Giresun

Giresun is a city on the eastern Black Sea coast of Turkey.

Understand
The name of "cherry" in many languages (including English) derives from Giresun's ancient name (Kerasous in Ancient Greek, Latinised to Cerasus) as this was where cherries were purportedly first exported to Europe, during the Roman Empire. However, it has been far better associated with the cultivation of hazelnuts; up to one-tenth of all hazelnut production in the world comes from Giresun Province (Giresun may be more famous for its local hazelnut variety, but nevertheless neighbouring Ordu tops the list with a whopping one-fifth or even more of the total world production).

Historic records reveal that the city was dominated by the Miletians, Persians, their subsidiary Kingdom of Pontus, Romans, Byzantines and the Byzantine-offshoot Empire of Trebizond. The older parts of the city are on a peninsula crowned by a ruined Byzantine fortress, sheltering the small natural harbour. Nearby is Giresun Island, in ancient times called Aretias, the only major Black Sea island in Turkish territory. According to legend, the island was sacred to the Amazons, who had dedicated a temple to the war god Ares here. Even today, fertility rites are performed there every May, usually involving the famed boulder named the Hamza Stone on the east side of the island, now shrouded as a popular practice but in reality a 4,000-year-old celebration.

Giresun has a population of about 140,000 as of the early 2020s, and has a relatively liberal culture compared with its neighbours in Eastern Karadeniz.

By car
Giresun lies on the coastal highway D010, between Ordu (48 km west) and Trabzon, the regional capital (130 km east).

By plane
The closest commercial airport is Ordu-Giresun, also abbreviated to Or-gi, 32 km west. It is nominally international but receives flights only from Istanbul (both airports, multiple times daily) and Ankara (once daily).

Trabzon Airport, 137 km east, serves flights from a much wider array of domestic, European, and Middle Eastern destinations.

Buy
Hazelnut butter,Best roasted hazelnuts.

Drink
With plenty of bars, Giresun has a relatively lively nightlife, and the destination of weekend trips for many regional visitors from nearby cities of Ordu and Trabzon.

Connect
Telephone code of Giresun is (+90) 454.