ER
THE Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul has again converted into a mosque. Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the decision after the Turkish high court ruled on Friday (10/7).
However, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was disappointed with the decision regarding the Hagia Sophia.
Quoted from Unesco.org, the Turkish government made a decision without discussing it first with UNESCO. Because the world heritage site determined in any country must notify UNESCO if there is a change in status.
UNESCO assesses, changes in the status and function of Hagia Sophia can affect the universal value of historic sites. Hagia Sophia is a historical building in Istanbul. The building, also called Aya Sofya, is a masterpiece of architecture that blends Europe and Asia as well as historic sites.
Hagia Sophia has gone through several changes. Initially, the building was a Greek Orthodox church. Then, the Ottoman Sultan took it and made the Hagia Sophia a mosque.
Turkey’s first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, turned the Hagia Sophia into a museum. And now, the building has again become a mosque. Although this building has changed its function several times, Hagia Sophia has always been a favorite tourist destination in Turkey. [antaranews/photo special]
