ACityIndependent states
Safranbolu
A town that preserves Ottoman-era timber houses, baths and caravanserais. A UNESCO site since 1994.
Safranbolu is in Karabük province in the Black Sea region and takes its name from the saffron grown here. For centuries it was a stop on the caravan route between the Black Sea coast and Anatolia.
The town's emblem is its two-storey houses of white plaster and dark timber framing. The Cinci Han (1640s), the Köprülü Mehmed Pasha Mosque and old bathhouses show Ottoman urban life.
The "City of Safranbolu" was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. Turkish delight and saffron sweets are local specialities.
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Updated: October 2, 2026