Bozkurt is a district located on the Black Sea coast in the north of Kastamonu. The district economy is based on agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry and fishing. Its natural beauties include İlişi Beach, Yaralıgöz Mountain and Mamatlar Plateau.
History
The region where Bozkurt district is located became a living space for the Turkish tribes that came to Anatolia after the Malazgirt Victory (1071). The Oghuz tribes that came to the Kastamonu region from Kütahya and Denizli followed the valleys of Devrekani and Ezine Stream and reached the Black Sea coast. During this process, many villages were established around Bozkurt; for example, settlements such as Şenlikpazarı, Elmalıtekke, Şeyhoğlu, Kızılcaelma, Sakızcılar, Kestanesökü, İbrahim, and Bayramgazi emerged as the first Turkish villages. Kastamonu was a part of the Byzantine Empire from the 10th century onwards and was briefly under the influence of the Trabzon Greek Empire in the early 13th century. Turks and local Greeks lived together in and around Bozkurt for a while; the part of the district known today as Yılmaz Mahallesi (formerly known as Kilmes) remained a neighborhood with a Greek population until the pre-Republic period.
When the Ottomans took over the Kastamonu region (in 1460, when Fatih Sultan Mehmet ended the Candaroğulları Principality), Bozkurt came completely under Turkish rule. During the Ottoman period, today's Bozkurt remained a small settlement called "Pazaryeri" for a long time. In the early years of the Republic, the first municipal organization was established in the village of Pazaryeri in 1924. Pazaryeri Municipality was formed with the participation of surrounding villages (such as Bahçe, Gülmez/Kilmes and Saraycık/Sınarcık) and its first mayor was Hoca Mustafa Göksel. However, since municipal organizations were dissolved in towns with a population of less than 2,000 in accordance with the legal regulations in the 1930s, Pazaryeri Municipality was abolished in 1932.
Following this decline in the administrative structure, the region encountered a new situation when the neighboring town of Abana was made a district in 1945. Although its population and economic potential were less than Pazaryeri (Bozkurt), Abana gaining district status triggered a desire among the people of Pazaryeri to establish their own district. In the 1950s, initiatives were started to re-establish a municipality in Pazaryeri and a sufficient population was provided by attaching the nearby villages such as Mimir, Hamza, Hene and Narba to Pazaryeri as neighborhoods. The re-established Pazaryeri Municipality started its activities in 1952 under the chairmanship of Kazım Özcan. Following this administrative rise, the district center was moved from Abana to Pazaryeri at the end of 1953 and the name of the new district was determined as "Bozkurt" with the enacted law. Bozkurt, which was initially organized as a sub-district (town), officially gained district status on December 25, 1968; 32 villages were connected to the Bozkurt district borders and 12 villages were connected to the reorganized Abana district. Thus, Bozkurt gained its current administrative position as a district of Kastamonu.
Geography and Climate
Bozkurt is a coastal district of Kastamonu Province in the Western Black Sea Region of Türkiye. The district center is located approximately 2 km south of Abana district on the Black Sea coast and 95–100 km north of Kastamonu city center. To the east of Bozkurt is Çatalzeytin, to the west is İnebolu, to the south is Devrekani and Küre districts, and to the north is the Black Sea. Bozkurt district center is established on narrow plains and slopes on both banks of the Ezine Stream, at an average of 30–40 meters above sea level. The total area of the district is 286 km² and the terrain is quite rugged; there are no wide plains or flat areas except for the coastal area.
Bozkurt district is located on the northern skirts of the Küre Mountains (İsfendiyar Mountains) range. The altitude increases towards the inner parts within the district borders. Yaralıgöz Mountain (approximately 2000 m) and Göynük Mountain (1770 m), which are among the important elevations, are the mountains that affect the climate and precipitation regime of the district. These mountains hold the humid air masses coming from the south and west and provide abundant precipitation; in addition, Göynük Mountain partially blocks the winds coming from Sinop. The Black Sea climate prevails in the district; summers are cool and mild, and winters are relatively mild. Since there is abundant precipitation throughout the year, the temperature rarely drops below zero for long periods even in the winter months, and there are no sweltering heats in the summer. The vegetation is lush and diverse due to the mild climate and precipitation. Starting from sea level and rising, a rich forest cover is observed, from plants such as hazelnut and laurel to chestnut, beech, oak, fir and pine trees. Chestnut trees are especially common in Bozkurt forests. In addition to plants specific to the Black Sea climate, some Mediterranean plants such as olives and tangerines can also grow in the coastal area due to the microclimate.
The main streams that irrigate the district lands in the north are Ezine Stream and İlişi Stream. Ezine Stream, which originates in Devrekani district and flows through Bozkurt, flows into the Black Sea near Abana. Similarly, İlişi Stream, which is formed by the confluence of streams originating from Küre Mountains, flows through Bozkurt land and reaches the sea near Yakaören (İlişi) village. These streams have an irregular regime and have caused floods especially in spring and autumn rains. Flood barriers have been built along Ezine Stream to protect the district center. Although there are no natural lakes in Bozkurt, there are small ponds for agricultural irrigation purposes. The irrigation ponds in İsmail, Bayramgazi and İbrahim villages are examples of this.
Population and Demography
While the total population of Bozkurt district was 8,548 in 2007, it increased to 9,425 in 2024, and in this period, increases of 391, 481 and 674 people were observed in 2012–2013, 2017–2018 and 2022–2023, respectively, and decreases at varying rates were observed in other years. According to 2024 data, the male population is 4,745 (50.34%), the female population is 4,680 (49.66%), and the difference between the genders generally remains at the scale of a few hundred people. Annual population changes have followed a fluctuating course that can be explained by various factors such as local record updates and migration movements.
Economy
The economy of Bozkurt district is largely based on agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry. Industrial facilities are not developed in the district and small family farming and forest products play an important role in the people's livelihood. While corn and various vegetables are among the agricultural products grown, the symbolic agricultural product of the region is chestnut. This product, known as "Bozkurt chestnut", contributes to the economy both as fresh fruit and processed. Within the scope of forestry activities, the timber and understory products of trees such as chestnut, oak and beech are evaluated. The forest assets throughout the district also feed the furniture and wooden handicraft sector; crafts such as wood carving, furniture making, beekeeping equipment (such as hive making) have traditionally developed in Bozkurt. Small-scale workshops in this area both continue the cultural heritage and contribute to the local economy.
Animal husbandry is the second most important source of income in Bozkurt villages. Cattle and sheep breeding is done at the family business level; milk and meat production is used for consumption within the district and in the surrounding markets. The district has a short coastline on the Black Sea, which allows for fishing activity, albeit limited. Some families, especially around Yakaören, make a living by fishing in small boats.
Although the tourism sector was not a significant economic activity in Bozkurt in the past, steps have been taken towards tourism in recent years in order to increase economic diversity. In particular, in order to evaluate the coasts, boarding houses have begun to be developed in some villages. The conversion of village houses into boarding houses and the increase in expatriate visitors in the summer months have the potential to revitalize the service sector. However, due to Bozkurt's distance from major tourism centers and limited transportation, tourism revenues still have a small share in the economy.
Tourism, Culture and Cuisine
Bozkurt's culture is reflected in the handicrafts produced by local artisans; the district has a rich range of handicrafts ranging from original solutions to boutique designs, from garden furniture to traditional chests and boxes. The backbone of the district's cultural life is the Traditional Pilaf Festival held every year in April; this year, it was held for the 133rd time on April 1, 2025. In addition, it is said that this tradition, which used to bring together merchants from within and outside the region with large fairs lasting for a month, is still kept alive in the district with traces such as the Central Mosque built by Egyptian cotton merchant Mustafa Efendi.
Located 2 km south of Abana on the Black Sea coast, between the slopes of the Küre Mountains and the plains of the Ezine Stream, Bozkurt is approximately 95–96 km away from the center of Kastamonu. While transportation is provided by Turkish Airlines and Pegasus flights from Kastamonu Airport, it is also possible to reach the district from the bus terminal with minibus lines and trips organized by regional companies. While the untouched bays of Yakaören (İlişi) and Beldeğirmen villages opening to the Black Sea are preferred for sea tourism, the “Beyazıt Plane Tree” in Beldeğirmen, which is over 500 years old, attracts visitors as a registered nature monument. In addition, many picnic areas and recreation areas for plateau tourism offer unique experiences to nature travelers with the region’s mild climate and rich vegetation.
Bozkurt cuisine is based on the abundance of chestnuts that grow in the forests covering 67 percent of the district; there are chestnut trees in an area of approximately 16,000 hectares. 4,000 hectares of these are considered pure chestnut forests. The collected chestnuts are turned into flour and used in gluten-free chestnut flour, marmalade, sherbet and various desserts; and chestnut honey, with its richness in vitamins B and C, has muscle-strengthening and immune-regulating properties.
