St. Nicholas Church, Demre, Church and museum in Demre, Turkey
St. Nicholas Church is a Byzantine structure with side rooms housing sarcophagi and wall paintings showing Christian motifs. Several entrances lead into the main hall, where floors are partly covered with marble slabs.
The site arose in the sixth century over the grave of a bishop who died in the third century. Later rulers funded repairs, including a Byzantine emperor in the eleventh century and a Russian tsar in the nineteenth century.
Once each year, Orthodox Christians gather here to honor the bishop who lived in this town during the third century. His life as a benefactor made him the model for the later Christmas figure in many countries.
The site opens in the morning and closes in the evening, with times varying by season. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes, as floors can be uneven.
A stone sarcophagus with fish scale pattern originally stood inside but was later found empty. The remains had already been moved to southern Italy in the eleventh century.
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