Safranbolu A Charming Ottoman Town in Turkey | Turkey Travel Guides

Turkey travel guides. Historic Towns in Turkey. Safranbolu, a charming Ottoman town, home of the saffronflower and a UNESCO world heritage site in Turkey. Safranbolu is an old Ottoman town located in Karabük province in the North western Black Sea Coast of Turkey. The known history of the town dates back as far as 3000 BC. Once a city of Roman Province of «Paphlagonia», Safranbolu has hosted many civilizations including the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman empires. During the Ottoman era the town served as an important junction on the route of the famous silk road. The name of the town derives from «saffron» and the Greek word «polis», since Safranbolu was a trading place and a center of growing saffron. Today, saffron is still grown at the village of Davutobası to the east of Safranbolu. Used in very small quantities, saffron adds a delicate flavor, a distinct and very unique color to desserts and other food in the Turkish cuisine. Famed for its