Giresun Museum

GIRESUN MUSEUM (GOGORA CHURCH)

The historical Gogora Church, named after the neighborhood (today Zeytinlik Mevkii), built by the Greeks living in Giresun in the 1850s-1860s, in the Kale District of Giresun Province, is used as the Giresun Museum today. The building, which was used as a church until 1924, was abandoned after the population exchange and remained empty until 1948. The building, which suffered great damage during these years when it was empty, was partially repaired and used as a prison from 1948-1967. The building, which was empty from 1967 to 1982, continued to be destroyed and faced demolition. The church, which was restored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism between 1982 and 1988, was opened to service as a museum in 1988. The rectangular structure is of the cross plan type, in which the central dome of the basilica plan and the upper cover is completed. The building, which has been used as the "Giresun Museum" since 1988, is open to visitors every day of the week. It serves as the city museum where the Archaeological and Ethnographic artifacts and coins collected from the region and transferred from other museums are exhibited.

The museum, located on the side of the Giresun-Trabzon highway on the eastern skirts of Giresun Castle, is entered from the south side through the outer garden gate. The front courtyard of the museum is accessed through a door in front of the ticket office by the garden gate. The front courtyard, which is covered with the original stones of the church and some of the gathering stones brought later, is also used as the area where some works of the museum are exhibited. Sarcophagi, Tombstones, Ship Anchors column fragments, column bases and capitals, mortar stones, and malts are exhibited in the front garden. The small area on the left side of the entrance is used as an archaeological hall with showcases displaying archaeological artifacts. Various terracotta, metal, and glass artifacts from 3000 B.C (Bronze Age) to the Byzantine period are exhibited in this hall. The large area to the right of the entrance has showcases where ethnographic works are exhibited. Swords, wedges, rifles, pistols, various clothes, kitchen utensils, jewelry, etc. belonging to the Ottoman period are exhibited in this hall. In the apse to the east of the church, it is used as a hall where carpets, rugs, and local woven works are exhibited. In the backyard of the museum, Greek tombstones and Ottoman tombstones and titles are exhibited. There is a cellar to the north of the church, consisting of two galleries, which are known to have been built in the same years as the church. In the first gallery of the cellar, 40 Amphorae brought from Giresun and the sea and brought from other museums are exhibited. In the second gallery, some stone and marble works are exhibited. The house next to the Museum Directorate was repaired in 1992 and operates as an administrative office. There is also a small garden and a car park to the east of the administration building.