Demre

Demre is the Lycian town of Myra and was the home of Saint Nicholas, a 4th century Bishop of Myra, commonly known as Santa Claus. His remains were once held at a 11th century church in Demre, now known as the Santa Claus Museum. In 1087 though, most of his remains were forcibly taken to Italy, with some of them being taken to Bari, and the remainder to Venice. Legend has it that St. Nicholas, when he lived and worked in Myra, would drop small bags of gold coins down the chimneys of houses with poor girls, or leave gold coins in the shoes of the poor.

Today, Demre is mainly a seaside resort for tourists. While the Santa Claus museum is its most visited attraction, there are also several Greek and Roman era ruins to be seen including the well preserved theater and rock-hewn tombs. Nearby Çayağzı, which was known as Andriake in Roman times, also has several ruins that are worth visiting. Demre is also famous for its agricultural produce, particularly pomegranate and citrus fruits, and a wide range of vegetables.

Demre

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