Myra is an ancient city in Lycia known as a place of pilgrimage. Today's Demre is particularly known for Saint Nicholas. In Myra he rose from simple priest to bishop and performed most of his merciful deeds there. According to legend, Saint Nicholas threw small bags of gold coins into the chimneys of poor girls' houses. His Church of the Holy Sepulcher is still a destination for Christian pilgrims today. Just as worth seeing are the rock graves from pre-Christian times, which are an impressive testimony to the ideas of the afterlife of the old poets.