Safranbolu City
Safranbolu is a district of Karabük Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It is just 5 kilometers to Karabük Centrum. It is about two hundred kilometers north of Ankara. Former Turkish names of the town were Zalifre and Taraklıborlu and in Greek Saframpolis. The Old Town preserves many old buildings, with 1008 registered historical artifacts. These are: 1 private museum, 25 mosques, 5 tombs, 8 historical fountains, 5 Turkish baths, 3 caravanserais, 1 historical clock tower, 1 sundial and hundreds of houses and mansions. Also there are mounds of ancient settlements, rock tombs and historical bridges. Safranbolu was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1994 due to its well-preserved Ottoman era houses and architecture.
How to get to Safranbolu
Safranbolu Old Town
Historical Houses
Historical Houses
Safranbolu İncekaya Su kemeri
Safranbolu Ulu
Mosque (Converted from the church)
Historical Houses and snowing kids
Historical Houses and Snow
Old graves from Ottomans
Historical and Interesting Places of Safranbolu
1. HIDIRLIK HILL
Hıdırlık Hill is the place where there is control over the city from the bird's eye view and Ottoman deployed on this hill when they were going to seize Safranbolu. After the city was under control the conquest took place. It is a great pleasure to sip dark tea on the Seyir terrace and watch the beauty of the Safranbolu houses on this hill which has great importance in history and which is very legendary. Another pleasure is to look at the flowers in the gardens which are placed in cut cans and all the flowers are in different spectacular colours.
2. KAYMAKAMLAR MUSEUM HOUSE
The ministry of Culture prepared a project to Safranbolu so the house was nationalized in 1979. And the house was opened as an education centre on 16.12.1981. Today it is decorated as a museum house. The wooden decoration of its ceilings is worth seeing. The building is located on the slope of Hıdırlık. The structure, plan, texture of the house reflects Traditional Turkish Housing.
3. THE MOSQUE OF İZZET MEHMET PASHA
The Grand Vizier İzzet Mehmet Pasha had this mosque build in 1976. It ıs like a small model of Nuruosmaniye Mosque in İstanbul with its elegant minaret, zinc covered dome and inner decorations. Its courtyard has been built on arches over the river.
4. BLACKSMITHS GUILD BAZAAR
This bazaar is located on both banks of Akçasu River. This river runs under the mosque of İzzet Mehmet Pasha. It is the one and the only guild bazaar where hot and cold blacksmiths go on manufacturing handicrafts. Coppersmiths and tinsmith’s have been also during the profession in this bazaar.
5. CİNCİ INN AND CİNCİ BATH
Cinci Hodja's mother in 1645 that helped to form the foundation of the securities in the name of Hamide Hatun, these two works completed in 1645. Considered the most perfect example of the type of and quite difficult ground conditions, this structure was built on the husband of the chief architects of the period November Architect is thought to be completed in a short time made by the network. Both works are made of stone with outstanding architectural features. These structures are still standing and use.
6. THE MOSQUE OF KÖPRÜLÜ MEHMET PASHA
Köprülü Mehmet Pasha had this masterpiece built and it was opened top ray in 1661. This is biggest mosque in Safranbolu. The space of the dome looks like a helmet. The architecture and decoration of the dome is remarkable. There are “muvakkithane”, “fountain”, “sun dial” in the courtyard of the mosque.
7. YEMENİCİLER GUILD BAZAAR
It was used as an old guild bazaar where shoes called yemeni were made. It consists of 48 wooden shops which are next to the mosque of Köprülü Mehmet Pasha. After the restoration, the shops have been used as souvenir shops.
8. CITY HISTORY MUSEUM (OLD GOVERNMENT BUILDING)
The building was used as Military center, Civilian and Judicial Management Center. There are Conference Room and Exhibition Halls at the entrance (prelude) floor .On the top floor, photos are being exhibited in a hall called “Safranbolu with Photographs” together with Ethnography Museum. At the basement floor of the building there is a “Miniaturized Tradesmen and Craftsmen Bazaars (Market). Guests can find a summary or brief of Safranbolu History at City History Museum.
9. CLOCK TOWER
It was built in 1797 by İzzet Mehmet Pasha who was the Grand Vizier of 3rd Selim. The plan of the building is square and its clock Works without spring. The building has been restored and can be visited.
10. İNCEKAYA WATER BRIDGE
The aqueduct in İncekaya village is a magnificent structure with 6 arches in the 116 m. The aqueduct through which water is carried from the source of the water to the town is 110-120 cm wide. The Tokatlı brook flowing underneath the aqueduct. Region is on ideal track for canyon trip.
11. CRYSTAL TERRACE
Canyon Tokatlı on the ground and 11 meters wide, 80 meters high, the Crystal Terrace (glass observation deck), and can carry 75 tons weight. Even with the rocket launcher ammo breaking glass observation deck, each with a capacity to carry 750 kilograms pores, three centimeters thick glass consists of three parts. Having the capacity to hold about 400 people, consisting of 100 square meters terrace can be found only 30 people at a time, Canyon Tokatlı unique terrace offers views to us.
12. BULAK MENCİLİS CAVE
The Bulak (Mencilis) Cave is located on the border of Safranbolu and Karabük. It is 8.5km distance from the center of town and 5km distance from Değirmenbaşı. The cave has 2 entrances. The first entry to the cave can be made from the mouth where the water flows. The second entrance can be made at the fossil entrance, left of the hill behind the cave. The total length of the Mencilis Cave is 2725m. 350m of the cave has been illuminated and is open for touristic visits.
