Giresun: Turkey

Giresun: Turkey
Giresun is a town in north-eastern Turkey with 90,000 inhabitants (2003 estimate) on the Black Sea. It is the capital of Giresun Province.
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.
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.