Sarıyakup Village: Zaviye, History, and Mountain Landscape

Sarıyakup lies on the northern slopes of the Pontic Mountains. The Aksu River collects water from the Sarıyakup area. In the broader travel region, Dereli lies in the Aksu Valley, in the south of Giresun Province. This places the village in context both through its own hillside location and through the wider regional setting.

Historic Routes and Local History

Sarıyakup was a stopping point on the historic road between the Kelkit Valley and the port of Giresun. Roads connecting the Black Sea ports with Şebinkarahisar also passed through the village. Together, these details give Sarıyakup a historic role as a stopping and transit point. A zaviye is said to have served travelers on the historic route across the mountains. This function is reported as a possibility and is part of the village’s history, not a statement about present-day routes.

Hamza Şeyh and the Zaviye

Hamza Şeyh lived in Sarıyakup village in the first half of the 15th century. According to local tradition, he is regarded as an eren who came from Khorasan to provide spiritual guidance to the region. The Hamza Şeyh Zaviye in Sarıyakup is documented in the 1455 Tapu Tahrir register. The village’s history thus brings together a specific historical date and a religious tradition about Hamza Şeyh.

Teberrük Halife, Hamza Şeyh’s successor, lived in Sarıyakup in the 17th century. The zaviye is believed to have been rebuilt in the 1540s. The institution appears to have remained active until the mid-17th century and seems to have played an important role in the settlement of the region. This timeline makes the zaviye a central subject in Sarıyakup’s history: its early connection with Hamza Şeyh, its later rebuilding, and its presumed importance for settlement belong to different stages of its history.

Sarıyakup’s history also includes a zaviye led by Şeyh Hacı and a Friday mosque where Mevlana Mehmed Fakih served as a cleric. Hamza Şeyh’s tomb is in the Hamzaşıh neighborhood. It is one of the dervish tombs visited by people seeking healing. The area around these sites later became quieter.

Nature in the Wider Region

Nature walks are also an option when planning a wider trip: Kuzalan Waterfall and Blue Lake Nature Park is located in the wider region around Sarıyakup, where nature walks are possible. The nature park adds a different focus to the village’s history within the broader travel region. When considering your trip, you can therefore decide whether you are most interested in the history of Hamza Şeyh and the zaviye in Sarıyakup, or in nature walks in the wider region.

Find a Hotel for Your Trip to Sarıyakup

When looking for a hotel in Sarıyakup Village, it helps to first decide what you would like to focus on during your trip. Those interested in local history will find several connected themes in Hamza Şeyh, the zaviye, and the historic roads. If you would also like to include nature walks, you can explore the wider region where the nature park is located. This lets you choose a destination that suits your interests before looking for a hotel.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Piraziz, Tirebolu, Eynesil, Şebinkarahisar, Çengelköy, Kaledibi, Bulancak, Sultanköy Village

For the broader travel overview: Giresun.