(CNN) - Recep Tayip Erdogan ordered the historic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to be converted back to a mosque after a Turkish court struck down a 1934 presidential decree that had transformed it into a museum.
Shortly after Turkey's highest administrative court issued the long-anticipated decision, Erdogan passed a presidential decree transferring the management of the site from the Ministry of Culture to the Presidency of Religious Affairs, paving the way for its conversion. Erdogan has been a great supporter of the measure.
The Church of Saint Sophia was the first Christian cathedral of the Roman Empire and is among the best known Byzantine structures in the world. It went from being a Greek Orthodox cathedral to a mosque in 1453, when the Ottomans conquered Constantinople and renamed the city to Istanbul. The historic site was turned into a museum in 1935 as part of a decree by the founding father of modern Turkey, the secularist Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
- READ: 23 ancient cities that have survived more than just the passage of time
Erdogan has positioned himself as a friend of conservative Islamists in Turkey, distancing the country from those secularist roots.
İsmail Kandemir, head of the Association Serving Historical Foundations and the Environment, said after the hearing that "using Hagia Sophia as a museum harms people's conscience," according to the Turkish news agency Anadolu.
Hours before the announcement, UNESCO asked Turkey to avoid changing the "exceptional universal value" of the site and requested "prior notification", indicating that it could change the status of Hagia Sophia on the World Heritage List.
The association filed a lawsuit with the State Council in 2005 asking that the site be reverted to a mosque, but it was rejected in 2008, according to the Turkish news agency Anadolu.
He then filed another lawsuit in 2016, claiming that freedom of religion had been violated, but the Supreme Court rejected the case in 2018, Anadolu reported.
People visit the Hagia Sophia museum on June 26, 2020 in Istanbul.
Erdogan has expressed anger at international opposition to the plan, led by neighboring Greece. "They say 'don't turn Hagia Sophia into a mosque,'" he said in an interview with state broadcaster TRT on July 5. "Are you or us ruling Turkey? Turkey has institutions. If that step is to be taken, it is obvious who has the authority to do it, "he said.
Many analysts say Erdogan's move could be intended to consolidate voter support as the country faces a declining economy and rising unemployment. Relations between Turkey and Greece are also strained due to geopolitical tensions in the eastern Mediterranean, including the long-running dispute over Cyprus and migrants crossing the border between countries.
In a statement released Wednesday, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Turkey to maintain this UNESCO World Heritage site “as an example of its commitment to respect religious traditions and the diverse history it contributed to the Republic of Turkey, and ensure that it remains accessible to all. ”
He also said that the status of a museum had allowed people from all over the world to experience a "magnificent achievement".
"This extraordinary site is a testament to religious expression and artistic and technical genius, reflected in its rich and complex 1,500-year history," he added.
"The United States believes that a change in the status of Santa Sophia diminishes the legacy of this remarkable building and its unparalleled ability - so rare in the modern world - to serve humanity as a much-needed bridge between different faith traditions and cultures".
A spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry said he was "amazed" by Pompeo's statement.
Pope Francis photographed during a visit to Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
Hami Aksoy said that Turkey guaranteed the "freedom of religion and belief" of its citizens. The country protects "all the cultural properties that we possess without distinction, including Hagia Sophia, within the framework of the tradition of tolerance derived from our culture and history," he added.
"Turkey has appreciably appreciated the historical, cultural and spiritual value of Hagia Sophia since its conquest," he said.
- LOOK: Trump-Erdogan meeting seeks to improve relations after Turkish foray into Syria
“On this occasion, we once again remember a reality that we have to constantly repeat. Hagia Sophia is owned by Turkey, like all our cultural assets located on our land. Any disposition of power with respect to Hagia Sophia is also a question regarding our internal affairs within the sovereign rights of Turkey, ”he stated.
And the spokesperson added: “Naturally, everyone is free to express their own opinion. However, it goes too far to talk about our sovereign rights using the language of 'warning and imposition' ”.
Erdogan Turkey UNESCO
