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Information
about Ordu, Turkey
Ordu is a pleasant port town nestled at the foot of a
verdant hill on the Black Sea Coast of Turkey. Ordu
is located about halfway between Samsun to the west
and Trabzon to the east.
Ordu was known as Kotyora or Coryora in ancient
times. It is possible that the word “Horde” came
from the word “Ordu” meaning “army” in Turkish.
The ruins of the ancient city of Cotyora, located
only 9 km (6 mi) to the northwest, is where Xenophon,
the Greek military commander and his force of about
ten thousand men set sail for Chrysopolis (now
Uskudar, Turkey) after fighting in Mesopotamia.
Though surrounding lands were once under the control
of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, Ordu is
one of the newest settlements in the region, dating
only to the early 19th century with a current
population of over 100,000.
The Turkish city of Ordu once had a considerable
Armenian and Greek population and there are
Christian sights of interest such as the Armenian
church on Boztepe as well as a pristine beach area.
Due to the rainy climate, a visit is suggested in
high summer. The land is fertile and wide forests
cover the region. Ordu is the world’s major center
of hazelnut production and there is a hazelnut
festival there in September.
Things to see in and around Ordu:
The Pasaoglu Mansion which belonged to a wealthy and
influential Ottoman family of the 19th century.
Ethnography Museum - Ordu museum
This museum is housed in the old Pasaoglu Mansion,
and is located in Selimiye neighborhood of the city.
The building which was built by Pasaoglu Huseyin
Efendi in 1896, is a very good example of Ottoman
local architecture in the Black Sea region. The
stones were brought from Unye, its wood and tiles
from Romania, and craftsmen from Istanbul worked in
its construction. The Pasaoglu mansion was opened to
the public as a museum in 1987 after the restoration
and display arrangements were completed.
The town of Unye, 77 kilometers west of Ordu is an
attractive fishing village. There are clean,
beaches, and many hazelnut plantations. You can see
purple rock formations and ancient tombs from the
early Romans carved into the rock. The 18th century
town hall building is also of interest.
Fatsa is another little town famed for its hazelnut
orchards, and nearby are the ruins of a fortress
named Bolaman Castle and the Byzantine Jason Church
now converted to an archaeological museum.
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