Historic mosaic floor linked to 'Santa Claus' closed off

The Demre Museum Directorate has closed off the mosaic floor at St. Nicholas Church in tourism hotspot Antalya's Demre district, a site believed to be where St. Nicholas, widely recognized as Santa Claus, once walked.

The mosaic, unearthed during 2022 excavations, dates back to the 3rd or 4th century. The church is considered sacred particularly in the Orthodox Christian world, as it holds the tomb of St. Nicholas, who died in 365 AD.

During the excavations, a floor from the period when St. Nicholas lived was found beneath alluvium deposits.

"We believe this is the floor St. Nicholas stepped on, adding significant architectural and iconographic value to the church," said Osman Eravşar, the chairman of the Antalya Cultural Assets Protection Regional Board. "It will be covered with a certain technique and will be made ready for exhibition," he added.

The mosaic was subsequently covered with geotextile, sand and soil for protection, making it easy to uncover in the future.

Museum Director Nilüfer Sezgin explained that the decision was made due to high visitor traffic and the difficulties in safeguarding the area. "We receive up to 3,000 visitors a day, and it became a challenge to protect the mosaic. It was decided to close it carefully to ensure its preservation," she said.

Sezgin added that future methods of protection and reopening are still under consideration.

Excavation head Ebru Fatma Fındık expressed surprise at the decision. "We were not consulted, but the closure might be due to the difficulty of preserving the mosaic given the church's ongoing use for services."