| St. Nicholas Church | |
|---|---|
 St. Nicholas Church | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Christianity |
| Status | Museum |
| Location | |
| Location | Demre, Antalya Province, Turkey |
  Shown within Turkey | |
| Geographic coordinates | 36°14′41″N 29°59′08″E / 36.24467°N 29.98543°E |
St. Nicholas Church is an ancient East Roman basilica church in the ancient city of Myra, now a museum located in modern Demre, Antalya Province, Turkey. It was built above the burial place of St Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian bishop of Myra,[1][2] an important religious figure for Eastern Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics and the historical inspiration for Santa Claus.[3] Its use dated from its 6th century construction for the state church of the Roman Empire by Justinian the Great. The basilica is on UNESCO's tentative list to become a World Heritage Site.[4]
- ^ Domenico, Roy Palmer (2002). The regions of Italy: a reference guide to history and culture. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 21. ISBN 0-313-30733-4.
Saint Nicholas (Bishop of Myra) replaced Sabino as the patron saint of the city… A Greek from what is now Turkey, he lived in the early fourth century.
- ^ Burman, Edward (1991). Emperor to emperor: Italy before the Renaissance. Constable. p. 126. ISBN 0-09-469490-7.
For although he is the patron saint of Russia, and the model for a northern invention such as Santa Claus, Nicholas of Myra was a Greek.
- ^ "Demre Statues". St. Nicholas Center. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- ^ "St. Nicholas Church". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 17 December 2018.