Safranbolu Houses 3 :

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 >>> Contunie

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