Giresun

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Image:Flag of Turkey.svgGiresun, Turkey
Map
Image:Giresun Turkey Provinces locator.gif Location in Turkey
Overview
Total 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 north-eastern 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, specialising 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", the French word "cerise" and the Italian "cerasa" all comes from 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.

1 History
2 Etymology
3 Sister cities
4 Notables
5 Internet resources

[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. Old picture of Giresun. http://www.giresun.net/fotograf/sbfoto/res27.jpg

[edit] Etymology

Giresun < Kerason < Kerasounta < Kerasus "horn" (for peninsula) in Greek + ounta "Greek toponomical suffix"

Source: Özhan Öztürk. Karadeniz: Ansiklopedik Sözlük (Blacksea: Encyclopedic Ditionary). 2 Cilt (2 Volumes). Heyamola Publishing. Istanbul.2005 ISBN 975-6121-00-9.

[edit] Sister cities

[edit] Notables

Ahmet Yalcinkaya - poet

[edit] Internet resources

Image:Giresun Turkey Provinces locator.gif	Districts of Giresun	Image:Flag of Turkey.svg
Giresun \| Alucra \| Bulancak \| Çamoluk \| Çanakçı \| Dereli \| Doğankent \| Espiye \| Eynesil \| Görele \| Güce \| Keşap \| Piraziz \| Şebinkarahisar \| Tirebolu \| Yağlıdere