Raşit Öztürk Walking-Stick House

The Raşit Öztürk Walking-Stick House is a display hall in Kösrelik village, Aydıncık district, showcasing the work of state-recognized folk artist Raşit Öztürk, who transforms tree roots and branches gathered from the forest into sculptural pieces. Now 66, Öztürk has practiced this craft since 2006 and was officially designated a “walking-stick artist” by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2016. Working with wood collected from the surrounding woodland — shaping it while preserving its natural form — he has produced roughly 700 pieces over the years, ranging from canes to miniature ox-cart models and animal figures. As part of the “Keeping Traditional Handicrafts Alive with KOP” project, local authorities helped build a dedicated exhibition hall for him in Kösrelik village, giving his accumulated collection a proper home where visitors can see it. More than just an exhibit space, the house functions as a living workshop preserving one of Anatolia's fading traditional crafts, and visitors sometimes have the chance to watch the artist at work, drawing inspiration directly from nature. Located in the same part of Aydıncık district as natural landmarks like Kazankaya Canyon and Pelitli Lake, the Walking-Stick House fits naturally into a day trip combining nature and culture.