Safranbolu (Greek: Σαφράμπολις, Saframpolis) is a town and district of Karabük Province in the Black Searegion of Turkey. It is about 9 km north of the city of Karabük, 200 kilometers (120 mi) north of Ankara, and about 100 km south of the Black Seacoast. The town's historic names in Greekwere Theodoroupolis (Θεοδωρούπολις, i.e. city of Theodorus or female Theodora) and later Saframpolis (Σαφράμπολις). Its former names in Turkishwere Zalifre and Taraklıborlu. 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 was 47,257, of which 31,697 lived in the town of Safranbolu.[3] The district covers an area of 1,000 km2 (386 sq mi),[4] and the town lies at an elevation of 485 m (1,591 ft).
According to the Ottoman General Census of 1881/82-1893, the Kaza of Safranbolu had a total population of 52,523, consisting of 49,197 Muslims and 3,326 Greeks.[5]
Established in 2002, there are Fethi Toker Fine Arts and Design Faculty, Safranbolu Vocational School and Safranbolu Tourism Faculty affiliated with Zonguldak Karaelmas University. Currently, the city is located in the Paphlagonia region, which was mentioned in Homer's Iliad in ancient times, and its known history goes back to 3000 BC. The tumuli dated 3000 and 4000 BC show that Safranbolu has a long history in terms of human settlement. The city has been interpreted with ancient towns such as Flaviopolis, Theodoropolis, Hadrianopolis, Germia and Dadibra (Dadybra). The first known civilizations in the region are Gaspas and Zalpas, neighbors of the Hittites. Hittites, Phrygians, indirectly Lydians, Persians, Hellenistic Kingdoms (Ponds), Romans (Byzantine), Seljuks, Çobanoğulları, Candarogulları and Ottomans dominated the region respectively.
When the city was conquered by the Seljuks, its name was Dadibra. Safranbolu was captured by the Turks in 1196 by Muhiddin Mesut Şah, the son of the Seljuk Sultan Kılıç Arslan II. Muhiddin Mesut Shah promised the Greek-Byzantine population that he would protect their lives if they surrender without fighting, but according to the records, the city was captured by war. There is no information about what happened to the Christians. It was in the hands of the Cobanogullari Principality between 1213-1280, the Candaroğullari Principality between 1326-1354 and the Ottoman Empire after 1423. There was a Greek community in the current Kıranköy area. This later became the central Greek neighborhood and the population change in 1923 took place in this area.
Under the rule of the Seljuks, the name of the city was Zalifre and Sinop - Kastamonu - Safranbolu - Gerede - Söğüt became the end zone. In the following years, the city changed hands several times between Turkmens and Byzantines. Between 1213 and 1280 the town was ruled by the Cobanogullari Principality, which settled in Kastamonu and Sinop, which was the frontier principality of the Anatolian Seljuk State. Later, his shepherds started to pay taxes to Mongolian İlhanlılar.
In 1326, Süleyman Pasha of Candaroğulu seized the city and met with the governor Ali Bey, son of Ibn Battuta and Kastamonu pasha, who was going to Kastamonu in 1332. According to Ibn Battuta, there was a madrasah that taught Hanafi teaching when it arrived. During the period of the Candaroğulları Principality, Islamic architecture in the region was energized; Gazi Süleyman Pasha Mosque was used in this period. There was also an old Byzantine church, two baths and various fountains. A similar Islamic structuring took place only in the 17th century. in the region, the ottoman empire known a yörükan-i taraklı try to send them this region after this name of the region taraklı Borglu or shortly borgulu. İn the 18. Century tells zağrifanpolis after that. Middle of 19.century zağrifanbenderli but changed name zağrifan bolu final zağranbolu which mean safranboluduring the Ottoman period especially the 17th century, it reached the highest level both cultural and economic due to being an accommodation center on the Istanbul Sinop during ottoman period especially 17th century, it reached the highest level both cultural and economic due to being an accommodation center on the İstanbul Sinop caravanseraiwhich means like hotelat the begging of the 18.century 3.Selim and 2.Mahmud sessionand after the 1850 migration the Istanbul Safranbolu peoplethey active in the palace many of these migration people work at the baking and Fishman. Xavier planhol idea start in 1860 they make a monopoly of the baking and these shop workers5/3 from Safranbolu probably they have position the customer came here about the phalomal much greek make fishing make fishing
The Old Town preserves many historic 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. 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 (πόλις) meaning "city",[6][7] since Safranbolu was a trading place and a center for growing saffron.Today, saffron is still grown at the village of Davutobası to the east of Safranbolu, with a road distance of 22 kilometers.[6][7]
Safranbolu was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1994 due to its well-preserved Ottoman-era houses and architecture.