Nowhere else has the Mediterranean Sea hugged the mainland with such love and exuberance, it is as if the mainland stretches out eagerly into the Mediterranean to quench her thirst, unaware that it is salt water.  Mankind could not remain aloof to such harmonious union over the centuries and so they decorated Gemiler Island, which is a perfect harbour, with residences and churches.

       Gemiler Island, perhaps bereft of soil but rich in ruins, is located in the east of the Gulf of Fethiye, and behind Ölüdeniz. A church dedicated to St. Nicholas at the peak of the Island is mentioned in the guidebook for sailors from the Medieval Ages. Based on this dedication, the island has been referred to as the Aya Nikola Island since that time.

      After Christianity became the official religion of the Byzantine Empire, there was a great boom in pilgrimages to the holy places in Palestine from Europe and Istanbul. Because, during that time, travel overland was dangerous and quite difficult, sea voyages were preferred. It was a long voyage and therefore stopovers in protective harbours with churches for outstanding saints became very important.  Gemiler Island came to the fore as one of these holy spots.

      The Island, its shape resembling the silhouette of a dinosaur, is approximately 1000x400 metres in size. The precipitous southern part provides natural fortification while the northern slope extends towards the sea in a gentle slope. On the northern slope there are ruins of a city wall extending in the east-west direction throughout the Island. Due to the actions of earthquakes over the years, the pier and the warehouses are now below the water level.

       There are ruins from a medieval city on the island. The most significant ruins are four large churches and a vaulted gallery connecting the church at the peak with the one in the east. In addition to houses, it is also possible to identify monumental tombs, cisterns and granaries. Most of the buildings are dated to the 5th and 6th centuries A.D.      

      The Western church is to the south of the guard's office. Everything here has been eroded by the sea except for the foundations of the apse and the baptistery. The second church is located on the slope on the road in the west leading up to the peak. The apse to the east with its semi-dome is partially standing. The church on the eastern part of the island has been completely demolished, but it is still possible to discern its plan amongst the ruins. The cistern on the west and the mosaics on the ground are evidences of the care taken during the construction. Beyond the Eastern Church, there is a vast necropolis with monumental tombs.

     The Church at the peak, dedicated to St.Nicholas, is the most prominent one on the island. The antechamber and nave to the west are partially carved into the rock. There is an underground cistern beneath the antechamber. There are three naves in the interior. In the east, there is a raised area approached by a few semi-circular steps which served as a seating area for the priests. The pedestals of the altar, as well as the mosaics on the ground, were largely uncovered by the excavations carried out by the Fethiye Museum and the Japanese Archaeological Team. There are geometrical designs and mythological and religious scenes on the mosaics. The inscription on the mosaics reveals that the cost of the mosaic floor was met by a Macedonian jeweller.   Part of the mosaic floor was removed after the church was destroyed as the area was used for burials.

     The corridors, passages, entrances and exits of the Church at the peak were planned to facilitate the circulation of the numerous visitors. The vaulted gallery connecting the church at the peak with the one in the east is located in the north-south direction on the island and was planned to take best advantage of the air circulation during the hot summer months and the views.

     The excavations at the church on the peak revealed that the building was destroyed due to a great fire. The fact that no metal works of art were uncovered expect for a few nails suggests that it was pillaged prior to the fire. Most probably it was demolished during the Arabian invasion into Anatolia during the 7th century A.D. and the settlers on the island had to move inland.  When the Byzantine Empire recovered in the 11th century A.D., a small group made a vain attempt to revive the old days.

     On the Karacaören Island to the south of the Gemiler Island, which is smaller in size, and at the Tuzla Cape to the west, there are ruins contemporary with those on the island.  The most significant one is the church on the peak of the Karacaören Island. The smaller buildings around it must have been the tombs of the saints and priests of the church. There are traces of fresco designs in the interiors of some of the tombs which are dated as the same period as the churches. There is an inscription carved on the side wall of the steps leading to the church with a dedication to the saints.

    In this hinterland, along the numerous coves beyond Gemiler and Karaören Islands and the Tuzla Cape, the remains of churches and groups of adjoining buildings together with a limited number of settlements from the Byzantine period are indications that during the Middle Ages these locations were used as stopovers for pilgrimages by sea..