St. Nicholas Island

Gemiler Island is covered with Lycian ruins, still containing some mosaics and leftovers of Byzantian churches. This island is also known as St. Nicholas Island and is one of the places Christianity started to spread from. 

Gemiler Island is located near Ölüdeniz, across the Soğuksu Bay. Transportation to the island is provided from Gemiler Koyu near Kayaköy. There are 4 church ruins, tomb structures and remains of a medieval settlement on the island. 

Considered together with the churches on the island and the other churches located in Ölüdeniz nearby, indicates that this area may be a bishopric center. Religious structures such as chapels, basilicas and tombs concentrated on the island and its surroundings are located on the 5th-7th centuries of the island. It shows that it has become a religious center in the centuries.

Although there is no drinking water source on the island, the existence of dense architectural structures is a mystery. The cisterns on the island indicate that possible rainwater was stored. It is thought that the attraction of the island is due to the fact that it is a frequent destination for Christians making pilgrimages by ship. 

On a fresco located in the apse of the church no. 2 on the island, "Hossios Nikolaos" is written. Based on this, the church was named the Church of St. Nicholas since it is thought that the church was dedicated to St. Nicholas.