Araç

Araç is a settlement founded on the north of Arac River arising from Ilgaz Mountain. Arac is located on the way Kastamonu-Safranbolu it is located at the west of black sea region in 47th Kilometer on the way Kastamonu-Karabuk. While the borough that has area of 1848 kilometer was a sub district centre attached to Kastamonu till 1868,it was turned in to a borough attached to the same place on this date. Arac became borough in 1868. it had 169 villages in 1899. The Number of attached villages fell up to 156 in 1970,120 in 1980,119 in 2000 with the changes made in the structure of public administration.
The borough still having 119 attached villages is composed of 6 neighbour hoods in the centre. There are 359 settlements in the region by reason of the mountainous terrain and geographical conditions. The borough’s height is 640 meters above sea level. The borough’s village area is 35 kilometer square. It is a borough of Kastamonu province and Kastamonu and Ihsangazi; on the east, Safranbolu on the west, Daday on the north, Kursunlu and Cerkes on the south, in its 3500 yearly settlement history, Arac as being seven separate cultures and civilization’s cradle is a field of rich history and archeological art. These arts are Arac, Asar Akhisar, Asagi Karabuzey, Egirce, Plain, Bahcecik and Arslanlar, Asagi Guney, Merdivenli, Kadinca, Village, Gavur House, Sofcular, Pinarbasi, Kral hamami, Inek Tepesi, Inkaya, Kiziloren, Kaya mezarlari, in the borough centre Koturum Beyazid, Tatlica Mosques in Tatlica Village, The ruins of caravanserai in Saltuklu, the borough has taken the name of Arac at the time of Candarogullari, West side of the borough is usually open. Continental climate is generally dominant in the region. Summers are hot, winters are snowy and freezing, and it is raining generally in spring and autumn this rain is in the form of snow in winter. Snowing starts at the end of November and at the beginning of December. Snow’s height becomes 1 to 1,5 meters in same areas. Spring is usually cool. Coolness shows itself better especially at the high parts. Hot days start at the beginning of June and go on to the middles of August.

Arac is the borough giving most martyrs on the basis of population in the war of independence, the Heroic people of our borough participated in the war of independence and fought on many fronts. Arab’s people giving all kinds of support to the defense of country gave most martyrs during the war.

Arac being a borough attached to Kastamonu is the Plateau of geography that it is in. The river which is in the south of borough is named as plateau, it has got 21 plateaus being in the distance of 3 to 5 kilometers to each other, these plateaus decorate borough like diamond necklace.

Although it is not possible to talk about an active plateau life due to increasingly mechanization in agriculture, plateau houses and natural beauties appearing while passing the plateaus are unique. Also Flowers unique to the region in flora are like a painting, plateaus show themselves as a rare venue to nature lovers. They are natural racecourse for outdoor sports; also these plateaus are so qualified that photo fans take hundreds of photos. Arac; with a radical and traditional history is tike social museum in which folkloric values live.

Arac Plateau Houses with its unique public architecture are built in the form of ‘Canti”.

These temporary setting buildings that show the quality of using the geography most economically are built in a model to reply the target of products that must be produced in the field acquisition and storage because of this thought, human comfort is in the second plan. There are generally protection parts for products such as milk, butter, yoghurt in the north sides of plateau houses with stove and single room, if you take a wonder throughout the plateau in our forests arm ,kind and friendly Arac people will welcome you. You will see guest lovers’ eyes and you will feel yourself at your own house with a comfortable and hot atmosphere. Plateau is a voice in these lands. It is a call to life; it is a burned folk song that is sung sometimes by a village young man, sometimes by a wind.

It sometimes flows being tear in Fatma’s groove, sometimes falls to plain in “Basdegirmen” and buries in “Saltuklu”. It is a nobility living for centuries and rest to the world…

It is sedate like pines arousing pencils, jealousy… It is a folk song that people, winds, flowers, birds sing plateau is people themselves it is a folk song, an enthusiastic mood, it is a lack of Water in “Cikla Water” it is loss in “Sogulca plain” it is breathing again and again in Findikli plateau.

Handicrafts:

Agriculture production, social life, living together, culture of solidarity are still alive. In Arac that hasn’t lost the soul of being union at the harvest wedding and death, especially wedding
traditions and entertainments, village middle game going on Igdir villages arises as interesting folkloric elements. These are weaves in Serdar village living with its last masters and basket making in Basköy. Also, the other one is press made with wooden press mould.

You can think of purchasing a tablecloth whose press is made with modder as a souvenir in your visits if you take a wander to Arac.

Festivals:

People have migrated from Araç for years. Common jobs are confectioners and candy makers, the doyen of job that makes candy and lokum more delightful is Haci Bekir, There are many Arac people drawing direction themselves by working both as an apprentice and as a master in Hacı Bekir company, Araç people address to hearts with their geography, to palates with their tastes that they present traditional Hacı Bekir confectioners, Candy makers and Plateau Culture Festival are celebrated with different kinds of activities.
Nature sports – Natural life

In a Plateau, thyme smells surrounding you, cold springs taking away tiredness from you, comfort you. Sometimes silence of the morning sometimes darkness of the evening is the fascinating. Close your eyes to the winds that make your hair scattered and enjoy your freedom. These lands with all kinds of green always make you amazed. Araç Plateaus are very suitable for outdoor sports off-road driving pleasure, paragliding, Delta wing, trekking, rafting in Boyalı creek are among the possible activities.