Safranbolu
Encyclopedia
Safranbolu is a town and district of Karabük Province
in the Black Sea
region of Turkey
. It is about two hundred kilometers north of Ankara
and about a hundred kilometers south of the Black Sea
coast, or more precisely about 9 kilometers north of the city of Karabük. Former Turkish
names of the town were Zalifre and Taraklıborlu and in Greek
Saframpolis, Σαφραμπολις. It was part of Kastamonu Province
until 1923 and Zonguldak Province
between 1923 and 1995. According to the 2000 census, the population of the district is 47,257, of which 31,697 live in the town of Safranbolu. The district covers an area of 1000 km² (386 sq mi), and the town lies at an elevation of 485 m (1,591 ft).
The Old Town preserves many old buildings, with 1008 registered historical artifacts. These are: 1 private museum, 25 mosque
s, 5 tombs, 8 historical fountains, 5 Turkish baths, 3 caravanserai
s, 1 historical clock tower, 1 sundial and hundreds of houses and mansions. Also there are mounds of ancient settlements, rock tombs and historical bridges. The Old Town is situated in a deep ravine in a fairly dry area in the rain shadow of the mountains. The New Town can be found on the plateau about two kilometers west of the Old Town.
The name of the town derives from 'saffron
' and the Greek
word 'polis' (city), since Safranbolu was a trading place and a center for growing saffron.Today saffron is still alive at the village of Davutobası which is 22 km east of Safranbolu and probably one of the best quality saffron in the world.
Safranbolu was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1994 due to its well-preserved Ottoman
era houses and architecture.
Karabük Province
Karabük Province is a province in northern central Turkey with a total population of 227,610 .The main city is Karabük which is located about 200 km north of Ankara and about 100 km south of the Black Sea coast...
in the Black Sea
Black Sea Region
The Black Sea Region is one of Turkey's seven census-defined geographical regions . It is bordered by the Marmara Region to the west, the Central Anatolia Region to the south, the Eastern Anatolia Region to the southeast, the Republic of Georgia to the northeast, and the Black Sea to the north.-...
region of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. It is about two hundred kilometers north of Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
and about a hundred kilometers south of the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
coast, or more precisely about 9 kilometers north of the city of Karabük. Former Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
names of the town were Zalifre and Taraklıborlu and in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
Saframpolis, Σαφραμπολις. It was part of Kastamonu Province
Kastamonu Province
Kastamonu Province is one of the provinces of Turkey, in the Black Sea region, to the north of the country. It is surrounded by Sinop to the east, Bartın and Karabük to the west, Çankırı to the south, Çorum to the south east and the Black Sea to the north....
until 1923 and Zonguldak Province
Zonguldak Province
Zonguldak Province is a province along the western Black Sea coast region of Turkey. The province is 3.481 km² in size and has a population of 619,703 Its adjacent provinces are Düzce to the southwest, Bolu to the south, Karabük to the southeast, and Bartın to the east...
between 1923 and 1995. According to the 2000 census, the population of the district is 47,257, of which 31,697 live in the town of Safranbolu. The district covers an area of 1000 km² (386 sq mi), and the town lies at an elevation of 485 m (1,591 ft).
The Old Town preserves many old buildings, with 1008 registered historical artifacts. These are: 1 private museum, 25 mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s, 5 tombs, 8 historical fountains, 5 Turkish baths, 3 caravanserai
Caravanserai
A caravanserai, or khan, also known as caravansary, caravansera, or caravansara in English was a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day's journey...
s, 1 historical clock tower, 1 sundial and hundreds of houses and mansions. Also there are mounds of ancient settlements, rock tombs and historical bridges. The Old Town is situated in a deep ravine in a fairly dry area in the rain shadow of the mountains. The New Town can be found on the plateau about two kilometers west of the Old Town.
The name of the town derives from 'saffron
Saffron
Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel...
' and the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word 'polis' (city), since Safranbolu was a trading place and a center for growing saffron.Today saffron is still alive at the village of Davutobası which is 22 km east of Safranbolu and probably one of the best quality saffron in the world.
Safranbolu was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1994 due to its well-preserved Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
era houses and architecture.
Notable natives
- Türker İnanoğluTürker InanogluTürker İnanoğlu is a Turkish screenwriter, film director and producer.-Life:...
, film producer. - İzzet Mehmed PashaIzzet Mehmed PashaIzzet Mehmed Pasha, Topal Izzet Pasha, or Darendeli Mehmed Pasha was an Ottoman statesman. He was Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire during two terms:* 24 October, 1828 - 28 January, 1829* 4 December, 1841 - 30 August, 1842...
, 18th century OttomanOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Grand Vizier. - Ali Gümüş, President of Association Internationale De La Presse Sportive AIPSAIPSAIPS may refer to:* Australian Institute of Public Safety* Astronomical Image Processing System* International Sports Press Association* Advanced IP Softswitch* Ante Up Intercontinental Poker Series...
, (International Sports Press Asssociation) Wrestling Commission, Journalist and author.