Derabaşı Bends in Turkey’s Black Sea region has become a favorite place for adrenaline enthusiasts in recent years, after it was introduced to regional tourism.
At an altitude of 3,500 meters (11,483 feet), the road is the shortest route from Trabzon, a large port city, to the sleepy town of Bayburt to the south, which connects part of the Black Sea region to inner regions of Turkey. Although most drivers prefer longer routes, steep rocks and 13 hairpin turns do little to discourage adventure seekers from braving the route, which was selected as the “most dangerous road in the world” by the Dangerous Roads website.
Speaking to Demirören News Agency (DHA), Emre Gündoğan, a passerby on the road, said that he is traveling on the most difficult road in the world and called on all adrenaline-seekers to use the route.
“There are too many sharp bends. We shuddered while passing the road and when looking downward. Beginner drivers should not pass this road,” he said.
The road is estimated to have been built during the Russian invasion in 1916 by locals doing forced labor. It has been restored occasionally, but it barely resists the forces of nature, from dense fogs and rainfall common in the Black Sea region to landfalls and avalanches. It is closed to traffic for about six months every year due to heavy snow, but in summer, melting snow creates a scenic route for drivers as it turns into pristine water in streams straddling the slopes. Yet, if driving without caution can send you to the bottom of the cliffs, as the road has no guardrails. Sudden, steep grades also pose a challenge for those missing road signs. Some narrow sections of the road are not wide enough for two cars, and some parts are made of gravel instead of stable asphalt.
