TRIBUNNEWS.COM – Government Turkey officially changed the function of the museum and the former church into a mosque again, Friday (21/8/2020).
After last month changing the landmark of Istanbul Hagia Sophia to become a mosque, this time it was the turn of the former Byzantine church to change its function.
Quoting Time of Israel, the decision of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was published in the Turkish Press Release.
In the decree it was stated that the Church of St. The Savior at Chora Istanbul, known as Kariye in Turkish, was handed over to Turkish religious authorities to open up a structure for Muslim prayers.
Read: Hagia Sophia Becomes the New Covid-19 Cluster in Turkey
Read: Muhammad Al-Amin Mosque, the Landmark of Beirut City That Is Called Like the Hagia Sophia
As Hagia Sophia, which was a church for centuries and then a mosque for more centuries, the Church of St. Savior had operated as a museum for decades before Erdogan ordered it to be restored as a mosque.
It is not yet known when the first prayers will be held there.
Famous for having intricate mosaics and wall paintings
Furthermore, this church which is located near the ancient city walls is famous for its intricate mosaics and frescoes.
It dates from the 4th century, although the building took its current form in the 11th to 12th centuries.
The structure of the former church served as a mosque during the Ottoman rule before being converted into a museum in 1945.
Read: US Ambassador and Family Visit Hagia Sophia
Read: Turkish and Greek Words War over the Hagia Sophia
–
