Myra - modern day Demre, home of St Nicholas
In early Christian times, Myra was the metropolis of Lydia. The town is traditionally associated with Saint Paul, who changed ships in its harbor.
Myra, modern day Demre, is today best known as the home of Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in the 4th century, having been born in Patara around 270 AD, and who countered Arianism at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Myra became the Capital of the Byzantine Eparchy Lycia under Theodosius II, who reigned from 408 to 450.
The church of St Nicholas in the town dates from the 6th century but has been rebuilt several times. Most of the present building dates from the 9th century. Originally the church was said to have been built over the tomb of St Nicholas, which became a site of pilgrimage. However in 1087 Italian merchants stole his remains and transported them to Bari in Italy, which itself then became a pilgimage center and where his relics are still preserved today.
The cult of St Nicholas spread beyond Byzantium from the 6th to the 11th century, especially in the eastern Christian church. During this period he was know for his generosity, having given money to the poor. This later gave rise to the myth of Santa Claus. Each December the town plays host to commemoration ceremony with visitors from around the world.
Lycian Carved Rock Tombs
One of the most prominent and renowned of Lycian sites are the tombs carved into the solid rock overlooking the town. The tombs are hewn from the solid face of a cliff, and date from around the 4th century BC. In ancient times the tombs are thought to have been colourfully painted red, yellow and blue, following a discovery in 1840. Myra is also home to a necropolis of more usual Lycian tombs and sarcophagi, separate from the carved cliff face.
Myra is located on a rocky slope near the Stream of Myros, and was once part of the Lycian Union. It developed during the second century BC under patronage of the wealthy citizens of the region. In early Byzantine times Myra became the capital city of the region.
Carved Masks at Myra Theatre
The well preserved Greco-Roman amphitheatre at Myra is the largest in Lycia. It has double vaulted corridors and still has the places where shops and stalls once occupied. One such stall still carries the inscription 'place of the vendor Gelasius'. The most striking feature of the theatre are the theatrical masks and mythological scenes carved in to the rocks of the building.
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