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Hagia Sophia: Turkey turns iconic Istanbul museum into mosque Hagia Sophia: Turkey turns iconic Istanbul museum into mosque
(30 minutes later)
Turkey has turned the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul - founded as a cathedral - into a mosque. The world-famous Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul - originally founded as a cathedral - has been turned back into a mosque.
Earlier Turkey's top administrative court annulled the museum status of the world-famous cultural site. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the decision after a court annulled the site's museum status.
Built 1,500 years-ago as an Orthodox Christian cathedral, centuries later the Ottomans made Hagia Sophia a mosque. Built 1,500 years ago as an Orthodox Christian cathedral, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453.
In 1934 it became a museum and is now a Unesco World Heritage site and Turkey's most popular tourist attraction. In 1934 it became a museum and is now a Unesco World Heritage site.
Islamists in Turkey have long called for it to be converted to a mosque, but secular opposition members have opposed the move. The proposal has prompted criticism from religious and political leaders worldwide. Defending the move, a Turkish official stressed that tourists could still visit the site after it once more became a mosque.
"May it be beneficial," Mr Erdogan said on Twitter, sharing a caption of the decision with his signature.
Islamists in Turkey long called for it to be converted to a mosque but secular opposition members opposed the move. The proposal prompted criticism from religious and political leaders worldwide.
Shortly after the move, the first call to prayer was recited at the Hagia Sophia and was broadcast on all of Turkey's main news channels. The cultural site's social media channels have now been taken down.Shortly after the move, the first call to prayer was recited at the Hagia Sophia and was broadcast on all of Turkey's main news channels. The cultural site's social media channels have now been taken down.
What has the reaction been?What has the reaction been?
Unesco had urged Turkey not to change its status without discussion.Unesco had urged Turkey not to change its status without discussion.
The head of the Eastern Orthodox Church has condemned the proposal, as has Greece - home to many millions of Orthodox followers.The head of the Eastern Orthodox Church has condemned the proposal, as has Greece - home to many millions of Orthodox followers.
"The nationalism displayed by President Erdogan... takes his country back six centuries," Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement."The nationalism displayed by President Erdogan... takes his country back six centuries," Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said in a statement.
The court ruling "absolutely confirms that there is no independent justice" in Turkey, she added.The court ruling "absolutely confirms that there is no independent justice" in Turkey, she added.
But the Council of State, Turkey's top administrative court, said in its ruling on Friday: "It was concluded that the settlement deed allocated it as a mosque and its use outside this character is not possible legally". But the Council of State, Turkey's top administrative court, said in its ruling on Friday: "It was concluded that the settlement deed allocated it as a mosque and its use outside this character is not possible legally."
"The cabinet decision in 1934 that ended its use as a mosque and defined it as a museum did not comply with laws," it said."The cabinet decision in 1934 that ended its use as a mosque and defined it as a museum did not comply with laws," it said.
The Russian Orthodox Church immediately expressed regret that the Turkish court did not take its concerns into account when ruling on Hagia Sophia, Tass news agency reported. The Church in Russia, home to the world's largest Orthodox Christian community, immediately expressed regret that the Turkish court had not taken its concerns into account when ruling on Hagia Sophia, Tass news agency reports.
It said the decision could lead to even greater divisions.It said the decision could lead to even greater divisions.
While the move is popular with conservative religious supporters of President Erdogan, Turkey's most famous author, Orhan Pamuk said the decision would take away the "pride" some Turks had in being a secular Muslim nation.
"There are millions of secular Turks like me who are crying against this but their voices are not heard," he told the BBC.
But Turkey hit back at claims that the move would exclude people of other faiths.But Turkey hit back at claims that the move would exclude people of other faiths.
"Opening up Hagia Sophia to worship doesn't keep local or foreign tourists from visiting the site," Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey's presidential spokesperson, told Anadolu Agency."Opening up Hagia Sophia to worship doesn't keep local or foreign tourists from visiting the site," Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey's presidential spokesperson, told Anadolu Agency.
History of a global iconHistory of a global icon