Safranbolu is the largest and most developed district of Karabük province. 220 km north of Ankara and 90 km south of the Black Sea. The city center is located 8 km north of Karabük, Belden. Safranbolu center and Karabük provincial center are adjacent.

Safranbolu has been an administrative and commercial center throughout history due to its geographical location. Hittites, Phrygians, indirect Lydians, Hellenistic Kingdoms, Romans, Seljuks, Candaros and Ottomans ruled in Safranbolu, which was Papalagonia in the Iliad epic of the historian Homeros in antiquity.

During the Byzantine period, the name of the city is called Dadybra. In 1196, the name of the city was Zalifre during the Seljuk period. During the period of the principals and the first times of the Ottomans the city was named Borglu and Borlu. As can be seen from 16th century Ottoman Tapu and Tahrir book, Borlu became Taraklıborlu because of Taraklı Aşireti which settled in the locality.

Other names used for Safranbolu after Safakbolu in the Ottoman period were Zağfiran-ı Borlu in the mid 18th century, Zağfiran-ı Benderli in the second half of the 19th century, Zağfiranbolu in the last quarter of the 19th century and finally Zafranbolu and Safranbolu.

The saffron plant, which gives its name to the city, is a plant with the ability to dye hundreds of times the weight of its own weight. It is used in food, medicine and cosmetics industry. Safranbolu is one of the rare places where this interesting plant is produced in the world.

Due to migrations and immigrants in the population, many changes. Today, according to the 2009 Adrese-based census, the population is 51,088.

The famous Safranbolu Houses are the most important building blocks of the 18th and 19th century Turkish society, the city culture, and the economy that survive today. All the houses were built for public buildings, religious buildings and monuments in a more central position. The landscape does not close, no matter what kind of house it is. The blueprints of the houses are close, the blueprints of the blueprints are clear, and they are in a position to watch each other. Nature - human - house; street - house, street - market relations are extremely regular and balanced in the neighborhood, as well as in the neighboring neighborhoods dominate. Because no house is blocking the other's opinion. Stone, mud brick, wooden and alaturka tiles are used in the construction of the houses and the gardens are separated from the street by stone walls.

December 17, 1994, the UNESCO World Heritage List in Safranbolu received approximately 50,000 in Turkey is hosting the protection of cultural and natural assets 1,125 required. For this reason, the museum is in the city.

Having a history of 3000 years, Safranbolu has hosted many civilizations and has reached a daily cultural richness. Especially the inn, hamam, mosque, fountain, bridge and unique mansions from the Ottoman era will awaken admiration. Bazaar and Bağlar are two distinct regions of historic Safranbolu worth seeing. The panoramic view of the city can be seen from the Hıdırlık Hill, which overlooks the vadiyi hill where the bazaar is located. Below is the Cinci Inn and Bath, opposite the castle, clock tower, tannery, old houses, mansions, inns and baths are unfolding as a whole. A similar view can be seen from the Kale and Hasan Dede Kayasi and Şahbalı ridges.

In Safranbolu, Cinci Han and Kaymakamlar Evi are two important works that must be visited. Kaymakamlar Evi is organized as a museum house and reflects the typical characteristics of historical Safranbolu houses in the best way. In addition, Manifaturacılar Street, behind Arasta where the houses restored by the Ministry of Culture and Government Street, Bakırcılar Bazaar, Demirciler Bazaar and Yemeniciler Arasta are definitely places to see.