Safranbolu is a town in Karabük Province, located in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It is the main town of Safranbolu District. Its population was 52,999 in 2022. The town is about 9 kilometers north of Karabük city, 200 kilometers (about 120 miles) north of Ankara, and 100 kilometers south of the Black Sea coast. The town’s historic Greek names were Theodoroupolis, Dadybra, and Saphrampolis. Its former Turkish names were Zalifre and Taraklıborlu. Before 1923, Safranbolu was part of Kastamonu Province, and from 1923 to 1995, it was part of Zonguldak Province. The town is located at an elevation of 508 meters (about 1,667 feet).

Safranbolu became known for resisting Suleiman II, who attacked the town for four months, destroyed homes, and poisoned the water. Because of a famine, the people agreed to surrender and were allowed to leave safely.

According to the Ottoman General Census from 1881/82 to 1893, the district of Safranbolu had a total population of 52,523, including 49,197 Muslims and 3,326 Greeks.

The Old Town has many historic buildings, with 1,008 officially recognized historical items. These include 1 private museum, 25 mosques, 5 tombs, 8 historical fountains, 5 Turkish baths, 3 caravanserais, 1 historical clock tower, 1 sundial, and hundreds of homes and mansions. There are also mounds from ancient settlements, rock tombs, and historical bridges. The Old Town is in a deep ravine in a dry area on the side of the mountains where there is less rain. The New Town is located on a plateau about two kilometers west of the Old Town.

The name Safranbolu comes from the word "saffron" and the Greek word "polis," meaning "city." This is because Safranbolu was a trading center and a place where saffron was grown. Today, saffron is still grown in the village of Davutobası, which is 22 kilometers east of Safranbolu.

Safranbolu was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1994 because of its well-preserved Ottoman-style homes and buildings.

Notable natives

• Karabaşzade Hüseyin Efendi (Cinci Hoca) – Teacher and guide to Ottoman Sultan İbrahim in the 17th century
• Safranbolulu Izzet Mehmet Pasha – Important official in the Ottoman Empire during the 18th century, served from 1794 to 1798
• Türker İnanoğlu (born 1936) – Person who makes movies
• Ali Gümüş (1940–2015) – Leader of the Wrestling Commission for the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), also worked as a writer and reporter