“Cotton Town” Population: 20,700
Old name: Tripolis
East of Giresun, the most obvious Black Sea excursion destination is Tirebolu where a castle, probably built by Genoese traders in the 14th century, sits pretty on a rock midway between two harbours. Unfortunately access to it is generally blocked so you can only admire it from a distance.
Inevitably the inland side of town has been completely concreted over but it’s still very enjoyable to stroll along the waterfront admiring the colourful fishing boats that moor here and watching the men repairing their nets at the end of the day.
The artist and poet Bedri Rahmi Eyoboğlu was born in Görele along the coast to the east of Tirebolu in 1911.
Backstory
Tirebolu itself seems to have started life as one of ninety trading colonies established on the Black sea coast by Ancient Greeks from Miletus. As Tripolis, it was in a union with Espiye (Andoz) to the west and Bedrama to the east, all three of them fortified with castles. After passing through Roman and Byzantine hands, it remained part of the breakaway Byzantine statelet around Trebizond until 1404. Between 1915 and 1917 it was occupied by the Russians before finally settling down as part of republican Turkey.
Heading back towards Giresun look inland along the bed of the Yaglıdere river at Espiye and you’ll spot Andoz Kalesi, one of those extraordinary Turkish castles perched on a pinnacle of rock so lofty that it seems to defy anyone to get near it. Almost nothing seems to be known about it. Was it built in the 13th century? Only excavation could decide.
Transport info
Dolmuşes to Tirebolu leave from the small bus park just east of Giresun town centre on the coast road.
