Karabük is a small industrial city in northwestern Turkey's Western Black Sea region, best known as the gateway to Safranbolu — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of 17th-century Ottoman merchant houses, ancient hans, and cobblestone lanes. Beyond Safranbolu, the province rewards visitors with deep river canyons, ancient Phrygian-era ruins at Eskipazar, dense Black Sea forests, and the dramatic Tokatlı Canyon.
The Karabük region has been inhabited since antiquity. The Roman city of Hadrianopolis (modern Eskipazar) was founded in the 2nd century AD. The area passed through Byzantine rule before being incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the 14th century. Safranbolu flourished as a prosperous merchant and caravan town on the Istanbul–Sinop trade route, accumulating its stock of spectacular Ottoman timber-frame mansions between the 17th and 19th centuries. The city lent its name to the saffron trade (safran = saffron; bolu = region). In 1994 Safranbolu's historic centre was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Modern Karabük was created in 1937 when Turkey's first iron and steel works (Kardemir) was established here, transforming the region into an industrial centre.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Karabük.
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1
Hadrianopolis founded under Emperor Hadrian at Eskipazar
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2
Region incorporated into Ottoman Empire
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3
Cinci Han and Cinci Hamam built by Cinci Hoca (court physician to Sultan Ibrahim I)
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4
İzzet Mehmet Paşa Mosque completed
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5
Safranbolu reaches peak prosperity; most surviving konaks built
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6
Turkish Republic proclaimed; Safranbolu part of Kastamonu province
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7
Kardemir iron and steel plant opens; modern Karabük city begins to grow
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8
Karabük becomes an independent province
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9
Safranbolu inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site
Historical eras
The chapters of Karabük's past.
Historical sites
Places where Karabük's past comes alive.
Museums
Curated collections that tell Karabük's story.
Karabük Ethnography Museum
Hours: Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00
Admission: Free
Safranbolu Atatürk House Museum
Hours: Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00
Admission: Free
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.