St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) Museum

While telling about the St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) Museum, which is known and loved by almost the whole world, we will now learn the wrongs we know as true. St. Nicholas (Santa Claus), whose sleigh is pulled by reindeer and who is believed to live in a place covered with snow, actually lives on the Mediterranean coasts that never see snow. Born in the second half of the 3rd century AD, Nicholas was born in the Patara region of Antalya and served as a bishop in the Ancient City of Myra (Demre). Nicholas, who is the most well-known saint of many countries, especially Russia, began to be known as Santa Claus in English and Dutch over time. In the years when his fame spread to almost all European countries, America also accepted the saint and declared him the patron saint of New York. With the combination of belief and popularity, a semi-legendary, semi-religious figure is created in Christianity and Santa Claus and St. Nicholas are combined. The St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) Museum is actually an old church. The structure, which is one of the most important works of Byzantine art history, is also the most distinguished example of Middle Byzantine Period architecture. After the saint's death, the people of Myra wanted to honor his spirit. For this purpose, first a statue of St. Nicholas was erected in the city center, and later a basilica was built in his name. This basilica, which suffered great damage after the earthquake and floods in the 8th century, was rebuilt as a domed church in the 9th century. Emperor Constantine IX and his wife Zoe had new structures added to the domed church in the 11th century. For this reason, many of the museum's floor mosaics and frescoes date back to the period of Constantine IX. The St. Nicholas Church is also famous for the restoration work carried out by Russian Tsar Nicholas I in the 19th century. The church, which deviates from its early architecture with its keeled central dome and bell tower built during the reign of Nicholas I, is today like a complex built in various periods. The St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) Museum, which is closed until noon only on Mondays and the first days of religious holidays, is a frequent destination for Mediterranean explorers.