Considered the patron saint of children and sailors, St. Nicholas, also known as Santa Claus, was born in Patara in the second half of the 3rd century AD and lived here until his death as Bishop of Myra. After his death, a mausoleum and then a large basilica were built in the name of Saint Nicholas, who won the love of the people of Myra with his good deeds and his important place in the Christian world.  

Although the first construction period of the church is not known with certainty, it is accepted that the basilica was built in the 6th century. Since its first construction, the church has been damaged by natural disasters and invasions, and has undergone many periods of repair and additional construction, giving it the appearance of a complex built in different periods. The most important restoration, which largely revealed the church as it is today, is the restoration made by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX (1042-1055) and his wife Zoe.

The Church of St. Nicholas is one of the most outstanding examples of the Middle Byzantine period in terms of architectural style and ornamentation.  Wall paintings depicting the scenes of the "Council", "Communion", "Deesis" and the life story of St. Nicholas; marble panels made with the opus sectile technique on the floor pavements are important examples of Byzantine art from the 11th-13th centuries.  

In the Middle Ages, Myra (now Demre) and Andriake became a port of call for pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem by sea, and the Church of St. Nicholas became a place of pilgrimage for the faithful.  In the 11th century, during the pilgrimages that intensified in the eastern Mediterranean with the Crusades, the bones of St. Nicholas were stolen by merchants from Bari, Italy, and placed in the crypt of the basilica built in his name in Bari. The few remaining pieces believed to belong to the saint are on display in the Antalya Museum. 

St. Nicholas, whose importance in the eyes of the Christian world has not changed, is commemorated on December 6, the anniversary of his death, with various events organized in Demre and in the church that serves as a memorial museum. Every year, thousands of foreign guests who want to show their love and respect to the "Saint of Miracles" visit the Memorial Museum and pray at his tomb.

Considered the patron saint of children and sailors, St. Nicholas, also known as Santa Claus, was born in Patara in the second half of the 3rd century AD and lived here until his death as Bishop of Myra. After his death, a mausoleum and then a large basilica were built in the name of Saint Nicholas, who won the love of the people of Myra with his good deeds and his important place in the Christian world.