İzmir: Kemeraltı & Konak

With our time in İzmir dwindling fast, Mui and I ventured into Kemeraltı today.

Located in Konak, the most densely populated of Izmir’s 30 districts … and generally considered the city center — Kemeraltı is essentially an open-air bazaar.

One of the largest of its kind in the world, it has been serving as İzmir’s commercial center since the 17th century. Its streets — branching off in every direction — are lined with shops where one can find everything imaginable, from clothing and 24-karat gold jewelry, to household goods and food stuff. There are restaurants, cafés, coffee and tea houses. There are historic mosques and synagogues. And so much more. It is filled with ‘life’ … crowded and loud.

We had a bit of shopping to do, which we took care of in a hurry. And then off we went to Özev, our favorite place for döner … a massive stack of thinly layered meat that is slowly roasted on a vertical rotisserie spit. Its name comes from “dönmek” which translates as “to turn or rotate.” (Those outside of Türkiye, likely know döner as “gyro” … similar but different.)

The dish is served as a single portion or a portion and a half … the meat layered over chunks of pide (flatbread) and covered with a generous amount of tomato sauce. If one asks for yogurt on the side, then the döner is referred to as “İskender” … named after the 19th century chef/butcher by the same name who lived in Bursa and is credited with inventing the vertical spit. Of course, an essential ingredient of İskender is the melted and browned butter that is poured over the whole thing table-side … the sizzling sound and aroma of the butter wafting over the table to tickle one’s appetite.

Alsancak is part of the Konak District. It is a pleasant 20-30 minute walk … when the temperature allows. That wasn’t the case today. So, after our delicious lunch, we walked to the Konak tram stop for the short trip back to Alsancak. Along the way, we could not resist photo ops at the central square where two of the city’s iconic landmarks are located.

The Konak Camii is an 18th century mosque. Octagonal in shape, it is in the style of classical Ottoman architecture. It is decorated with 19th century turquoise tiles made in Kütahya. At one time, these tiles covered the entire exterior. Today, only the window surrounds are of tile.

The İzmir Saat Kulesi (İzmir Clock Tower) is an 82-foot (25-meter) tall historic monument located in the very heart of the square. Built in 1901 by the French architect Raymond Charles Péré, it was commissioned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II's accession to the throne.

Both landmarks have survived the multitude of earthquakes to which İzmir is prone … with some repairs as necessary.Read more