Demre and the Church of St Nicholas

The small town of Demre, also known by its former name of Kale, lies 140 km from Antalya on the coastal road from Adana to Fethiye.

The only tourist interest of the town is the presence of the Church of St Nicholas. He, although bishop of Myra (Mira, situated near Demre), is better known by the name of Saint Nicholas of Bari (in Italy), because the saint's relics were transferred there in the 11th century. Celebrated on 6 December, Saint Nicholas brings toys and sweets to well-behaved children.

We recommend that you complete the visit by discovering the ancient site of Myra and Kekova Bay.

Practical information:

The town of Demre lies 140 km south-west of Antalya, on the coast. To reach it, you only have to follow the D400 road to your destination.

GPS coordinates of the car park: N36.244049, E29.984102

A free car park lined with restaurants and souvenir shops dedicated to the saint is less than 200 m from the church, which lies below the level of the street.

Admission to the church is charged – open every day. From 1 April to 30 September, 8.00 am to 7.00 pm. From 1 October to 31 March, 8.00 am to 5.00 pm.

History of Demre and of the Church of St Nicholas:

In the 4th century a first church was built to house the saint's tomb. From the marble sarcophagus an oil welled up at the head and water at the feet, and this manna of Saint Nicholas healed the sick and the infirm.

Of this first church only the foundations remain. It was enlarged in the 6th century, but in the 11th century the attack of an Arab fleet destroyed it. A new building, to which a monastery was added, was surrounded by ramparts to ensure its protection. It was in 1087 that merchants from the town of Bari stole the saint's relics to take them back to their town.

As Saint Nicholas is the patron of Russia, Tsar Alexander II, in 1862, bought the buildings, which had largely fallen into ruin, and had them restored.

From 1963 the Turkish state undertook the restoration of the walls and the frescoes, and the work continues to the present day.

Worth a visit:

The church of the 4th century underwent many alterations, either following earthquakes or following extensions. The last intervention, the exonarthex, dates from Tsar Nicholas II. Its modest size, characteristic of Byzantine churches, but with numerous chapels, makes its plan difficult to understand.

The floors are covered with opus sectile mosaics in coloured marble, and the walls are illustrated with frescoes depicting angels, bishops, saints and episodes from the life of Christ.

A very fine sarcophagus is said to have contained the saint's relics before they were stolen by merchants from Bari (Italy). It is in fact a composite work dating from the Middle Ages.

In the apse of the main chapel, the bema framed by four marble columns with Corinthian capitals and the stepped synthronon have been preserved. These two parts of an ancient Orthodox church were reserved for the clergy. The exonarthex opens onto a courtyard, a remnant of the former monastery, with the base of an old fountain.

Many Orthodox pilgrims or tourists, mainly Russian, come to pray to Saint Nicholas in the church of his bishopric.