Ancient City of Myra

Myra was already important in classical antiquity and developed into one of the six largest cities of the Lycian League during the Hellenistic period. Under Emperor Theodosius II, it became the administrative and ecclesiastical capital after Lycia was separated from Pamphylia. The city also served as an episcopal see, with Saint Nicholas of Myra serving as bishop from 300 AD. An earthquake in 141 AD destroyed the cult center of Artemis Eleuthera, whose reconstruction was financed by Opramoas of Rhodiapolis. In 809, Myra was plundered by Arab troops under Harun al-Rashid, leading to a loss of significance. During the reign of Alexios I Komnenos, the city was temporarily conquered by the Seljuks. Italian merchants took advantage of this period to transport the remains of Saint Nicholas to Bari in 1087. Myra was covered by the mud of the Demre River until its ruins were explored by Jürgen Borchhardt in the 1960s.

The ancient city of Myra is situated in Demre, within the Antalya district, in the Akdeniz (Mediterranean) region of Turkey. It lies at an elevation of approximately 21 meters above sea level.

Today, visitors can explore the remains of the ancient city of Myra. These include the Roman theater and the Lycian rock-cut tombs carved into the steep cliff faces.