Küre is a district located in a mountainous and forested area in the north of Kastamonu. Mining and forestry activities are prominent in the district. Agriculture and animal husbandry activities are limited. The natural areas within the borders of Küre Mountains National Park constitute the geographical structure of the district.

^{Küre (TC Küre District Governorship)}

History

Küre district is a district of historical importance. The copper mine in the region has attracted the attention of various civilizations throughout history. Current findings show that structures such as Doğanlar Castle in the Karadonu Village borders belong to the Paphlagonian period, which ruled between 1100-700 BC. Old mining galleries and tools reveal that mining was also carried out in the region during the Byzantine period; the most important structure of this period is Ağlı Castle. Küre began to experience its most active period during the Turkish principality period when it came under the rule of the Candaroğulları Principality in 1292. During this period, many mosques, madrasahs and baths were built in the district, and structures such as the Hoca Akşemseddin Mosque (Molla Şemsettin Mosque), İsmail Bey Bath and Müderris Bath that have survived to this day remain from that period. During the reign of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, the Ottoman Empire obtained the copper for the cannons it used in the conquest of Istanbul from Küre. The name "Küre-i Nuhas" (copper mine) is written on these cannons. The name of the district, which was once called "Küre-i Mamure", comes from here.

In the population records established after the Tanzimat (1840), Küre is seen as a settlement consisting of 16 neighborhoods. However, the backwardness in industrialization and natural disasters towards the end of the 19th century negatively affected the district. The great fires that occurred in 1898 and 1913 destroyed most of Küre, along with many historical artifacts. Küre, which was affiliated with a judgeship during the Ottoman period, became a sub-district of İnebolu in 1868. During the National Struggle, the district residents played an active role in issues such as transporting ammunition from İnebolu to the front and fighting on the front, and provided support. After the foundation of the Republic, Atatürk accepted the request for Küre to become a district during his visit to Kastamonu on August 25, 1925, and Küre officially became a district on June 26, 1926. There is no definite information on the date of the municipality's establishment, as the documents were destroyed in the fires. It is known that there was a municipal organization in Küre in the late 1800s.

During the Republican period, steps were taken for the development of the district. In order to increase the contribution of the rich forest assets to the economy, the forest management directorate was established in 1943; mineral exploration studies that started in 1939 were completed in 1945 and the mine was opened for operation in 1955. During this period, the Küre economy was shaped around mining and forestry. However, in recent years, due to changes in policies towards the mining and forestry sectors and privatizations, the economic vitality of the district has decreased and the population has started to emigrate.

Geography and Climate

Küre district is located on the İsfendiyar (Küre) Mountains within the borders of Kastamonu in the Western Black Sea Region. The geographical coordinates of the district, which is located on an old road route connecting Central Anatolia to the Black Sea, are approximately 41°42′ north latitude, 33°42′ east longitude. The district center is 960 meters above sea level. Küre, which has a completely mountainous and steep terrain, is located at the foothills of the Küre Mountains surrounded by Bartın to the northwest. The district center is approximately 60 km from Kastamonu, 30 km from İnebolu, 300 km from Ankara and 465 km from Istanbul.

Küre's climate is a combination of the characteristics of the Western Black Sea climate and local effects related to altitude. Due to the high altitude, summers are cool and similar to the highland climate, with few extremely hot days. Winters are long and rainy; sometimes meters of snow cover form. Winter prevails in the district for about 8 months. The average rainfall is high, as it is high, and it receives a lot of snow, and sudden weather changes are common. Küre is located in the third-degree earthquake zone of Türkiye.

The land structure of the district is covered by forests at a rate of 65%. Generally, tree species such as fir, beech, oak and pine are common; species such as hornbeam, elm, alder and poplar are also seen. In the middle layer, there are trees such as spruce, hazelnut, cranberry and plants such as rhododendron, blackberry, sage and fern. In the limited agricultural lands opened to settlement, fruits such as apple, pear, cherry, sour cherry and walnut are grown. The most important stream of the district is Küre Stream, formed by the confluence of Zemberekler Stream and Uzunöz Stream.

Population and Demography

The population of Küre district, which was 7,766 in 2007, decreased to 5,303 people as of 2024; during this period, although there were increases of 242 people in 2017–2018 and 341 people in 2022–2023, a population decrease was recorded in all other years. In 2024, the male population was 2,766 (52.16%), the female population was 2,537 (47.84%), and the difference between the genders was determined as 229 people. Annual population changes have exhibited a fluctuating course that can be associated with factors such as administrative record updates and migration movements.

Economy

The Küre economy has historically been based on mining and forestry. The copper mine in the district is the traditional source of income for the local people. Agricultural areas in the district are quite limited and there is no irrigation opportunity; therefore, agricultural production generally remains at the level of family needs. Some community groups living in forest villages provide additional income by working in forestry jobs. In addition to mineral production, the forest products grown have an important place in the economy.

The limited agriculture and industry is one of the factors that fuel migration in Küre. Due to the rugged structure of the land and the difficulty of climatic conditions, non-agricultural activity areas have not developed. Forest enterprises established since the mid-20th century and revitalized mines have formed the basis of the economic structure. On the other hand, with the policies throughout the country and the privatization of mining/forestry enterprises, the contribution of these sectors to the district has decreased and the population has migrated from the region to other cities. Recent studies show that benefiting from the natural beauties of the region through tourism can be an important opportunity for the economy.

Tourism, Culture and Cuisine

The Küre district has a touristic potential with its rich natural structure and cultural heritage. The Küre Mountains National Park, which is largely located within the district borders, is the focus of ecotourism specific to the region. The area, which was declared a national park in 2000, contains forests, deep canyons (such as Valla, Çatak, Horma, Aydos, Malyas), caves (Ilgarini Cave, etc.) and waterfalls (Ilıca Waterfall, etc.). This natural area draws attention with its rich flora and fauna; it is home to mammals such as bears, wolves, jackals, wild boars, deer, roe deer, martens, and squirrels, as well as many bird species. It was selected as one of Europe's priority forest conservation areas by WWF and became the 13th pan park in Europe by receiving the "Pan Park" certificate in 2012.

Culturally, Küre attracts attention with its historical artifacts and local handicrafts. The Hoca Akşemseddin Mosque (Molla Şemsettin Mosque), which dates back to the pre-Ottoman period, was built in 1455 and is still standing today and open for worship. There are also Ottoman-era structures such as İsmail Bey Hamam and Müderris Hamam in the district. In addition to these structures, archaeological findings made in the recent past have also revealed works that show the level of civilization such as old madrasahs and water pipes. In Küre, the copper mining tradition that has lasted for thousands of years is also kept alive in the copper workmanship specific to the region. Copper cooking and serving vessels such as pans, ligen and trays produced in the district are concrete examples of this tradition.

In terms of local cuisine, Küre has the general characteristics of Kastamonu cuisine. The region has a rich food culture. The “etli ekmek” (Daday etli ekmek) which is spread with minced meat on thinly rolled dough and baked in a stone oven is one of the main ones. Banduma, a type of meat bread dipped in chicken broth with walnuts, and various vegetable or meat pilafs (such as ekşili pilaf, ala pilaf) are also made in the district cuisine. Among the types of börek, there is a type of börek specific to the region called “Küre böreği”. Among the desserts, the “çekmece helva” which is specific to Kastamonu is famous; in addition to these, winter foods such as pestil, pekmez and compote are widely prepared. Preserved forms such as pestil, marmalade, jam and compote are consumed from fresh fruits such as apple, sour cherry, cherry and üryani plum in every season. Families make dried beans, peppers, eggplant, zucchini and minced meat or sausage and pastırma from minced meat before winter and store them.