St. Nicholas Church, Demre

The St. Nicholas Church (Demre ) is a former Byzantine church in today's Turkish town of Demre in the Antalya Province in the southwest of the country. It was used from the 5th to the 12th century. She is known especially through the first grave laying of Saint Nicholas of Myra. Nicholas was an Orthodox bishop in the former Myra in the 4th century and is one of the most popular religious figures in Christianity, both in the East and in the West Church.

Archaeological excavations

A modern archaeological excavation began in the church in 1988 under the leadership of Yıldız Ötüken of Hacettepe University in Ankara. The work included the northern areas of the monastery complex and some chapels to the nave. One of the main results were frescoes depicting the life and miracles of the saint. Furthermore, a desecrated tomb was uncovered, which was in all probability the original burial place of St. Nicholas, before his remains were moved in 1087 from looters in the Italian Bari.

Since 2009 the excavations of Nevzat Çevik, Akdeniz Üniversitesi be conducted in Antalya.

Gallery

Sarcophagus of St. Nicholas

Exterior

The First Council of Nicaea - Fresco in the Church