St. Nicholas Church, Demre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Nicholas Church |
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St. Nicholas Church
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Christianity |
| Status | Museum |
| Location | |
| Location | Demre, Antalya Province, Turkey |
 Location in Turkey
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The St. Nicholas Church is a very old church building in Turkey. It is located in a town called Demre, which is in the Antalya Province. This church was built a long, long time ago, in the 6th century. Today, it is not used as a church anymore but as a museum.
This special building was built over the burial place of St Nicholas. He was a Christian leader (a bishop) in the 4th century. St. Nicholas is a very important person for many Christians around the world. He is also the real person who inspired the story of Santa Claus! The church is so important that UNESCO is thinking about making it a World Heritage Site. This means it would be recognized as a place of great value to all of humanity.
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History of the Church
The St. Nicholas Church was first built around the year 520 AD. It was constructed on the spot where an even older Christian church stood. This older church was where Saint Nicholas himself served as a bishop.
Over many years, the church faced challenges. It was sometimes flooded and filled with mud. In 1862, a Russian Emperor named Nicholas I helped to fix it up. He added a tower and made some other changes to its old-style architecture. The church was used for religious services until 1923. At that time, many Greek people living in Demre had to leave the area.
Exploring the Church: Archaeology
Since 1988, scientists called archaeologists have been carefully digging and studying the church. They are trying to learn more about its past. These digs have uncovered parts of a monastery complex that was connected to the church.
They also found small chapels around the main part of the church. One of these chapels is very special. It has bright and colorful frescoes (paintings on walls). These paintings show stories from the life of Saint Nicholas and the amazing things he did. The archaeologists also found a sarcophagus, which is like a stone coffin. People believe this was the original burial place of Saint Nicholas. However, his remains were later moved to a city in Italy called Bari.
Amazing Wall Paintings
The church is famous for its beautiful wall paintings, called frescoes. In one part of the church, you can see a series of paintings that tell the story of Saint Nicholas's life. These are some of the oldest and most complete paintings of his life found in Turkey.
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St. Nicholas Church Fresco
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St. Nicholas Church Fresco
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St. Nicholas Church Fresco
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St. Nicholas Church Fresco
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St. Nicholas Church Fresco
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St. Nicholas Church Fresco
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St. Nicholas Church Fresco
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St. Nicholas Church Fresco
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St. Nicholas Church Fresco
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St. Nicholas Church corridor with Nicolas frescos
Special Floor Designs
Some parts of the church still have special floor decorations called opus sectile. This is a type of art where different colored stones or materials are cut into shapes. These shapes are then fitted together to create beautiful patterns on the floor.
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St. Nicholas Church opus sectile
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St. Nicholas Church opus sectile
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St. Nicholas Church opus sectile
Images for kids
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St. Nicholas Church Exterior
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St. Nicholas Church from courtyard
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St. Nicholas Church courtyard from high
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St. Nicholas Church View to choir
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St. Nicholas Church at choir
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St. Nicholas Church view from choir
