Karadeniz Ereğli

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Karadeniz Ereğli is a city and a district in Zonguldak Province of Turkey, on the Black Sea shore. The city was a Greek city in ancient times known as Heraclea Pontica after the Greek mythical hero Heracles. The Turkish name Karadeniz Ereğli means "Black Sea Ereğli" (kara="black", deniz="sea"), which distinguishes it from other places called Ereğli (the name Ereğli derives from Heraclea) .

According to Greek mythology, the cave guarded by the three-headed dog Cerberus is located near the town. For his final quest, Heracles is tasked with entering the cave and capturing Cerberus.

The discoverer of the northern Turkish coalfields, Uzun Mehmet, lived in the Kestaneci Köyü ("Chestnut-seller Village") section of Ereğli.

Modern Ereğli is the home of Erdemir, Turkey's largest steel plant. It has a large artificial harbour, schools, two supermarkets, and several car dealerships. Because of its Black Sea beach, Ereğli is a popular tourist destination. The city does not have an airport or rail station, but can be reached by automobile or bus from Ankara, Istanbul and other places.