Historic mosaic floor linked to 'Santa Claus' closed offANTALYAThe 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 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.
The mosaic was subsequently covered with geotextile, sand and soil for protection, making it easy to uncover in the future.