Cultural Heritage Across Borders: A Comprehensive Examination of the Restoration of the St. Nicholas Memorial Museum (2021-2023)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15320/ICONARP.2024.286Keywords:
Demre St. Nicholas Church, Byzantine architecture, Architectural restoration, History of architecture, Cultural heritageAbstract
St. Nicholas Church is a remarkable Byzantine structure located in the Demre district of Antalya, in the southern region of Türkiye. The church and its accompanying tomb were built in the 5th century AD in memory of St. Nicholas after his death. It became a sacred cultural center and a pilgrimage site throughout the Middle Ages. Throughout history, the church underwent multiple reconstructions and substantial repairs necessitated by invasions, earthquakes, and other factors. During the Late Middle Ages, a flood of the river Myros submerged the church under approximately 6meters of alluvial deposits. The excavations, which began in 1862 and have continued intermittently to this day, have uncovered significant remains, which were subsequently restored in accordance with the conservation approach of their respective periods. However, certain ruins persist within privately owned areas. Although the church largely maintains its structural integrity, ongoing excavations within the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s designated areas in the monastery complex continually contribute new insights. This article aims to provide data on the restoration efforts undertaken on the church and its ruins, which now function as a Memorial Museum, preserving their original values during the restoration period of 2021-2023. The primary goal is to contribute valuable insights for future restoration initiatives. Furthermore, the article seeks to advocate for the inclusion of the monument in the World Heritage List, the establishment of Site Management, and the enhancement of its global recognition. By making the newly unearthed spaces accessible to visitors, particularly for Russian pilgrims for whom the church holds significant religious importance, it is envisioned that this will not only foster faith and cultural tourism but also enrich the perception and interpretation of this historic structure.
Metrics
References
Archive of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye. (AMoCT), Drawing Measure, Restitution, Restoration Project (RP), and Project Reports (PR) 2018, Cumhur Gürel),
(PR-1) Antalya, Demre St. Nicholas Church Building Material Analysis Report) (Ali Akın Akyol, 2018),
(PR-2) Murals Archaeometric Analysis) (İsmet, Ok, 2018),
(PR-3) Antalya Province, Demre District St Nicholas Church Geotechnical Survey Report (Atakan Yüklü 2018)
(PR-4) Figures of restoration period (2021-2023)
Anrich, G. (1913-1917). Hagios Nikolaos. Der hl. Nikolaos in der geriechischen Kirche. Texte und Untersuchungen, I-II, Leipzig-Berlien.
Breyer, L. (1964) Bilderstreit utıd Arabersturum in Byzanz (Byzantinische Geschichtschreiber VI.) Graz-WienKöln,
Borchardt. J.(1975).Myra. Eine lykische Metropole in antiker und byzantinischer Zeit Plan. IstForsch 30.
Cockerell, C., R. (1903). Travels in Southern Europe and the Levant 1810-1817, The Journal of C. R. Cockerell.
Çorağan, N. (2018). "Duvar Resimleri", Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi Kazıları 1989- (ed. Sema Doğan ve Ebru Fatma Fındık), Homer Kitabevi, İstanbul, pp. 226-264.
Demirci, K. (2016). "Myra (Demre) Piskoposu Pataralı Aziz Nikolas" (ed. Havva İşkan), Yapı Kredi Yayınları, İstanbul.
Demiriz, Y. (1966). "Demre'deki Aziz Nigolas Kilisesi", Türk Arkeoloji Dergisi, Sayı XV-I, Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı, Eski Eserler ve Müzeler Genel Müdürlüğü, Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi, Ankara, 1968, pp.13-34.
Doğan, S. (2016). "Likya’da Bir Hac Merkezi: Myra Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi", (ed. Havva İşkan- Erkan Dündar), Yapı Kredi Yayınları, İstanbul.
Doğan, S., Çorağan, N., Bulgurlu V. (2014). "Demre-Myra Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi" Arkeoloji ve Sanat Yayınları, İstanbul.
Doğan, S. (2018a). "Kaynaklar Eşliğinde Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi’nin Tarihi", Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi Kazıları 1989-2009, (ed. Sema Doğan ve Ebru Fatma Fındık), Homer Kitabevi, İstanbul, pp. 35-62.
Doğan, S. (2018b). "Mimari Plastik Buluntular: Liturjik Kuruluşlar ve Liturjik Mekânlar ile İlişkisi", Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi Kazıları 1989-2009 (ed. Sema Doğan ve Ebru Fatma Fındık), Homer Kitabevi, İstanbul, pp. 301-328.
Ebon, M. (1975). St. Nicholas Life and Legend, Harper&Row, New York.
Fındık, E., (2015). Myra/Demre, Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi Rum Mezarlığından Boucla ve Gouna Örnekleri, Adalya. (No. XVIII/2015. The Annual of the Suna&İnan Kıraç Research Institute on Mediterranean Civilizations), pp.303-324.
Fellows, C. (1840). An Account of Discoveries in Lycia: a journal kept a second excursion in Asia Minor.
Foss, C. (1993). "The Settlement at Dereağzı and other Material remains in its Vicinity from Antiquity to the Middle Ages", Lycia in History, J. Morganstern (ed.), IstFor 40, Berlin, 5-25.
Harrison, R., M. (1963). “Churches and Chapels of Central Lycia”, Anatolian Studies, Vol. 13 (1963), pp. 117-151 (47 pages), https://doi.org/10.2307/3642492
Işık, H. (1996). “Dini Köken Açısından Noel ve Yılbaşı, Selçuk Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Fak. Dergisi, C.7, S.459
Lethaby, W., R. (1915). Myra and Lycian Sculpture, Antiquities of Ionia, V, London.
Miller, R. (1955). In Search of Santa Claus, Published by The Turkish Press, Broadcasting and Tourist Department.
Ötüken, Y. (1992). "1990 yılında Antalya'nın Demre ilçesindeki Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesinde yapılan çalışmalar", XIII, Kazı sonuçları toplantısı II, 1992, pp. 291-303.
Ötüken, Y. (1996). "Likya Ortaçağ Çalışmaları ve Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi Kazısı", Adalya, pp. 73-86.
Ötüken, Y. (1998). "Demre Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi Kazılarının Ortaçağ Araştırmalarına Katkıları", Sanat Tarihi Dergisi, 9 (9), pp.85-102.
Ötüken, Y., Alpaslan, D., Acara, M. (2000). "Demre-Myra Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi Kuzey Ek Yapısının Yeni Bir Değerlendirmesi", Adalya, No. IV/1999-2000, The Annual of the Suna&İnan Kıraç Research Institute on Mediterranean Civilizations), pp.221-242.
Ötüken, Y. (2018). "Aziz Nikolaos Kilisesi Kazı Çalışmaları 1989-2009", (ed. Sema Doğan ve Ebru Fatma Fındık), Homer Kitabevi, İstanbul, pp. 63-138.
Peschlow, U. (1975). “Die Architectur der Nikolaos Kirche in Myra”, J. Borchhardt (ed.), Myra. Eine Lykische Metropole in Antiker und Byzantinischer Zeit,301-357.
Peschlow, U. (1990). "Materialien zur Kirche des H. Nikolaos in Myra im Mittelalter, in: Istanbuler Mitteilungen 40", 207-258.
Rott, H. (1908). Kleinasiatische Denkmaeler aus Pisidien Pamphylien Kappadokien.
Textier, C. (1849). "Description de L'asie Mineure, Armenie, la Perse et la Mesapotamie III, Paris, 205-238.
Texier, C.-Pullan, R. (1867) Byzantine architecture illustrated by examples of edifices erected in the East during the earliest ages of Christianity, London.
UNESCO, (2000). Tentative List. St. Nicholas Church.https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/1399/
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 ICONARP International Journal of Architecture and Planning
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
COPYRIGHT POLICY
1. The International Journal of Architecture and Planning (ICONARP) open access articles are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDeriatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This license lets the author to share (copy and redistribute) his/her article in any medium or format.
2. ICONARP cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms. Under the following terms:
The author must give appropriate credit, provide a link to ICONARP, and indicate if changes were made on the article. The author may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the ICONARP endorses the author or his/her use.
The author may not use the article for commercial purposes.
If the author remix, transform, or build upon the article, s/he may not distribute the modified material.
The author may share print or electronic copies of the Article with colleagues.
The author may use the Article within his/her employer’s institution or company for educational or research purposes, including use in course packs.
3. The author authorizes the International Journal of Architecture and Planning (ICONARP) to exclusively publish online his/her Article, and to post his/her biography at the end of the article, and to use the articles.
4. The author agrees to the International Journal of Architecture and Planning (ICONARP) using any images from the Article on the cover of the Journal, and in any marketing material.
5. As the author, copyright in the Article remains in his/her name.
6. All papers should be submitted electronically. All submitted manuscripts must be original work that is not under submission at another journal or under consideration for publication in another form, such as a monograph or chapter of a book. Authors of submitted papers are obligated not to submit their paper for publication elsewhere until an editorial decision is rendered on their submission. Further, authors of accepted papers are prohibited from publishing the results in other publications that appear before the paper is published in the Journal.
ICONARP International Journal of Architecture and Planning is an OAJ supported by 