myra

Myra is an ancient city of Lycia, located in what is now the Demre district of Antalya Province in southwestern Turkey. It lay on the Mediterranean coast and developed as a major Lycian and later Roman and Byzantine urban center. The site includes a Roman-period theater, a well-preserved acropolis, and numerous rock-cut tombs carved into the cliffs overlooking the Myros River. Nearby Andriake was the harbor of Myra and served as an important commercial and administrative center in antiquity.

During the Hellenistic and Roman eras, Myra grew as a regional hub within Lycia and later the Byzantine world. The city was known for its monumental tombs and for its Christian community, which contributed to the region’s early ecclesiastical history. In the Byzantine period, a church dedicated to Saint Nicholas was built at or near the site, and Nicholas of Myra became an influential bishop in the 4th century CE. His fame and later cult contributed to Myra’s enduring association with Saint Nicholas.

In the modern era, the ancient ruins of Myra lie near the town of Demre. The site is a focus of archaeological study and cultural tourism, drawing visitors to its theater and Lycian rock-cut tombs, as well as to the broader historical landscape of Lycia. Today, Myra is primarily referenced in historical and scholarly contexts, contributing to understandings of Lycian culture, Hellenistic influence, and early Christian history in the region.