House of the Virgin Mary

Located 9 km from Selçuk, the House of the Virgin Mary (Meryemana) lies on the slopes of Mount Bülbül (Bülbüldağı). It is believed that St. John brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus 4 to 6 years after the death of Jesus. In 1891, following research prompted by the visions of the German nun Anne Catherine Emmerich, Lazarist priests identified this site as the house where the Virgin Mary spent her final days. This discovery marked an important turning point in the Christian world and shed great light on the religious community.

The house is a cross-shaped, domed building that has been restored over time. The House of the Virgin Mary is also considered sacred by Muslims, and the services held every year on 15 August since Pope Paul VI's visit in 1967 attract great interest. These services are important religious events attended by large numbers of both Christian and Muslim visitors.