Iconic Istanbul Museum “Hagia Sophia” to be Converted to a Mosque Again

The museum status of Hagia Sophia, a world-famous cultural site in Istanbul, has been annulled by a Turkish court enabling it to be converted into a mosque again.

It is a controversial move, as 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia was founded as a cathedral. Later the Ottomans turned it to mosque. In 1934 it was coverted to a museum by Modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who approved Hagia Sophia's status as a museum in 1934, and since then it has been a symbol of secularism, open to all faiths.

It is a Unesco World Heritage site. Unesco earlier urged Turkey not to change its status without discussion.

The Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish) was originally built as a basilica for the Greek Orthodox Christian Church. However, its function has changed several times in the centuries since.

Byzantine Emperor Constantius commissioned construction of the first Hagia Sophia in 360 A.D. At the time of the first church’s construction, Istanbul was known as Constantinople, taking its name from Constantius’ father, Constantine I, the first ruler of the Byzantine Empire

The Hagia Sophia anchors the Old City of Istanbul and has served for centuries as a landmark for both Orthodox Christians and Muslims, as its significance has shifted with that of the dominant culture in the Turkish city.

The Hagia Sophia is an enormous architectural marvel that was originally built as a Christian basilica nearly 1,500 years ago. Much like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Parthenon in Athens, the Hagia Sophia is a long-enduring symbol of Istanbul’s cosmopolitan city. However, as notable as the structure is itself, its role in the history of Istanbul and, for that matter, the world is also significant as it touches upon matters related to international politics, religion, art and architecture

Islamists in Turkey have long called for it to be converted to a mosque, but secular opposition members have opposed the move. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the change. The proposal has prompted criticism, from religious and political leaders worldwide.

The head of the Eastern Orthodox Church has condemned the proposal, as has Greece - home to many millions of Orthodox followers.

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 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.

It said the decision could lead to even greater divisions.