Safranbolu Houses
What make Safranbolu
distinctive in our country and in the world is the
Safranbolu houses with their traditional Turkish
architecture. These houses are very specific by
their urban structures and their architecture. In
other words Safranbolu Houses are
cornerstones of Turkish urban culture, created in
hundreds of years. That is why in order to learn
more about Safranbolu Houses we need to have
sufficient information on various issues like
climate, culture, family life, economy and
traditions of the area.
There are approximately 2000 traditional Turkish
houses at the center of the town, which were built
during 18th, 19th and at the beginning of 20th
centuries 800 of those houses are under protection.
The houses are grouped at two separate regions of
Safranbolu. The first is the part
that is known as ''the city'' and was used as winter
residence; the second is the section known as ''
Bağlar '' and was used as summer residenc
The city consists of the
districts of Kale - administrative center; çarşı-
shopping center; and Akçasu, Gümüş, Musalla,
Kıranköy and Tabakhane where houses are located.
This part of Safranbolu is located at two low
altitude valleys that are protected against harsh
effects of the weather. Here, the houses are close
to each other and the streets are narrow. Bağlar is
located at high altitude, open to air current, on
wide lands. Almost everyone has one winter and one
summerhouse. The people of the area live in winter
houses in winter and as the whether gets warmer they
move to their summerhouses. Nevertheless, production
and trade continues at ''Çarşı'' in summer as well.
In Safranbolu, though being
functional is the main concern in the formation of
the city, esthetical aspects have never been
neglected. The settlement order of houses and public
buildings, bazaars and market places, the structures
of roads, streets and squares are the examples of
this dedication to the idea of being functional.
All houses face public and religious buildings and
monuments. No matter from which house you are
looking the scenery is never blocked
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The commercial area is at the center, bazaars are
just around this area and tanneries and other
production having a pollutant effect are at the
lower parts and the sides of the city. The people
living in the area sell their products at the
separate markets for each type of good; grains,
vegetable, cattle and timber. After selling their
goods, people buy their daily needs from the leather,
shoemakers, coppersmith, blacksmith, drapery markets
and etc. close to each other and which are organized
as guilds..
Roads and streets leading to
the center of the city are all covered with stone as
well as the yards of the houses and squares of the
city. The existing pavement style of the stones
minimizes humidity, resistant to floods and allows
enough water to pass to the roots of the trees. The
scenery and the facet are as important as the
climate while locating the houses. The scenery from
the windows , outher door of the yard or between two
houses all have the same importance. At first glance,
this detail might be overlooked but it is evident
for all buildings and the whole city.
As we advance to the Safranbolu Houses from the
general structure of the city we can see that these
houses are the result of a vast culture accumulation,
wealth and great expertise. As Çelik Gülersoy
pointed out, not even one house is made like a
cottage in Safranbolu. All houses have been built in
the middle of a big yard, they are mostly 3 floors,
6 or 8 rooms big houses designed for the convenience
of the people living in it and highly aesthetic.
There are three factors determining the size and the
shape of a Safranbolu House; big families, rainy
weather and cultural and material prosperity.
Normally, a family has two or
three children. When the son gets married, he does
not move to a separate house, his wife moves in with
him to his father's house. Uncles, aunts and grand
children all live in the same house. In order to
help the housewife with the housework there usually
is an adopted girl. The adopted girl, who is taken
from a family in need and from villages, is treated
like one of the family. The adopted girl gets
married like the daughter of the family, and a new
girl is adopted. Sons move out as they get gain
economic independence
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A traditional Safranbolu House comprises two living
parts; one is ''harem'' and the other is
''selamlık''. Cattle and horses live in the stables
at the entrance level of the houses. Because of the
rainy weather there is need for covered areas. The
food for the people and the animals and the fire-
wood are all kept in the appropriate parts of the
houses. For all these reasons Safranbolu Houses are
big.
Another effect of the rainy weather is on the roofs.
The roofs must have long eaves and have to be
perfect since it rains a lot. Therefore the
expression '' five sided architectural work'' is
used for Safranbolu houses.
Architects of our day usually point out that,
Safranbolu houses have ''respect for the environment’’.
Nature- human- house, street-house and street-bazaar
relations are harmonious and balanced. The respect
for the neighbor is as important as the respect for
the environment. Houses do not block the view of
each other. We can say that the scenery is fairly
shared in Safranbolu.
The houses with functional designs making life
easier for people, are constructed using stones,
sun- dried brick, wood and tile. No matter the shape
of the land, appropriate geometry has been achieved
at upper floors.
The yards are separated from the street with
stonewalls. The entrance to the yard and sometimes
directly to the house is through big two wing door.
There are big locks, doorknockers and latches on
each door. The strangers who come to the house knock
the door by using doorknocker while a member of the
house check the latch to see if the door is open.
The noise coming from the latch lets the people in
the house know that the person coming is not a
stranger. The way the neighbors use the doorknockers
to knock the door lets the people in the house
understand who is at the door. In case the door is
locked, it can be opened by with a rope pulled from
the upper floors of the house.
As the result of the tradition Haremlik - Selamlık
some houses have two entrances
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At the entrance of the house,
in the ground floor there is ''hayat''. If this part
is covered with stones, it is called ''taşlık'' Here
there is ''gliste '' which provides light and where
the wood for fire is left to dry. There are also
stables, big furnaces and granary in the ground
floor
There are stairs to the upper
floors, which demonstrate the best examples of
woodcraft. Second floor has a lower ceiling than the
other floors. At this floor there is a kitchen that
can also be used as a bedroom if necessary. There is
a wooden revolving cupboard for conveying food
between the kitchen and the selamlık. Daily life
usually takes place at the mid-floor. It is easier
to keep this floor warm on cold winter days.
The third floor is the point
where perfection is reached in a Safranbolu house.
At this floor ceilings are higher. The entrance to
the rooms are through the doors which are opened
from shorter four sides of an eight sided ''sofa''
(Çardak) . The entrance doors of the rooms are at
the corners and there is wooden screen at the door,
which blocks the direct contact to the room at the
entrance. Sofas and the ceilings of the rooms are
decorated with wooden ornaments. There is a sofa
arrangement and most of the time a furnace in each
room. At the side walls of the room there are wooden
wardrobes and shelves. Each room has been designed
as an independent quarter to accommodate a small
family or a relative. In each room, inside the
wardrobes there are small rooms for ablution like
today's shower cabins.
People follow a hierarchical
order as they sit in those rooms. The best place is
for the eldest of the family or the guest. The
person who is in charge of the service to the room
sits where he or she can see screen before the door.
Bay windows of Safranbolu
houses, while adding a special appearnce to the
facet of the house, they help people who sit on the
sofas located at sides have the total view of the
street.
Ornamental hand made chisel decorations can be seen
all over the house
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The windows of the house that were designed in a
special way are long and narrow. There are wooden
cages at the windows. There are usually a lot of
windows although it differs according to the size of
the room. This way more can be seen from the inside
and the house looks better from the outside. Some of
the big rooms have total of eight windows (four at
one side and four at the other side), The number of
the windows is quite high for a house . The curtains
at the windows are white, laced and hand crafted.
The houses are kept warm by the help of furnaces.
Live coals taken from the furnace are carried to the
chafing dishes. Even if isolation between floors is
used sometimes, it is difficult to keep the heat
inside in timber houses. Therefore the purpose is to
keep the people warm instead of keeping the room
warm. Stoves were used in near past.
Oil lamps are used for light. During later periods
bigger oil lamps called “luks lamba” are used.
Food is cooked on the big furnaces in the kitchen
and served in the rooms on the floor. Big storages
suitable to store all kinds of food are near the
kitchen.
Toilets are kept away from the rooms and there are
small windows at the blind sides of the toilets for
ventilation. Sewage disposal is separated from the
dish- water they flow to two big different holes at
the yard.
It a custom to hang deer antler to the eaves of the
houses for good luck.
In front of the houses there are fountains. Water
works in the city is advanced considering the time
they were built. The water was carried to the city
from upon '' Incekaya Aqueduct’’ that was 5 km away.
In some big houses there are rooms with ponds. The
ponds are big and the depth is almost equal to a
person’s height. In the house that belongs to Ismail
Asmaz the pond was constructed at the second floor.
In some houses the ponds are in the independent
buildings which are called ''selamlık köşkü'' at the
courtyard ( Hacı Hüseyinler Evi)
