St. Nicholas Church, Demre
Encyclopedia
St. Nicholas Church, Demre is an ancient Byzantine Church located in modern day town of Demre
Antalya Province
, (Southwest Turkey). It's usage is dated between 5th - 12th centuries. It is most notable for being the burial place of St. Nicholas of Myra, who was the Eastern Orthodox bishop of the ancient city of Myra
in the 4th century, and is an important religious figure for Eastern Orthodox Christians.
, Ankara, Turkey. The work has revealed some of the northern section of the monastery complex, and also the small chapels around the nave, one of which notably contains vibrant fresco
es detailing the life and miracles of the saint, and a desecrated sarcophagus
which is thought to be the original burial place from where his remains were stolen by raiders from Bari
in 1087.
Since 2009, the excavations are being directed by Prof. Nevzat Çevik of Akdeniz University
in Antalya, Turkey.
Demre
Demre is a town and a district of Antalya Province on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, named after the river Demre.Demre is the Lycian town of Myra, the home of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the original Santa Claus. The district was known as Kale until it was renamed in 2005...
Antalya Province
Antalya Province
Antalya Province is located on the Mediterranean coast of south-west Turkey, between the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean sea.Antalya Province is the centre of Turkey's tourism industry, attracting 30% of foreign tourists visiting Turkey. The province of Antalya corresponds to the lands of...
, (Southwest Turkey). It's usage is dated between 5th - 12th centuries. It is most notable for being the burial place of St. Nicholas of Myra, who was the Eastern Orthodox bishop of the ancient city of Myra
Myra
Myra is an ancient town in Lycia, where the small town of Kale is situated today in present day Antalya Province of Turkey. It was located on the river Myros , in the fertile alluvial plain between Alaca Dağ, the Massikytos range and the Aegean Sea.- Historical evidence :Although some scholars...
in the 4th century, and is an important religious figure for Eastern Orthodox Christians.
Archaeological Excavations
Archaeological excavations in the Church started in 1988 directed by Prof. S. Yıldız Ötüken of Hacettepe UniversityHacettepe University
Hacettepe University is a major state university in Ankara, Turkey.The University has two main campuses. The first is located in the old town of Ankara and hosts the Medical Centre, and the second is the Beytepe Campus, which is 13 km from the city centre...
, Ankara, Turkey. The work has revealed some of the northern section of the monastery complex, and also the small chapels around the nave, one of which notably contains vibrant fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es detailing the life and miracles of the saint, and a desecrated sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
which is thought to be the original burial place from where his remains were stolen by raiders from Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
in 1087.
Since 2009, the excavations are being directed by Prof. Nevzat Çevik of Akdeniz University
Akdeniz University
Akdeniz University is a campus university in Antalya Province of Turkey. It is the leading higher education and scientific research center of the West Mediterranean region of Turkey....
in Antalya, Turkey.