Exploring Enchantment of St. Nicholas Church

Located in the picturesque Demre district of Antalya, a place full of history and rich in ancient tales, the iconic St. Nicholas Church is a place that attracts believers and history lovers alike.

Often affectionately referred to as both Saint Nicholas and Santa Klaus, this venerable building transcends its architectural splendor and carries within its walls a deep legacy that stretches far beyond the confines of time.

Let’s dive deep into the Church of St. Nicholas together.

St. Nicholas Church

The Church of St. Nicholas in Demre, Antalya is really impressive with its reliefs and wall paintings. You will feel at peace in the church.

Let’s look at the historical details about the Church of St. Nicholas;

According to the archaeological excavations and research carried out in the Church of St. Nicholas after the second half of the 20th century, it was determined that the building had many construction phases.

The first phase of the church is dated to the 6th century according to historical events, plan type, and material-technical analysis. It is thought that it was built in a basilica plan near the burial place of the saint or an existing structure was repaired during the reign of Emperor Justinian I (527-565), probably during the great earthquake in 529.

The church, which was damaged by the earthquake of 8-9 magnitude and the Arab raids, was destroyed and today’s church was built in the Domed Basilica plan type.

In an inscription dated September 1, 1042, in the city, Emperor IX. It is reported that Konstantinos Monomakhos (1042-1055) and his wife Zoe repaired a building.

It is thought that the additional structures of the church, which was part of a monastery establishment in the Middle Ages, and the Episkopeion (Episcopal Residence) were built during this period.

At the same time, the church was equipped with monumental wall paintings in the Inner Narthex and floor coverings in the Opus Sectile technique.

Studies 12-13. It has been revealed that the construction activities in the church and the buildings continued to be decorated with wall paintings for centuries.

In the South Burial Chamber, there are wall paintings featuring scenes from the cycle of St. Nicholas. Scenes, single figures, on the Passion of Jesus and the life of Mary (Apocryph); In the basilica, the northern annexes and the southeast chapels contain scenes from the Bible and the Torah, as well as some geometric vegetal decorations and symbolic motifs.

In the second half of the 13th century, the city was under an alluvial fill of 2-3 meters due to the flood disaster that occurred as a result of the flooding of the Myros Stream, which surrounded the settlement from the northeast.

For this reason, the Medieval floor is located approximately 5-6 meters below the present soil level. The results of the excavations carried out in the church in 2022 revealed new and important findings about the construction phases and history of the church.

If you are on your way to Antalya or even Kas, you should definitely stop by the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre.

👉🏻 You can buy tour guides to St.Nicholas Church and the ancient city of Myra.

St. Nicholas Church Working Hours

Working Hours of St. Nicholas Church in Demre, Antalya are between 08:30 and 20:00. The box office closing time is 19:30.

St. Nicholas Church Entrance Fee

St. Nicholas Church entrance fee is 390 TL per person. It is free if you have a Turkey Museum pass or a Museum pass Mediterranean card.

St. Nicholas Museum

Born in Patara, an important city of Lycia, St. Nicholas served as a bishop in the ancient city of Myra during the reign of Constantine I (306-337).

Mira, II. It was declared the metropolis of the Lycian region during the reign of Theodosius (408-450) and maintained this position until the 15th century. According to sources, the saint’s tomb became an important cult center in the 6th century.

In the Middle Ages, pilgrims who wanted to be healed by visiting the holy relics of the saint reached Myra by using land and sea routes.

While offering donations and offerings to the holy tomb of the saint, they touched the relics preserved in myrrh and took the holy oil with them.

Revered in Freiburg in Germany, Bari, and Naples in Italy, and the entire island of Sicily, Saint Nicholas is referred to as Santa Klaus in Dutch and English and is therefore considered one of the saints. He is counted as one of the saints who loved and protected New York in America.

The tradition of Santa Claus, who is the protector and joy of children in the northern countries of Europe, became integrated with the belief of St. Nicholas and led to the formation of a semi-religious and quite popular myth type.

Due to the respect of St. Nicholas and especially the Eastern Mediterranean sailors, it has become a tradition to wish “St. Nicholas to take the helm” while boarding the ships, while his picture or icon is hung on all boats, large and small.

Italian sailors who visited Myra during the Crusades in 1087 carried the holy relics of the saint to Bari.

On the other hand, the “St. Nicholas Memorial Museum” still hosts thousands of visitors who come to see the monumental structure, find healing, and pray.

St. Nicholas Church FAQ

Let’s take a look at some useful questions about the Church of St. Nicholas.

St. Nicholas Church Photos