Giresun
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Giresun |
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| Location in Turkey | |
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| Overview | |
| Region | Black Sea Region, Turkey |
| Province | Giresun Province |
| Population | 523.819 [] (2003) |
| Elevation | 0 m |
| Coordinates | 40°54′ N 38°25′ E |
| Postal code | 28x xx |
| Area code | 0454 |
| Licence plate code | 28 |
| Mayor | Hurşit YÜKSEL (Justice and Development Party) |
| Website | http://www.giresun.bel.tr/ |
Giresun (Greek: Κερασούντα) is a town in northeastern Turkey with 90,000 inhabitants (2003 estimate) on the Black Sea. It is the capital of Giresun Province. It lies along the Black Sea about 110 miles (175 km) west of Trabzon.
Giresun and its surrounding region has a rich agriculture, specializing in cherries, hazelnuts and walnuts, as well as hides and timber. Giresun has become an important port since the construction of an artificial harbour in the 1960s.
The English word cherry, French cerise, Spanish cereza, and Southern Italian dialect cerasa (standard Italian ciliegia) all come from Classical Greek κέρασος 'cherry', which has been identified with Giresun's ancient name of Cerasus. The cherry was first exported to Europe from Cerasus in Roman times. The town was also known as Kerasunt during the medieval period and, under that name, was the second city of the Empire of Trebizond.
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[edit] History
The older parts of the city lie on a peninsula crowned by a ruined Byzantine fortress, sheltering the small natural harbour. Nearby is Giresun Island, in ancient times called Ares. Giresun was known to the ancient Greeks as Choerades or Pharnacia and to the Romans as Kerasous or Cerasus. Giresun's history goes back to the 2nd century BCE, when it was founded by Greek colonists from Sinope. Old Giresun lies on a peninsula dominated by a Byzantine fortress. Nearby is Giresun Island, 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 here every May, now shrouded as a popular Muslim practice, but really a 4,000 year old celebration.
[edit] Etymology
Giresun < Kerason < Kerasounta < Kerasus "horn" (for peninsula) in Greek + ounta "Greek toponomical suffix". [1]
[edit] Education
[edit] Attractions
[edit] Festivals
- International Giresun Aksu Festival of Black Sea
- High Plateau Festivities of Kümbet
- High Plateau Festivities of Bektaş
[edit] Sister cities
[edit] Notable natives
- Ahmet Yalcinkaya - poet
- Gokdeniz Karadeniz - Trabzonspor soccer player
- Hasan Gemici - 1952 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling
- Şenes Erzik - Vice president of UEFA
[edit] References
- ^ Özhan Öztürk. Karadeniz: Ansiklopedik Sözlük (Blacksea: Encyclopedic Dictionary). 2 Cilt (2 Volumes). Heyamola Publishing. Istanbul.2005 ISBN 975-6121-00-9
[edit] External links
 Giresun in Giresun Province (in the Black Sea region) of Turkey |
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| Urban districts | Giresun |    |
| Rural districts | Alucra - Bulancak - Çamoluk - Çanakçı - Dereli - Doğankent - Espiye - Eynesil - Görele - Güce - Keşap - Piraziz - Şebinkarahisar - Tirebolu - Yağlıdere | |
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Regions
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| Aegean | ||
| Black Sea | ||
| Central Anatolia | ||
| East Anatolia | ||
| Marmara | ||
| Mediterranean Sea | ||
| Southeastern Anatolia | ||
