Demre
Demre is a municipality and district of Antalya Province, Turkey. Its area is 329 km2, and its population is 27,691 (2022). It was named after the river Demre.
Demre | |
|---|---|
District and municipality | |
Myra Rock Tombs, Demre | |
Map showing Demre District in Antalya Province | |
Demre Location in Turkey | |
| Coordinates: 36°14′50″N 29°58′58″E | |
| Country | Turkey |
| Province | Antalya |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Gülsüm Cengiz (CHP) |
| Area | 329 km2 (127 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 10 m (30 ft) |
| Population (2022) | 27,691 |
| • Density | 84/km2 (220/sq mi) |
| Time zone | TRT (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 07570 |
| Area code | 0242 |
| Website | www |
Demre is the Lycian town of Myra, the home of Saint Nicholas of Myra. The district was known as Kale until it was renamed in 2005. Until the 1920s the majority of people who lived in Demre (Myra) were Christian Greeks. At that time this majority migrated to Greece as part of the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey. The abandoned Greek villages in the region are a striking reminder of this exodus. Abandoned Greek houses can still be seen at Demre and the regions of Kalkan, Kaş and Kayaköy, a Greek ghost town. A small population of Turkish farmers moved into the region when the Greeks migrated. The region is popular with tourists today, particularly Christian pilgrims who visit the tomb of Saint Nicholas.