It is located in Silifke district of Mersin. It is located 30 km from Kilikya Hotel. Ayatekla, located approximately 1.5 km south of the city, is a religious center from the Christian era. The establishment of the sacred area known as Ayatekla or Meryemlik started around 50 AD. Hagia-Thecla (Ayatekla), a saint from Ikonia (Konya), Hz. St., one of the apostles of Jesus. He was a pioneer missionary who adopted Paul's Christian teachings. He was very impressed by the sermons given by St. Paul in Konya and devoted himself to religion. Thekla came to Silifke, escaping from Roman surveillance in Konya and Yalmaç. He previously lived in a natural cave called cathocomb, where worship was performed secretly.
Ayatekla is one of the oldest and most important sacred areas of Christianity. This place became a religious settlement in the later Byzantine periods and was called Ayatekla. The underground worship cave in the ruins known today as Meryemlik, the apse ruins of the monumental Zenon Basilica, which was later built on it, the Great Cistern, Ha-marnı. It is possible to see the North Church, large and small cisterns and the Necropolis area.
The cave in which Ayatekla lived was considered sacred by Christians after his disappearance, and was used as a secret place of worship until the Christian religion was released in 320 AD. Later, Corinthian columns were placed in this cave for buttress purposes, mosaic coverings were made and it was converted into a church at the end of the 4th century.
