And 15 years later, the Council of State ruled that a waqf endowment cant be changed, so according to Islamic law, the Hagia Sophia could only be turned back into a mosque. The World Heritage site was once a potent symbol of Christian-Muslim rivalry, and it could become one once more. ISTANBUL President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a decree Friday ordering Hagia Sophia to be opened for Muslim prayers, an action likely to provoke international furor around a World Heritage Site cherished by Christians and Muslims alike for its religious significance, for its stunning structure and as a symbol of conquest. The move was met with international criticism, with concerns about the preservation of the architectural and artistic treasures inside the structure. Turkey is a country where religion and nationalism intersect, so that many of the staunchly anti-Erdogan camp would back the principle of Turkish sovereignty over the monument, observed Louis Fishman, a professor at Brooklyn College. #hagiasophia https://t.co/xsrQhDmfWx. Turkish officials said the site would remain open to all and that its Christian icons and mosaics would not be damaged. Murad Sezer / Reuters Today, it is one of the country's most popular attractions, with millions visiting. Hagia Sophia will be the fourth Byzantine church museum to be restored as a mosque under Mr. Erdogan, but by far the most significant one. Restored as Mosque, Hagia Sophia Opens Up to Islamic Prayers The head of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Patriarch Bartholomew I, warned that the conversion of the building would "disappoint millions of Christians" and fracture two worlds. WIRED Media Group Is it you managing Turkey or us? he said. The Nika Revolt had burned down the cathedral that had previously stood on the site (a few marble blocks with carved reliefs are all that remain today, and theyre mostly buried beneath Hagia Sophia). It was declared a World Heritage site in 1985. In 1453, Mehmed II conquered Constantinople, and although his troops plundered what they could carry, the building was saved and turned into a mosque. Huseyin Gulerce, a pro-government columnist for the Star newspaper reprinted a column he had written 30 years ago in which he had criticized the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a museum as an unnecessary gesture of deference to the West that cast a dark shadow over Turkish independence. It is unsurpassed for its grandeur and immense dome. Just before he spoke, several hundred people gathered outside Hagia Sophia to celebrate a prayer of thanksgiving, recording the call of the muezzin on their phones, and then bent in unison for the evening prayer on the esplanade in front of the building. Turkey's president joined several senior ministers for the start of the ceremony on Friday, There was only space inside Hagia Sophia for 1,000 people at a time, The head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate visited the site on Wednesday as the rug was being laid, This image of the interior of the Hagia Sophia was posted on Twitter early on Friday by the governor of Istanbul, The former Byzantine Cathedral is renowned for its large mosaics depicting Jesus and the Virgin Mary, Christian mosaics and frescoes in Hagia Sophia's semi-domes were covered with white drapes, Built almost 1,500 years ago, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque in 1453, Kemal Ataturk changed Hagia Sophia from a mosque to a museum, honouring all previous Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic history, making it as a sign of Turkish modern secularism, Mosaics can be seen on the walls of the iconic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Four scientifically-proven ways to live longer. Sultan, , who lived from 1432 to 1481 A.D., established an endowment in perpetuity providing the Hagia Sophia mosque with the necessary support and staff. Erdogan declares Hagia Sophia a mosque after Turkish court ruling Turkeys current president, Recep Tayyip Erdoan, is the countrys most powerful leader since Atatrk. Archikatta on LinkedIn: Famous Architecture Tour With Sathe Academy However, Soylu was quick to emphasize that the solution lies in better maintenance practices rather than changing its status. It was built as a Christian church in the 6th century ce (532-537) under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Enormous crowds have gathered annuallyon May 31, the anniversary of the Ottoman conquest, to pray in the streets and plazas outside the Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia has been converted back into a mosque, but the veiling of to the building after its conversion into a mosque, though curtains will cover the mosaics depicting Christian divine and saintly figures that are visible to those offering the Muslim prayers. But Mr. Erdogans supporters speak of the building as the third holiest site in Islam, after the Grand Mosque of Mecca and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, and insist that once a mosque it should never be unconsecrated. Ive been asked why the Hagia Sophia stinks. Having lost Istanbul in local elections last year, the president has watched the standing of his party continue to slide in the polls as the Covid-19 pandemic has further undone a vulnerable economy. Conservationists and art historians have raised concerns about what will happen to the medieval mosaics inside Hagia Sophia, which depict the Holy Family and portraits of imperial Christian emperors, which strict Muslims may demand be covered. , religious sensibilities that objected to praying in the direction of human images meant that the mosaics with such depictions were plastered over, even as they were preserved. It is worth considering why so many have, for so long, cared so much about the fate of the Hagia Sophia as responsespraisingandcondemningthe decisionhavecome in from around the world. Join the Ars Orbital Transmission mailing list to get weekly updates delivered to your inbox. Many echoed similar grievances, with some even suggesting the reversion of Hagia Sophia to its previous museum status. Read our affiliate link policy. This video focuses on Hagia Sophia after the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453. Hagia Sophia Becomes A Mosque Once Again - Hoover Institution Built 1,500 years ago as an Orthodox Christian cathedral, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453. UNESCO calls upon the Turkish authorities to initiate dialogue without delay, in order to prevent any detrimental effect on the universal value of this exceptional heritage, the state of conservation of which will be examined by the World Heritage Committee at its next session.. The awe-inspiring edifice, built as an Orthodox cathedral and later used for centuries as . The Greek Foreign Ministry denounced the conversion as unacceptable and a breach of Hagia Sophias status as part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. I am more interested in preserving Hagia Sophia as a cultural treasure, said Zeynep Ahunbay, a conservation architect who has worked on the scientific committee for Hagia Sophia for 25 years. On Friday, July 24, Hagia Sophia was reopened as a mosque, after about a century as a museum. A mosaic panel of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and Virgin Mary. A new cathedral, bigger and grander than anything else in the world, built atop the one destroyed by a thwarted rebellion, allowed Justinian to make a powerful statement about his well, power. How easy is it to steal treasures from a museum? After all, he ordered the cathedrals construction in the first place for similar reasons. At least one of those former mosques is currently serving as a museum. Hagia Sophia, znik - Wikipedia After centuries at the heart of the Muslim Ottoman empire, it was turned into a museum in 1934 in a drive to make Turkey more secular. As recently as March 2019, President Recep Tayyip. Erdogan, like his predecessor Ataturk, appears to be using the fate of the Hagia Sophia to make a political statement and score some points with his supporters. Hagia Sophia, the common heritage of humanity, will go forward to embrace everyone with its new status in a much more sincere and much more unique way, he said in a live television address. It is unlikely to help him, however, in a political climate in which the economys major troubles are causing his popularity to decline. Changing the secular space back into a religious one is a. Turkey's Erdogan announces Hagia Sophia museum will become a mosque again There are also those who desire tobring backanew Ottoman Empire. Then, in 2005, an Istanbul-based organization with the unwieldy title of Permanent Foundations Service to Historical Artifacts and Environment Association filed a petition asking Turkeys Council of State to overturn the 1934 decree. Hagia Sophia, Turkish Ayasofya, Latin Sancta Sophia, also called Church of the Holy Wisdom or Church of the Divine Wisdom, an important Byzantine structure in Istanbul and one of the world's great monuments. Tens of thousands of men and women waited for the call to prayer - many had travelled from cities across Turkey. Fans rejoice in Madrid as Spain makes history, 25 great images from the Women's World Cup 2023. Hagia Sophia - HISTORY The recitation upset many. Im really sorry to tell you this but the smell is 99% likely to be the stench of feet. A 45-year-old woman said she had always liked Hagia Sophia as a museum, but "always thought it was a cold building". When the plan for Hagia Sophia was floated, it met a chorus of dismay from religious and political leaders around the world. At that time, many cracks were repaired in the dome, a new platform for the sultans prayer space was built, and the mosaics were cleaned. This truth will not change.. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. In the 1930s, as Turkey became a more secular state, Ataturk turned the mosque into a museum. In a strongly worded statement, the Greek culture minister, Lina Mendoni, condemned Turkeys decision as a direct challenge to the entire civilized world, adding that Mr. Erdogans nationalism had pushed the country back six centuries. Hagia Sophia's change of status by Turkey was not a show of power, but evidence of weakness, he declared. Over the years he has cut back on Turkeys secular character slowly but surely, thereby reversing Atatrks heritage. Many in Turkey see the entire debate as a political ploy by Mr. Erdogan to remain ahead of his many rivals, especially as former members of his Justice and Development Party have broken away to form their own political parties and threaten to draw away some of his conservative Muslim base. The very idea of changing the monuments status has escalated tensions with Turkeys longtime rival, Greece; upset Christians around the world; and set off a chorus of dismay from political and religious leaders as diverse as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church. Read about our approach to external linking. Hagia Sophia Mosque, Istanbul: "Will upstairs be ever open again?" | Check out 5 answers, plus see 44,737 reviews, articles, and 36,474 photos of Hagia Sophia Mosque, ranked No.3 on Tripadvisor among 5,048 attractions in Istanbul. He also banned the popular and powerful Sufi mystical orders such as theMevlevisandBektashis. of the names of God, Muhammad, and the first four caliphs of Islam, were added to this monument. Carlotta Gall is the Istanbul bureau chief, covering Turkey. The emperor needed a spectacular means ofestablishing his authorityand quellinginternal rebellionsthat threatened his rule. passed through the complex with foreign visitors paying the equivalent of US$10 to enter; Turkish nationals could visit at reduced rates. It's Converting Again. Why Erdogan Wants Hagia Sophia to Be a Mosque - The New York Times The Hagia Sophia, along with a number of other churches, was quickly turned into a mosque. The Hagia Sophia, one of Turkey's most popular tourist sites, has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1985. Byzantine churches, including Hagia Sophia, were made into museums, ending their religious function and opening them up for tourism, conservation and study. Frank Bienewald/LightRocket, via Getty Images. Is the Decision to Turn the Hagia Sophia Into a Mosque an Obstacle to He added that the building would remain open to all Muslims, non-Muslims and foreign visitors. In the endowment, Mehmet II specified that the former cathedral was supposed to become a mosque. Hagia Sophia ( lit. Bulent Kilic/Agence France-Presse Getty Images. divided by theology and competing regional power bases. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. While a significant section of Turkish society has criticised the change to a mosque, the emotion and enthusiasm outside it was palpable. Mosaics and frescoes of Jesus and Mary were draped with curtains. The building had been constructed as the Orthodox Christian Cathedral of the Byzantine Empire in 537, and so it remained, except for a brief period as a Catholic Church when the Crusaders conquered Constantinople (as Istanbul was formerly known) in 1201, until the Ottoman Turkish conquest of the city on May 29, 1453. Sign up for the Todays WorldView newsletter. Some think he wants to restore Istanbul to its status as the center of the Muslim world. Josep Borrell, the European Unions senior diplomat, called Turkeys decision regrettable. Governments including Greece and the United States have lodged their objections. Watch on. Changing Hagia Sophias status appears to be a move to appeal to his base and assert his political brand a strident nationalism inflected by his religiosity that anchors itself in a decades-old ideological struggle with more secular Turks. Read theoriginal article. Tara Todras-Whitehill for The New York Times. Blue Mosque, Istanbul - Tripadvisor (Image credit: Getty Images) Video, Four scientifically-proven ways to live longer, Why tensions have flared between Turkey and Greece, Trump bail set at $200,000 in Georgia election case, Trudeau slams Facebook over wildfire news ban, X removes Holocaust denying post after criticism, Pioneering wind-powered cargo ship sets sail, Several killed by floods on Moscow sewer tour, Flooding from Storm Hilary cuts off Palm Springs, Spanish FA president Rubiales apologises for Hermoso kiss. The change of status would also not affect the World Heritage status of the historic peninsula which encompasses the Ottoman Topkapi Palace, and ancient hippodrome and the Blue Mosque, he added. "We've waited for years to pray here" - the history of Hagia Sophia. It turns out that Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles didnt have the foresight in 537 AD to aerate it more in case it became a mosque, Okar tweeted. Hagia Sophia (lit. The monument is the most visited tourist site in Turkey, with 3.7 million visitors last year. He also banned the popular and powerful Sufi mystical orders such as the, Turning the Hagia Sophia into a museum demonstrated that the buildings composite history could exemplify the power of secular modernity. The Director-General of UNESCO deeply regrets the decision of the Turkish authorities, made without prior discussion, to change the status of Hagia Sophia, said UNESCO in a July 10 statement. President Recep Tayyip Erodgan allowed Muslim prayers at Hagia Sophia in May as part of a ceremony to commemorate the 567th anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul. Since its origins in the sixth century A.D, the Hagia Sophia has served as a church, a mosque, and, since 1934, a museum. "After 86 years, Hagia Sophia will serve as a mosque again, in the way Fatih the conqueror of Istanbul had indicated in his deed," he said. Even before these developments, proponents of the church, and a cross reinstalled on the crest of the dome. Like a vaulted dome, the status of Istanbul's Hagia Sophia the Byzantine cathedral turned Ottoman mosque turned preeminent global tourist destination has long hung over the rule of. Famous Architecture Tour With Sathe Academy Hagia Sophia, Instanbul, Turkey Hagia Sophia (lit. The way #Erdogan's regime is vulgarizing a #worldheritagesite is preposterous! 'Holy Wisdom'; Turkish: Ayasofya; Greek: Completed in 537 AD, Hagia Sophia stood for nearly a millennium at the heart of the Christian world, crowning the fabled city of Constantinople. Hagia Sophia's complex history began almost 1,500 years ago, when Byzantine emperor Justinian built the huge church in the year 537. India still bears the scars of the 1992 religious riots that followed a mobs demolition of a 16th century mosque that some Hindus believed was built atop the birthplace of a major deity. There were clear reasons to avoid the temptation. This involved. As crowds grew, he appealed for patience. Like a vaulted dome, the status of Istanbuls Hagia Sophia the Byzantine cathedral turned Ottoman mosque turned preeminent global tourist destination has long hung over the rule of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. About 1,000 people were allowed in through security checkpoints, while others laid out prayer mats outside. Unpleasant odor in Hagia Sophia leads to concerns about preservation 2023 BBC. Another organization filed a similar petition in 2007 asking the Turkish government to convert the Hagia Sophia back into a Christian church. What is the need to open this debate now, when 97 percent of tourism has frozen, while hotels are closed, while tourism has plummeted and hundreds of thousands of people have become unemployed?, Erdogan has shrugged off complaints, framing the decision as an exercise of Turkish sovereignty. In November, the famous Chora monastery church in. The crusaders, as crusaders tend to do, ransacked the Hagia Sophia, desecrated it, then declared it a Roman Catholic cathedral instead of an Eastern Orthodox one. Politics In a Controversial Move, Turkey Will Cover Mosaics Depicting Christian Icons in the Hagia Sophia During Muslim Prayer Images depicting the Virgin Mary and the archangel Gabriel, which are situated in the direction Muslims face during prayer, will be obscured. "Erdogan Signs Decree Allowing Hagia Sophia to Be Used as a Mosque Again". But on July 10, the. Four minarets were added to the exterior, wclerichile ornate Christian icons and gold mosaics were covered with panels of Arabic religious calligraphy. The move to change the status of one of Istanbuls most recognizable landmarks has drawn strong reactions. If it was, the focus would have been on how we can protect the future of some 100,000 or so Christians left in the country, and the tragedy we mourn would have been why so many of our churches are empty and why in a few decades Anatolias rich Christian heritage will not have much by way of living cultures and communities., The pandemic and the dawn of an Asian Century, Trump hosts Mexicos president, an unlikely ally, A Turkish court ruled July 10 that Istanbul's famous Hagia Sophia can be converted from a museum back into a mosque once again, overruling the 1934 decree. As ascholarspecializing in Islam, I have studied thepower of sacred spaces,including the Hagia Sophia, to unify and divide communities. , removal of the plasters over the mosaics, and, eventually, adding a gift shop and ticket booth. Beyond politics, art historians and conservationists worry that they will lose access for study and research if the monument becomes a working mosque, and tourist companies and city authorities fear that visitors will be deterred from coming. Given Turkeys current political climate, observers have suggested that Erdogan is trying to appeal to his partys conservative religious support base by reopening the former mosque, while also pointing to the height of the Ottoman Empire to evoke a sense of nostalgic nationalism. 5 Min Read ISTANBUL (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul's Hagia Sophia a mosque on Friday with the first Muslim prayers to begin in two weeks, after a top court ruled the. The Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish) was originally built as a basilica for the Greek Orthodox Christian Church. Today, the Hagia Sophia is one of Turkeys largest tourist attractions; an estimated 3.7 million people visited the site in 2019. Caroline Goldstein, July 21, 2020 This shows that there is something catching fire, something burning in the dynamics of this country, Mr. Erdogan added. (Video: Reuters), Pope Francis said on July 12 he was hurt by Turkey's decision to make Istanbul's Hagia Sophia museum a mosque, the latest religious leader to condemn the move. As a museum, the Hagia Sophia symbolized the idea of there being common artistic and cultural values that transcended religion to unite humanity, Turkey scholar Nicholas Danforth told Al-Monitor. Unesco said it regretted the move, which further enflamed tensions with neighbouring Greece, home to millions of Orthodox followers. Novelist Orhan Pamuk told the BBC earlier this month that converting it back to a mosque was a statement to the world that Turks did not want to be secular any more, even though millions of Turks had been happy with its status as a museum. Turkish commentators invoke what happened to numerous medieval mosques in Spain and Greece as a kind of precedent; many of these structures, such as the Great Mosque of Cordoba, were converted into churches or turned into secular spaces or lie in disrepair. Erdoan has also expressed neo-Ottomanist ambitions in foreign policy, seeking to expand Turkeys influence abroad. Minarets were added, and later the great Ottoman architect Sinan built massive buttresses to prevent the walls from buckling under the weight of the dome, which was damaged in earthquakes. Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, who is also son-in-law to Mr. Erdogan, tweeted a phrase from a well known conservative nationalist poet: As master Necip Fazil Kisakurek said 55 years ago: Wait, youngsters. Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford University. Hagia Sophia Mosque 4.5 44,735 reviews #3 of 1,653 things to do in Istanbul Historic Sites Architectural Buildings Religious Sites Open now 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Visit website Call Email Write a review About It's a symbol of religious harmony and is famous for its stunning architecture. A pulpit or minbar for giving the Friday sermon was also installed. Mr. Pompeo urged Turkey before the court hearing to respect the diverse traditions and faiths of Turkeys history and keep Hagia Sophia as a museum accessible to all. Hagia Sophia has experienced a lot, and there is still more future ahead. Complementing these attractions are the beautiful parks with fountains, restaurants, shops, etc. It turns out that Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles didnt have the foresight in 537 AD to aerate it more in case it became a mosque. Hagia Sophia, an stanbul landmark with a history dating back more than 1,500 years, is again in the spotlight due to an unpleasant odor that has led to complaints three years after it was converted from a museum to a mosque by the Turkish government, local media reported Monday. This disquiet over the change in its status is a reminder that as a potent symbol of authority, the Hagia Sophia has shifted identity with every change in power and will likely continue to do so. Bulent. Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya - A Divine Architectural Achievement The Turkish government has saidit will make few changesto the building after its conversion into a mosque, though curtains will cover the mosaics depicting Christian divine and saintly figures that are visible to those offering the Muslim prayers. Hagia Sophia is hardly the first historic religious site to fall afoul of modern politics. Istanbul's Hagia Sophia museum recently turned back into a mosque. The best way to preserve and present it is by the museum function.. Constructed as a Byzantine cathedral work on the Hagia Sophia was completed in 537. Russias Patriarch Kirill branded the move a threat to the whole of Christian civilization. On Sunday, Pope Francis declared that he was thinking of St. Sophia and was deeply pained. UNESCO, the United Nations cultural agency, released a statement warning Turkish authorities against taking any decision that might impact the universal value of the site. Governments from neighboring Greece to the Trump administration to the Kremlin issued notes of concern and protest. 264 The 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, will become an active mosque beginning on July 24, ending its 85-year run as a secular museum.
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