Soğucak

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Soğucak is a neighbourhood in the district of Toroslar, Mersin Province, Turkey. It used to be a separate town until 2013. The village sits on the southern slopes of the Taurus Mountains, at about 825 meters above sea level, and is about 24 kilometers north of Mersin. The population was 712 in 2022.

Near Soğucak lies a well-preserved rectangular fortress keep from the 12th or 13th century, built during the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. The upper level has eight embrasures for archers and it guarded a route between the Mediterranean Sea and Çandır Castle. The fortress and village were known as Belenkeşlik. The fortification was surveyed in 1979 and was long used as a yayla, a summer retreat by residents of Mersin.

Historically, Armenian households were recorded here: 76 in 1890, 58 in 1910, and 67 on the eve of the Armenian genocide. In the later 20th century the village grew and became a township in 1997. The surrounding mountains are pine forests with farm land. Residents mainly grow fresh fruits and vegetables; summer house rentals and animal husbandry are common activities.