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Myra (Demre) (1)
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Unless
otherwise indicated, pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona
Lendering. Photos can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes,
but you have to acknowledge Livius.
The church of Saint
Nicholas can be found here. |
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A map of Myra, the river Myros, and the port Andriake. In the west
is the temple of Apollo, where the future was predicted by observing the
movement of sacred fishes. There was a sulfurous source to the south of
the city, from which a small river named Andrakos flowed to the port, where
it emptied itself into the Mediterranean Sea. This was a very safe port,
protected against the sea by a large promontory. |
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Lycian tombs at Myra, which belong to the oldest history of the city.
Behind them was the acropolis, which had been occupied by the Hittites
and continued to be in use well into the classical age. In the fifth century
BCE, the walls were renewed, and a sanctuary was dedicated to a legendary
hero.
In the fourth century BCE, Myra received its city walls, and in the
next century, it was one of the six leading towns of Lycia. When the Ptolemaic
king Alexander
X Alexander was exiled in 88 BCE, he considered Myra to be a fitting
residence. |
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Other Lycian tombs, close to the theater.
The town had a market place, temples, a town hall, a gymnasium, and
a bathhouse that was built by the Romans in the third century CE. The temple
of Artemis Eleuthera was called the most splendid building of Lycia. Myra
was destroyed in 141 CE, but rebuilt by a rich man named Opramoas, who
is known to have paid for the restoration of the gymnasium and the shrine
of Artemis. He also erected a statue to the goddess Tyche and spent lavishly
for the emperor's cult. |
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The theater of Myra, west of the market place and the town hall. Here
you can see it on a satellite photo. |
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The stands of the theater of Myra. |
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The orchestra of the theater of Myra. |
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The god Hermes. Detail of the decoration of the theater of Myra. |
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The parodos (entrance) of the theater of Myra. People who left through
this gate, went to the market place and town hall. |
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A theater mask. Detail of the decoration of the theater of Myra. |
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The sun god Helios. Detail of the decoration of the theater of Myra. |
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Coin from the age of the Roman emperor Gordian
III (238-244), showing the temple of Artemis in Myra. Coin at the Kunsthistorisches
Museum, Vienna. According to the medieval legend, this temple was destroyed
by the Christian bishop Nicholas. |
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Granaries at Andriake, the port of Myra, about four kilometers from
the city. These buildings were erected after 129 and served the Roman army.
A satellite photo can be seen here. |
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A former island in the harbor of Myra. It is reported that the original
church of Saint Nicholas has been found on this island. |
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to part two
(Nicholas of Myra)
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