Gümüşhane, city, northeastern Turkey. It lies along the Harşit River at an elevation of 5,000 feet (1,500 metres), about 40 miles (65 km) southwest of Trabzon.
The origin and history of the ancient settlement are obscure. The silver (Turkish: gümüş) mines from which the city’s name is derived were mentioned by Venetian traveler Marco Polo and the medieval North African traveler Ibn Baṭṭūṭah; those mines have been worked out since the 19th century. Since then the economy of Gümüşhane has been based on the export of fruits (chiefly apples and pears) from its orchards and upon its position as a transit station between the port of Trabzon and western Iran. Russian occupation during World War I left half of the old city in ruin; the new city built since then is now the commercial and administrative centre. Nearby historical buildings include partially ruined castles, Turkish baths, mosques, and several Byzantine churches. Pop. (2000) 30,270; (2013 est.) 32,444.