KARABÜK Safranbolu Müzesi

SAFRANBOLU MUSEUM

Safranbolu Museum operates in the Old Government Building, a magnificent stone structure with a ground floor and two upper floors, located on the hill where the old castle once stood.

According to the inscription above the entrance, the building was constructed in 1904 through the efforts of the Governor of Kastamonu, Enis Pasha, and the District Governor of the city, Mir Ahmet Bey, with financial contributions from the local community.

Built entirely of cut stone, the building has an enclosed area of 800 square meters and includes a basement section. It served as the Government Building until the major fire in 1976. Restoration works initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2000 were completed in 2006, and as of 8 February 2007, the building has been operating as a “Private City History Museum.”

In the area known as the Castle, in addition to the Old Government Building constructed between 1904 and 1906, there are several significant historical structures: the Clock Tower built in 1797 by Safranbolu-born İzzet Mehmet Pasha, Grand Vizier of Sultan Selim III, and recognized as one of the oldest clock towers in Anatolia with its original mechanical system still functioning; the Ammunition Building constructed in 1890 during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II; the Old Prison Building constructed in 1906; and the Kale Mosque built in 1890.

The museum consists of three floors: the ground floor, the first floor, and the second floor. On the first floor, there are displays presenting the history of Safranbolu and the building, maps, cultural publications, satellite images, an exhibition hall, and a conference hall.

In the hall at the entrance of the second floor, clothing from the Republican period is exhibited. In the “Safranbolu Through Photographs” hall, the history of Safranbolu from the Ottoman period to the Republican period is presented with visual details. Additionally, coins and various materials from the Roman and Byzantine periods, the Ottoman period, and the Republican period are displayed. In the Ethnography Hall, objects used in traditional Safranbolu life are exhibited.

On the ground floor, there is photographic information about commercial life and traditional handicrafts in Safranbolu. Furthermore, the working environments of important local trades and crafts in Safranbolu—such as the Şifa Pharmacy, Turkish Delight Maker, Yemeni (traditional shoe) maker, Shoemaker, Upper-maker, Saddler, Harness Maker, Woodworker, Blacksmith, Coppersmith, Tinsmith, and the Tradesmen’s Coffeehouse—are presented to visitors using original re-enactment techniques.