Visitors explore coffee history in Safranbolu

KARABÜK

Established to carry the 500-year-old coffee culture of Anatolia into the future, the Türkiye Coffee Museum in Karabük’s Safranbolu district has taken more than 100,000 visitors on a journey through coffee history this year.

Founded six years ago by Semih Yıldırım to highlight coffee traditions and history, the museum both educates visitors and offers tastings of various regional styles of Turkish coffee. The venue, filled with the aroma of coffee, displays objects such as pots, cups, hand grinders, roasting pans, scales, wooden spoons, water jugs and sugar containers, immersing guests in history.

Created to promote Turkish coffee to future generations and international visitors, the museum also features notable items such as a cup once used by Sultan Abdülhamid, the pot of Sütçü İmam, a replica of the cup from which Atatürk drank his last coffee and a 12-sided cup symbolizing the 12 imams.

Located in the historic Cinci Han, built in 1645, the museum has attracted more than 100,000 visitors in just eight months since the beginning of the year.

'Domestic and foreign tourists are showing great interest in Turkish coffee'

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, museum founder Yıldırım said interest in Turkish coffee has been steadily increasing.

“Both local and international tourists are very curious about Turkish coffee. One of the biggest indicators is the growing number of visitors to our museum. By this time in 2025, we have already exceeded 100,000 visitors. Guests are exploring the museum with enthusiasm while also experiencing Turkish coffee,” he said.

Yıldırım noted that similar coffee museums have been established in other cities and added, “We have turned our Turkish coffee museum into a model. Creating thematic museums like this to tell the story of coffee from past to present is a source of great pride for us. From now on, we hope to see such museums not only in other cities but also abroad. We are proud to be pioneers in this regard.”

The collection expanded

The museum has recently moved from the second floor of Cinci Han to a larger space on the ground floor, Yıldırım explained.

“This new area is bigger, and our collection has expanded. We are now welcoming our guests in a much larger exhibition space,” he said.

He also pointed out that the English version of the book Atlas of Turkish Coffee, which he co-authored with Atilla Narin, has been published and is now available in different countries.

Highlighting the growing global interest in coffee, Yıldırım said, “This trend is reflected in numbers as well. Ten years ago, annual per capita coffee consumption in Türkiye was around 50 grams. Today it has reached 1.5 kilograms.”

Calling Turkish coffee an inspiration for new sectors, Yıldırım added:

“Recently, our cups in particular are in high demand, especially among women. Many women have started their own workshops to produce handmade cups. New industries have developed around coffee accessories, such as trays, sherbet holders, lokum dishes and water jugs. These handmade cups are becoming highly valuable, providing women with a new source of income. This is one of the most significant contributions of Turkish coffee today.”

Yıldırım also said the museum has revived more than 20 traditional coffee recipes from Anatolia.

“For example, ‘Hilve’ is made with walnut, honey and milk; ‘Mihrimah Sultan’ coffee is cooked with milk; and Tatar coffee is prepared with cream and milk, topped with pistachios. By offering such diverse flavors, we are increasing interest in Turkish coffee. Visitors can taste more than 20 different varieties here. Our goal is to strengthen people’s connection to Turkish coffee,” he concluded.