Kemeraltı Camii (Kemeralti Mosque), Izmir

Located on the bustling Anafartalar Street in the heart of the Konak district, the Kemeralti Mosque is an integral part of the vibrant Kemeraltı Bazaar. The mosque, also known as Yusuf Çavuşzade Ahmet Ağa Mosque and Mûsâ Bâlî Mosque, is surrounded by shops and restaurants, blending seamlessly into the lively atmosphere of the bazaar. The mosque's exact construction date is unknown, but a document from November 3, 1671, attributes it to Yusuf Çavuşzade Ahmed Ağa.

The Kemeralti Mosque was designed as a mosque-bazaar structure, with a square prayer hall covered by a dome and a three-part last congregation space, which was later expanded to include two additional sections, transforming the layout into a rectangular shape. The exterior walls are painted in a distinct yellow-pink hue, while the interior is adorned with turquoise accents.

Inside, the mosque showcases exquisite gilded plaster decorations on the capitals of the columns, around the arches, and on the mihrab and pulpit. The minbar, decorated with an elaborate acanthus plant motif, features intricate gilding and a stylized flower pattern at the corners. The pulpit is adorned with a folded curtain motif reminiscent of the Hisar Mosque, and inscriptions such as "Mashallah" and "Basmala" can be found under the curtain.

The mosque's courtyard, located to the north and east, houses a library built by the Salepçioğlu family and a madrasah with four rooms, now used by the mosque’s imam and muezzin. The minaret, positioned at the northeast corner of the building, has a cut stone base, a round body, and a single balcony.

An 18th-century fountain once adorned the mosque’s façade facing Anafartalar Street, but it remained open only until the late 1990s. As one of the first mosques visible to visitors entering the Kemeraltı Bazaar from Konak Square and the Izmir Clock Tower, the Kemeralti Mosque holds a prominent position at the intersection of commerce and faith, embodying the rich cultural history of the area.