A museum director in Turkey’s modern Demre, where ancient Myra was located, has been suspended after an investigation revealed that she had been illegally removing parts of an ancient church, for use at her private villa, Hurriyet reports.
Nilufer Sezgin, the director of Demre’s museum, was swiftly removed from her position following allegations that she illegally transported parts of the internationally renowned church Saint Nicholas in the ancient city of Myra, to the construction site of her private villa.
The historic church in Antalya’s ancient Myra, today’s Demre, had a protective roof installed decades ago to shield it from the sun and the rain. In 2022, it was dismantled over concerns that it was creating a greenhouse effect over the ancient church. It was then replaced with a modern, lightweight alternative. The materials of the old roof, made of steel, iron and plastic, were placed in storage under the supervision of Demre’s museum.
But over time, museum staff noticed that the materials were slowly disappearing, triggering an investigation by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. After reviewing footage from security cameras, they allegedly discovered that the museum director had been transporting the material to an off-site location with the help of several workers. Further investigation revealed that the material was taken to a private villa owned by the museum’s director, where they were used in the property’s construction.
After the initial evidence was collected, Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, along with provincial authorities, launched an immediate inquiry, which led to the director’s suspension.
Officials from Antalya’s Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism confirmed a full-scale investigation is underway, with drone footage supporting the allegations.
“We have obtained various pieces of evidence and ministry-appointed inspectors are conducting a full-scale investigation. The accused personnel have already been relieved of their duties. The case will be resolved as soon as possible,” they told Hurriyet.
The ancient Church of Saint Nicholas in Turkey
The historic church of Saint Nicholas is an ancient East Roman basilica church in the ancient city of Myra, which was Hellenized by the 3rd century BC. The city came under the control of the Ptolemies, the Seleucids and finally the Romans, before coming under Ottoman rule.
The church is now a museum, located in modern Demre, in Turkey’s Antalya province. It was built above the burial place of Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop of Myra and an important religious figure for Eastern Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics. He is also the historical inspiration for Santa Claus.
The church, noted for its wall frescoes, was built in 520 AD on the foundations ofMyraan older Christian church, where Saint Nicholas had served as a bishop. Justinian I contributed to the reconstruction.
The basilica is on UNESCO’s tentative list to become a World Heritage Site.