Kovukçınar Village: Kilims, Crafts and Highlands

Kovukçınar Village combines a still-practised kilim-weaving tradition with the plateau of the Tapan region. The village is one of nine places in this area of the Taurus Mountains. Wood carving, metalworking and Tapan knives offer further insights into local craft traditions. On your trip, you can explore both cultural topics and the highland landscape.

Kilim Weaving and Crafts in the Tapan Villages

Weaving has been practised in Kovukçınar for a long time. The kilims made here use yarn from sheep’s wool, and their colours are derived from natural plants. Both the yarn material and the use of plant-based dyes are defining features of this tradition. If you are interested in textile crafts, you’ll find a tangible way to connect with local culture here: kilims are not only a historical subject, as the weaving tradition is still practised today.

Kovukçınar is one of the Tapan villages where wood carving and metalworking are among the most widely practised crafts. These crafts showcase different aspects of regional skills: wood is worked in wood carving, while metal is the focus of metalworking. Tapan knives are also part of this craft tradition. They are made in different sizes and shapes and attract interest from both domestic and international tourists visiting the region. Their varied shapes and sizes make them a distinct topic alongside weaving and the two other crafts.

The Plateau and Landscape of the Tapan Region

Kovukçınar is part of a region that stretches across a plateau in the Taurus Mountains at an elevation of 800 to 1,400 metres. The Tapan region lies between the Taurus mountain ranges and is characterised by a broad, flat area resembling a ploughed field. This description offers a different impression of the landscape than a narrow mountain trail or a single peak: the highlands and the wide, flat terrain take centre stage. If you like to combine scenery and culture when planning a trip, the highland region and its craft traditions offer two different points of interest.

History and Activities in the Wider Travel Area

The wider Feke area also offers points of interest for travellers with different interests. Feke Castle was built in the 12th century to control the caravan route that passed through the area. It is therefore part of a regional history connected with trade routes and their protection. The Göksu River also runs through the Feke area and is considered one of the rivers in Turkey best suited to rafting. The castle and the river represent different possible areas of interest: historic buildings on the one hand, and a river landscape associated with rafting on the other.

In Kovukçınar Mahallesi, road widening, stone walls, earthworks, infrastructure works and road reconstruction have been completed. The roads have been prepared for asphalting. These works add a practical aspect of infrastructure development to the picture of the village.

Choose the Focus of Your Trip

When looking for a holiday rental, you can first consider what you would like your trip to focus on. The kilim-weaving tradition and Tapan crafts are associated with Kovukçınar and the Tapan villages; Feke Castle and the Göksu belong to the wider Feke area. If you are mainly interested in exploring culture and crafts, your focus will differ from that of a trip where history or rafting is particularly important. The highland landscape offers another distinct regional point of interest.

For more travel ideas, you can also discover Adana, Narlık, Yumurtalık, Pozantı, Karataş, Çatalçam, Aladağ and Akdam: Adana, Narlık, Yumurtalık, Pozantı, Karataş, Çatalçam, Aladağ and Akdam.

Back to the main travel overview: Adana.