Ünye

Ünye (Oinòe, Οἰνόη in ancient Greek) is a municipality and district of Ordu Province, Turkey. Its area is 569 km2, and its population is 132,432 (2022). It is on the Black Sea coast, 76 km west of the city of Ordu.

Geography

Ünye has a little port, in a bay on one of the flatter areas of the Black Sea coast. The climate is typical of the Black Sea region, warm and wet,  although because the hinterland is flatter than most of the coastline Ünye has less rainfall. Agriculture is the basis of the local economy, in particular hazelnut growing, hazelnut trading and hazelnut processing. The town is very quiet in late-July and August when most people are in the countryside for the hazelnut harvest.

The town of Ünye provides high schools, higher education and other services to the surrounding countryside, and other industry includes a large cement factory, flour mills, local handicrafts and the port. The town has grown in recent decades, acquiring the multi-storey concrete blocks spreading along the coast, typical of so many Turkish towns. There are cafes and internet cafes popular with students. The cuisine includes the local pizza called pide.

With its quiet spots for picnics and walking and its excellent beaches Ünye is one of the nicest holiday towns on the eastern Black Sea coast. Affordable pensions and camping facilities as well as 2- or 3-star hotels can be found in the summer season. There are summer festivals and concerts in July.

Etymology
The town's name has evolved from the Greek Oinoe through Oinaion, Unieh, Unie and Unia to the current Ünye.

History
The history of Ünye goes back to the Hittite period in the 15th century BC, followed by the Kashkas, Scythians, Milesians, Persians, Pontus and Ancient Roman/Byzantine eras. During Greco-Roman times, it was called Oenoe and was a port town of Pontus, at the mouth of the river Genius.

It was also ruled by Danishmends between 1086 and 1098, 1141-1144 and 1150–1157, Sultanate of Rum between 1188 and 1204, 1214-1228 and 1230–1243, Empire of Trebizond in 1204–1214, 1228–1230, 1243-1297 and 1302-1346 and Emirate of Hacıemiroğlu between 1297-1302 and 1346–1461.

During the 1290s, the Ünye fortress was built by the Trebizond emperor Ioanni (II.).

In the year 1806 the Laz attacked Ünye. This led to the town being evacuated under the guidance of Bishop Meletios and resettling in Sinope.

Composition
There are 85 neighbourhoods in Ünye District:

 Ağıdere
 Ataköy
 Atatürk
 Aydıntepe
 Başköy
 Bayramca
 Beylerce
 Buruncu
 Çakmak
 Çamurlu
 Çatak
 Çatalpınar
 Çataltepe
 Cevizdere
 Çiğdemköy
 Çınarcık
 Çınarlık
 Denizbükü
 Dereköy
 Dizdar
 Döşemedibi
 Düzköy
 Düzsaylan
 Elmalık
 Erenyurt
 Esenkale
 Eskikızılcakese
 Fatih
 Fevziçakmak
 Göbü
 Gölcüğez
 Gölevi
 Görecülü
 Günpınarı
 Güzelkale
 Güzelyalı
 Hamidiye
 Hanyanı
 Hızarbaşıgünlük
 Hızarbaşıkumarlı
 İnkur
 İpekyolu
 Kadılar
 Kaledere
 Kaledibi
 Kaleköy
 Karşıyaka
 Keşköy
 Killik
 Kocuklu
 Kuşçulu
 Kuşdoğan
 Liseler
 Nadirli
 Nurettin
 Nuriye
 Ortaköy
 Ortayılmazlar
 Pelitliyatak
 Pınarbaşı
 Sahilköy
 Saraçlı
 Saraycık
 Sarıhalil
 Şenyurt
 Seylan
 Sofutepesi
 Taflancık
 Taşça
 Tekkiraz
 Tepeköy
 Üçpınar
 Uğurlu
 Yavı
 Yaycı
 Yaylalı
 Yazkonağı
 Yenikent
 Yenikızılcakese
 Yeniköy
 Yeşilada
 Yeşilkent
 Yiğitler
 Yüceler
 Yunus Emre

Economy
İrfan Akar is the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ünye, which is one of the important trade centers of the Black Sea region. Osman Sarıkahraman is the President of the Unye Chamber of Agriculture.

Main sights
 The 18th-century town hall.
 Çamlık - picnic area in a wood overlooking the sea
 Çakırtepe - a hilltop view of the town
 Ünye Castle (dating back to the Pontus era).
 Uzunkum - the longest beach on the Black Sea

Notable natives
 Fahrettin Çiloğlu, writer and translator
 Ferhan Şensoy, actor and writer
 Gulsen, artist
 Refaiddin Şahin State Minister-MP, has attracted government spending to Ünye
 Tamer Karan, singer

References

External links

Municipal Official Site 
District Official Site 
News & City Portal 
Historical Information Page 
Places to be Visited 
City Football Club (Ünyespor) 

Populated places in Ordu Province
Black Sea port cities and towns in Turkey
Fishing communities in Turkey
Populated coastal places in Turkey
Districts of Ordu Province
Metropolitan district municipalities in Turkey