Vakfıkebir Castle (Vakfıkebir Kalesi)
The castle ruins on the hill north of the district centre date from the Byzantine period and were built to control sea trade. The wide Black Sea panorama can be enjoyed from the castle.
View on map3 places to visit in the Vakfıkebir district of Trabzon: Vakfıkebir Castle (Vakfıkebir Kalesi), Vakfıkebir Shore (Vakfıkebir Sahili) and Vakfıkebir Plateaus (Vakfıkebir Yaylaları). Plan your trip to Vakfıkebir with local food, practical tips and transport information.
General Information
Vakfıkebir is a district of Trabzon province, bordered by Beşikdüzü to the west, Tonya and Düzköy to the south, and Çarşıbaşı and Akçaabat to the east. Being a natural harbour, it was one of the important centres of sea transport in history.
Origin of the Name
It takes its current name from Gülbahar Hatun, mother of the Ottoman sultan Selim I. According to one account, the origin of the district’s name is based on the story of Gülbahar Hatun, who came from Istanbul to visit Selim I while he was in Trabzon. Caught in a storm at sea, she said that she would endow the first place she reached on land.
Ottoman Period Development
Vakfıkebir became a kaza (subdistrict) of the Ottoman Empire in 1874. The municipal organisation was established in 1877, and its first mayor was Bahadırzade Yusuf Ağa. In 1888 the district’s first Rüştiye school opened, and in 1892 Ziraat Bank opened as the first bank. During the First World War, Vakfıkebir was occupied by the Russian Empire on 20 July 1916, and the occupation lasted until 14 February 1918.
Republican Period
In 1954, Tonya to the south was separated from Vakfıkebir to become an independent district; later, in the 1980s and 1990s, Beşikdüzü and Şalpazarı to the west and Çarşıbaşı to the east were also separated and became independent districts. The Vakfıkebir Bread Festival has been held in the district since 1994.
Geographical Structure
The district’s lands are under the influence of the climate of the Eastern Black Sea Region, and the climate here has the maritime character of a temperate climate. The district covers an area of 141 km², and the average elevation of Vakfıkebir district centre above sea level is 12 metres.
History and Culture
Vakfıkebir became a kaza of the Ottoman Empire in 1874. The district’s current name comes from Gülbahar Hatun.
Highlights
In 1874, under the Ottoman Provincial Law, Vakfıkebir became a district attached to the Trabzon province. Vakfıkebir takes its current name from Gülbahar Hatun, mother of Yavuz Sultan Selim.
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