. 

Quote about virgin mary
Quotes

Mary’s Stone House

Further along, I encountered an outdoor prayer area beside Mary’s stone house. Deciding to explore the stone house first, I immediately felt connected to Mary as I traversed its compact interior. The house was quite small, so I only spent 10 minutes viewing the interior. There wasn’t enough room to pray in the house, so that explains why there’s a separate outdoor section for prayer.

A girl smiling at the House of the Virgin Mary
Janice at the House of the Virgin Mary
An area to pray outside the House of the Virgin Mary
An area to pray outside the House of the Virgin Mary

Fountains

After exploring the stone house, I descended the stone path, leading me to stone fountains where I took a sip of the water. Then, I made a wish at the wishing wall. Subsequently, I continued along the path and eventually exited. 

The wishing wall is filled with paper ribbons on a stone wall

Overall, my visit to the House of the Virgin Mary proved to be a serene and spiritually enriching experience, marked by its religious significance and tranquil ambiance.


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