New fields of fragrant lavender are thought to become a new tourist destination in Turkey’s Karabük province located in Anatolia’s evergreen Black Sea region, as the country started a normalization process amid new coronavirus outbreak.
Under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as a part of a project run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 10,000 lavender saplings were planted in the area of Beştepeler in the historical town of Safranbolu, which was added to UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1994. Together with Istanbul, it became one of the first places in Turkey to be included in the world heritage list on a city level.
The city managed to preserve its cultural heritage to such an extent that it still reflects the traditional daily and social life of Turks to this day. The Beypazar, Traklı and Odunpazarı areas in the town are particularly perfect examples that reflect the architecture of classic Ottoman cities. There are about 2,000 traditional homes in the city, 800 of which are officially protected by the government.
Safranbolu District Governor Fatih Ürkmezer said in a statement that they are happy to launch the projects for the town.
“It is gratifying to see that lavender seedlings hold and develop so fast in its first year. Hopefully, it will become a big lavender field in 3 years. Lavender field, which is a first in our district, will be enriched with other aromatic plants and will add a new value to Safranbolu in the field of economy and tourism,” he said.
