Former Greek church Timiou Stavrou now a mosque, Dirlik, south of Sürmene. Source: Youtube
By Sam Topalidis
Pontic Historian and Ethnologist (2024)
Sürmene is a town on the Black Sea coast in north-east Türkiye (Pontos), 40 km east by road of Trabzon. The population of Sürmene is estimated at 26,000 (2022). It experiences an increase in summer due to the influx of tourists. The main industries of the region are fishing, agriculture and tourism (due to its natural beauty) (Ismail et al. 2023). The Manahoz River runs north 30 km to the Black Sea at Sürmene. Sürmene had a continuous Greek history until 1923 (Bryer et al. 1972–1973). The area has a peculiarity in that some Muslim Turks in some of the surrounding villages still speak Romeyka, an old Greek dialect.
Can't view the article below? Click here and view it as a pdf