Tokatlı Canyon: Glass Terrace and Ottoman Aqueduct

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1. What is Tokatlı Canyon?
2. How do you get to Tokatlı Canyon?
3. When is the best time to visit Tokatlı Canyon?
4. What is the history of Tokatlı Canyon?
5. What is Tokatlı Canyon famous for?
6. What can you see at Tokatlı Canyon?
7. Frequently asked questions about Tokatlı Canyon
8. What do the official records say about Tokatlı Canyon?

What is Tokatlı Canyon?

Tokatlı Canyon (Tokatlı Kanyonu) is a steep-sided gorge just north of Safranbolu, cut through layers of limestone by the Hızar stream. It runs for about 9 km between Tokatlı village and the edge of the old town, and a walking trail follows the stream for most of that distance.

Two structures have made it one of the most visited sights around Safranbolu: the İncekaya Aqueduct, an Ottoman water bridge spanning the gorge, and the Crystal Terrace (Kristal Teras), a glass-floored viewing platform projecting over the drop. Together they make an easy half-day trip from town.

How do you get to Tokatlı Canyon?

The aqueduct and the glass terrace are about 7.5 km north of Safranbolu’s centre. There is no regular bus, so take a taxi, drive, or join a tour from Safranbolu.

Walkers can do the canyon trail on foot from town: the route along the stream links Tokatlı village with the Eski Çarşı area (Gümüş neighbourhood) of Safranbolu, about 9 km in all. Wear proper shoes; the path is uneven and can be slippery after rain.

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When is the best time to visit Tokatlı Canyon?

April to June and September to October are best for hiking: the stream is running, the trees are green or turning, and the trail is dry. Summer is fine for the terrace but hot on the open stretches of the walk. In winter the canyon trail can be muddy or icy. Visit the terrace early in the day to avoid the coach groups.

What is the history of Tokatlı Canyon?

The canyon has always been Safranbolu’s back garden: a source of water and a route into the hills to the north. Its best-known monument, the İncekaya Aqueduct, was built in the 18th century for Safranbolulu İzzet Mehmet Pasha, a native of the town who served as Ottoman grand vizier from 1794 to 1798, to carry water across the gorge towards Safranbolu. It is a rubble-stone bridge about 116 m long and up to 2.2 m wide, with one main arch and five smaller ones, rising around 60 m above the canyon floor.

The 2002 provincial inventory already noted that trekking events were often organised in the Tokatlı and Düzce canyons, which pass through Safranbolu. A decade later, in 2012, the glass Crystal Terrace was added to draw more visitors. It closed for a period during the Covid-19 restrictions and reopened in 2021.

What is Tokatlı Canyon famous for?

• The Crystal Terrace, often described in Turkish media as the country’s first glass viewing terrace.
• İncekaya Aqueduct, the Ottoman water bridge built for a grand vizier born in Safranbolu.
• The canyon walk of about 9 km along the Hızar stream.

What can you see at Tokatlı Canyon?

The Crystal Terrace. The platform is about 80 m above the canyon floor. It is 11 m long and covers roughly 100 square metres, with a floor of three layered panes of glass, each 3 cm thick. Only about 30 people are allowed on it at a time, so there may be a short wait at busy times. From the end you look straight down into the gorge and along to the aqueduct. There is a small entrance fee.

İncekaya Aqueduct. The stone bridge, about 116 m long, crosses the gorge on one tall main arch flanked by five smaller ones. Its deck is narrow, between 1.1 and 2.2 m wide, so take care if you step onto it, especially with children.

The canyon trail. Below the terrace the path follows the Hızar stream through woodland, between limestone walls. It is used by hikers and, on some stretches, by local horse-riding and outdoor groups. Squirrels and many bird species can be seen along the way.

Rock tombs of the Soğanlı valley. The 2002 inventory notes that Safranbolu’s most important rock-cut tombs are along the Soğanlı stream, at Gündoğan, Üçbölük, Hacılarobası and Çavuşlar villages. The Çatalin tomb near Hacılarobası is cut into a 10 m rock face, with a two-columned porch and a single chamber. They make a good extension for drivers.

Combine the canyon with Bulak (Mencilis) Cave to the west and Yörük Village to the east for a full day around Safranbolu.

Frequently asked questions about Tokatlı Canyon

What do the official records say about Tokatlı Canyon?

Because the geography of the province is mountainous, it has natural trekking areas. Trekking events are frequently organised on the Sorkun, Ulu, Sarıçiçek, Boduroğlu and Avdan highland pastures and in the Tokatlı and Düzce canyons, which pass through Safranbolu.

The province is a tourism paradise for its highland pastures, rich forests, flora and fauna, outstanding landscapes and medicinal herbs. Walking in cool, clean, oxygen-rich air, pitching a tent, watching and photographing wild animals in their natural surroundings and studying plant species offer people a different atmosphere. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Karabük Provincial Tourism Inventory, 2002)