Gümüşhane

Understand

Gümüş means silver, mined here for centuries, though it's always a minor component of other metal ores. The commonest ore, as here, is galena or lead sulphide. First you roast this to burn off the sulphur, which produces metallic lead with silver. This is heated further with very hot air blown over it, so the lead oxidises to slag while the silver floats on top as a molten bead. Meanwhile outside, a pall of smoke from the smelters cloaks the valley, and the village children have blue gums from absorbing the lead dust.

Until modern times, burning charcoal was the only way to reach the necessary temperature: silver melts at 961.8°C. It took a lot of charcoal, and producing charcoal demands a lot of wood. The local forests became stripped out, and this was one reason the industry ended in the 1920s. Another was that a lot of the know-how in this and other businesses was held by the Greeks, who called the place Argiroupoli (Αργυρόπολις), "silver city". But they were deported during the population exchanges of 1923: they were re-settled near Athens and called their new home Argiroupoli but it had no silver.

Get in

Gümüşhane stands on a highway through the mountains, but E97 now bypasses it through tunnels.

Buses and dolmuşes from Trabzon run frequently and take 1 hr 45 min via Torul.

is the bus station on Inönü Cd near town centre.

Get around

You need your own vehicle for this scattered province.

See

was built mid-16th century. It's the nucleus of the former settlement of Gümüşhane, perched on the hillside above the modern straggling town. Also here is a ruined church. is a small town along the road from the coast. A few walls remain of a Genoese castle on the slopes to the east. By it is a glass-platform viewpoint over the valley, touristy and overpriced. is a national park in the hills to the north. You can still take the old road over Zigana Pass, but the modern highway tunnels beneath. is a former mining village up in the mountains. This is the access point for Yılanlı Plateau and Artabel Lakes Nature Park higher up to the south. The lakes are glacial tarns; it's a tiring hike to reach them. is a ghost town, a former mining village near Dumanlı. Mining here and associated metal-work became unprofitable in the 19th century, so its Greek population was already drifting away before the deportations of 1923. The road from Yomra on the coast is much improved since 2024.

Do

thumb | 300px | Karaca Cave Hamam: the traditional Turkish baths by Süleymaniye Mosque were restored in 2024, but those in the main town have closed down. Mountain trekking is the main activity for visitors. Football: Gümüşhanespor play soccer in the amateur leagues at Yenişehir Stadyumu, capacity 3400.

Buy

Some 20 little supermarkets stand along the main street, typically open daily 09:00-21:00. Bim and Şok are the main chains.

Eat

thumb | 300px | Ateşotu or Mountain Fireweed

Local delicacies include lamb chop (kuzu pirzola), and Turkish pizza with minced meat / cheese / yolk (kıymalı/peynirli/yumurtalı pide). Near the bus station are Otogar Lokantası, Anadolu and Ataç Konağı. In town centre are Sevenin Yeri, Pide 29, YaBa Mantı, Divan Sofrası 29 and Gümüşeller Cafe.

Connect

Gümüşhane and its approach roads have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of June 2025, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

Sümela Monastery clings to a cliff north of the mountains. Trabzon is a bustling city on the Black Sea coast. Buses continue east into Georgia. To go west, take the side road D877 to the coast and head for Giresun. Erzincan is the next city going south.