Sürmene

Sürmene (Turkish: [syɾˈmene]; Greek: Σούρμενα, Sourmena; Ottoman Turkish: ﺳﻮرﻣﻨﻪ, romanized as Sürmena[/e]) is a municipality and district of Trabzon Province, Turkey.^[2] Its area is 166 km²,^[3] and its population is 25,950 (2022).^[1] In ancient times the town of Hyssus or Hyssos (Ancient Greek: Υσσός) was nearby.^[4] The mayor is Rahmi Üstün (AKP).

CountryTurkey

Area

166 km² (64 sq mi)

Elevation

20 m (66 ft)

Population

(2022)^[1]

25,950

Quick facts Country, Province ...

Sürmene
District and municipality
Memiş Ağa Mansion in Sürmene
Map showing Sürmene District in Trabzon Province
Sürmene Location in Turkey
Coordinates: 40°54′51″N 40°06′45″E
Country	Turkey
Province	Trabzon
Government
• Mayor	Rahmi Üstün (AKP)
Area	166 km2 (64 sq mi)
Elevation	20 m (66 ft)
Population  (2022)[1]	25,950
• Density	156/km2 (405/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3 (TRT)
Postal code	61600
Area code	0462
Climate	Cfa
Website	www.surmene.bel.tr

Close

Sürmene (Humurgan)^[5] is situated some 40 km (25 mi) east of Trabzon. Known in antiquity also as Susarmia or Augustopolis, it lies on the River Kora (Manahoz Deresi) and is best known as the place where Xenophon and his Ten Thousand fell sick after eating wild honey, an event which was confirmed by the local people. In the village of Kastil, 5 km (3.1 mi) to the west of Sürmene, stands a ruined medieval castle as well as the impressively restored 18th-century Yakupoğlu Memiş Ağa Konağı mansion. This was formerly the seat of the Yakupoğlu family, who lived here as rulers (derebeys, hence its alternative name of Derebeyli Kale, the Castle of the Derebeys) of the surrounding region relatively free of interference from the Ottoman government in faraway Constantinople/Istanbul.^{[citation needed]}

History

Sürmene (Gr: Surmena, Σούρμενα) is a seaside town and district situated approximately 30 km east of Trabzon. Before 1923, the number of Greeks living in the district was around 14,000. The settlements with large Greek communities were located close to the Monakos River (today Manahoz Stream). Some of the larger Greek settlements included Kelonsa (350 Greek families, 1 church), Tzita (350 Greek families, 2 churches), Assou (250 Greek families, 1 church) and Tsikoli (200 Greek families, 1 church).

The Greek settlements

Χουμουρκιάντων - Houmourkianton (the regional centre)

Ασού - Asou

Καρακαντζί - Karakantzi

Καταβόλ - Katavol

Κελόνσα - Kelonsa

Μεξεζί - Meksezi

Μουλκάντων (Χοτζαράντων) - Moulkanton (Hotzaranton)

Πετράς - Petras

Πύργη - Pirgi

Τσικολή - Tsikoli

Τσίτα - Tsita

Χαλανική - Halaniki

• This list of the Greek villages of Pontus (or villages where Greeks resided) was compiled by the Center of Asia Minor Studies (Κέντρο Μικρασιατικών Σπουδών) which is based in Greece. The list may exclude some villages which weren't known at the time the study was completed. Source: The History of Pontian Hellenism, Christos Samouilidis, Thessaloniki 1992.