ANAKARA (AA): The Presidency’s Directorate of Communications released two books on Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, a day after the second anniversary of its reconversion to a mosque.
The books detail architectural features of the mosque, and reaction of Turks to its reconversion, the Directorate of Communications said in a statement.
Penning the preface of the book on the architectural features of the iconic monument, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan touched on the historic importance of the opening of the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, saying: “The conversion of Hagia Sophia back into a mosque is a dream come true not only for the Turkish nation but for all Muslims worldwide.”
“With its historical, religious and cultural characteristics, the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque is the best response to Islamophobia, which is on the rise particularly in Europe, and to hate crimes committed against Muslims in various parts of the world,” he added.
The statement further added that the directorate will also release a documentary on Sunday telling stories of nine mosques in different cities of Anatolia, which are named Hagia Sophia.
On July 10, 2020, a Turkish court annulled a 1934 Cabinet decree that had turned Hagia Sophia into a museum, paving the way for its use again as a mosque after an 86-year hiatus.
The monument was restored to its former glory as Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque on July 24, 2020.
Hagia Sophia served as a church for 916 years and 86 years as a museum. However, it was a mosque from 1453 to 1934, nearly 500 years.
In 1985, Hagia Sophia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is among Turkey’s top tourism destinations and remains open for domestic and foreign visitors.
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