Demre

Demre (ancient Myra) was a prominent Lycian city in southern Turkey, one of six major members of the Lycian League from the 2nd century BC. The site is famous for its Lycian rock tombs carved into cliff faces from the 5th-3rd centuries BC, featuring doors, windows, and reliefs mimicking ancient wooden dwellings. The Roman theatre, the largest in Lycia, seated approximately 13,000 spectators. In the 4th century AD, Saint Nicholas served as bishop here, later inspiring the legend of Santa Claus. Emperor Theodosius II made Myra capital of Lycia in the 5th century AD. The city declined after the 7th century due to earthquakes, floods, and Arab raids.