Andriake Ancient Harbour
An ancient harbour visited by St Paul, one of Demre's important historical sites.
View on map6 places to visit in the Demre district of Antalya: Andriake Ancient Harbour, Kekova Sunken City and Myra Ancient City. Plan your trip to Demre with local food, practical tips and transport information.
Demre, formerly known as Kale, is one of the tourist districts of Antalya Province. Myra has always been known as one of the most important cities of Lycia.
History
The earliest coins date to the 3rd century BC, but the city is thought to have been founded at least in the 5th century BC. St Paul visited the city in the 6th century AD before setting off from Andriake Harbour for Rome. St Nicholas (Father Christmas) served as bishop in the early 4th century and endeared himself to the people. The largest theatre in Lycia has 29 rows of seats and a capacity of 9–10 thousand spectators, and is still used today for festivals and performances. In 1987 Demre was separated from Kaş and became a district under the name Kale; in 2005 it took the name Demre.
Tourism
The district’s historical attractions, including the Church of Father Christmas, the Myra Ancient City and Theatre, Andriake Ancient City, the rock tombs and Simena Ancient City, draw visitors. The Kekova islands and the sunken city, with their clean sea and climate, have made the district a fortunate destination for tourism.
History and Culture
According to Strabo, Myra was one of the six great cities of the Lycian League. St Nicholas served as bishop in Myra in the 4th century AD. From the 7th century, Myra lost its importance and in the 12th century it became a small settlement. Andriake was heavily used from the Classical period and remained the main harbour of the region in the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods. According to tradition, St Paul stopped at Andriake to change ships on his way to Rome in AD 60.
Highlights
From the 7th century, Myra lost its importance due to earthquakes, flooding, the alluvium brought by the Demre River and Arab raids, and in the 12th century it became a small settlement. Myra is a large buried city, 1.5 km in diameter, lying beneath the alluvium of the Myros River (today’s Demre River), which covered the whole city.
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