Hagia Sophia, known as the church for 900 years, converted into a mosque

The court has ordered the conversion of the famous Turkish monument Hagia Sophia, known as the church for 900 years, into a mosque. It was built as a church in Turkey in the sixth century. This church was converted into a mosque in 1453 when Usmani ruler Fatih Sultan Mehmet took over Istanbul. It is currently the World Heritage Site of UNESCO, which was made a museum in 1934.

Turkey had also received international warnings about the conversion of the museum into a mosque, stating that the identity of the 1500-year-old building should not be changed. Following the court’s decision, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, also announced the opening of Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

Now religious and political leaders worldwide have criticized this proposal of the Turkish government. Turkish officials say that Christian symbols inside this building will not be removed.