Which Province Did Düzce Separate From? Its Location and Former Names

Düzce is a province in its own right today, although many people still associate it with Bolu. Looking into its earlier names brings up Konsapa, Üskübü and Prusias ad Hypium. These names do not all describe the same settlement, so the distinctions matter.

Which Province Did Düzce Separate From?

Düzce separated from Bolu and became a province on 9 December 1999. Until then, it was a district of Bolu.

Decree-Law No. 584 established Düzce as Türkiye’s 81st province, giving it a provincial administration of its own.

Its provincial status is relatively recent, but the area’s history reaches much further back. The ancient settlement at Konuralp is one of the places where that longer story remains visible.

Which Province Does Düzce Belong To?

Düzce does not belong to another province; it is a province itself. It lies in the western part of Türkiye’s Black Sea Region.

In everyday conversation, “Düzce” can mean either the whole province or the city centre. Akçakoca, for example, is a district within Düzce province, but it is a separate settlement from Düzce city.

That distinction helps when planning a visit. Genoese Castle in Akçakoca and the ancient theatre at Konuralp are within the same province, but they lie along different routes.

What Was Düzce’s Former Name?

Konsapa appears in the Ottoman-period history of the Düzce area. This historical regional name should not be treated as covering precisely the same boundaries as today’s city centre.

Other names commonly encountered relate to Konuralp:

Hypios was an early name of the ancient settlement at Konuralp. It later became known as Prusias ad Hypium. During the Ottoman period, Üskübü was used.

Presenting Prusias ad Hypium or Üskübü simply as the former name of modern Düzce city can therefore be misleading. These names belong to the history of the settlement at Konuralp, now within Düzce’s central district.

Konuralp: An Ancient Settlement in Düzce

Konuralp is an important stop for anyone interested in Düzce’s ancient past. Prusias ad Hypium Ancient City is particularly notable for its theatre.

Looking across the theatre’s rows of seats makes the distinction clearer. Düzce’s present provincial identity dates to 1999; the settlement history of Konuralp reaches back to antiquity.