Giresun's history is not the history of a single community. From Pontus to the late Ottoman period a Greek and Armenian population lived in the region; with the population exchange and migrations this population left, and their structures remained. Today some of these structures are back in use, some are abandoned.
Meryem Ana Monastery · Şebinkarahisar
The province's most striking religious structure. Hidden inside a sheer slope; the monastery is entered through a narrow tunnel cut into the rock. The space that opens at the end of the tunnel explains why the structure survived for centuries: hard to reach, easy to hide.
On the road on the way to or back from Şebinkarahisar. The final section is narrow and winding.
Gogora Church · today the Giresun Museum
A 19th-century structure. Used as a prison from 1948 to 1967, it opened as a museum in 1988 after restoration. Today it holds finds reaching from the Bronze Age to the Ottomans.
One building living three separate lives as church, prison and museum is a good summary of Giresun's layered history.
The Catholic Church · today the Children's Library
A church built in 1912 by the French ambassador for the Capuchin friars who came to Giresun. It has been used as a children's library since 1967; its stained glass, stone floor and church texture are preserved.
Inside there is a giant chess set and puzzle games. Opposite the Teachers' House.
Kırkharman Church · Yağlıdere
On the historic Silk Road route, a stone church standing alone in the middle of nature. Abandoned after the population exchange; unrestored, its interior turned over time into a barn.
Access: The village road is a graded track and narrow, with no phone signal. Tell someone before you go, and save the directions offline.
Other remains
- Asarcık Church · Şebinkarahisar — a stone structure, partly standing
- Kamışlı Village Church · Alucra — a ruin in a steppe landscape
- Çakrak Church · Yağlıdere — with its stone bridge beside it
- Acısu Rock Church — cut into the rock
- Göynük Village Church · Şebinkarahisar
Comparison
| Structure | Present state | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Meryem Ana Monastery | Open to visitors | Medium |
| Gogora · Museum | Museum | Easy |
| Catholic Church | Children's library | Easy |
| Kırkharman | Abandoned | Hard |
| Other remains | Ruins | Variable |
When visiting
- In abandoned structures the floor and walls may not be safe; take care when going inside.
- Do not remove stones or write on them. Even unprotected, these structures are heritage.
- When going to rural ruins, ask about the road conditions in advance.
On the map
On the map the religious sites run from the museum in the centre to the ruins of the interior.
Open the guide