LBCI

Turkey's Erdogan signs decree converting Hagia Sophia into mosque

Middle East

10-07-2020 | 11:21

Share

Share

Turkey's Erdogan signs decree converting Hagia Sophia into mosque

LBCI

Watch now

More details about online video viewing packages

2^min

President Tayyip Erdogan declared Istanbul's Hagia Sophia open to Muslim worship on Friday (July 10) after a top court ruled that the building's conversion to a museum by modern Turkey's founding statesman was illegal.

Erdogan made his announcement, just an hour after the court ruling was revealed, despite international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument, revered by Christians and Muslims alike.

"The decision was taken to hand over the management of the Ayasofya Mosque...to the Religious Affairs Directorate and open it for worship," the decision signed by Erdogan said.

Erdogan had earlier proposed restoring the mosque status of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a focal point of both the Christian Byzantine and Muslim Ottoman empires and now one of the most visited monuments in Turkey.

The United States, Greece and church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the status of the huge 6th Century building, converted into a museum in the early days of the modern secular Turkish state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

"It was concluded that the settlement deed allocated it as a mosque and its use outside this character is not possible legally," the Council of State, Turkey's top administrative court in Ankara, said in its ruling.

"The cabinet decision in 1934 that ended its use as a mosque and defined it as a museum did not comply with laws," it said, referring to an edict signed by Ataturk.

REUTERS

To watch the full report, please click on the video above.

Breaking Headlines

News Bulletin Reports

Turkey

Erdogan

Hagia Sophia

Mosque

Church

Subscribe to our VOD

SUBSCRIBE

Our visitors readings

Fuel prices drop across Lebanon

Lebanon Economy

2026-04-21

Fuel prices drop across Lebanon

Lebanon's fuel prices rise

Lebanon Economy

02:39

Lebanon's fuel prices rise

Social Affairs Minister says supporting residents in South Lebanon is key to preventing displacement

04:08

Social Affairs Minister says supporting residents in South Lebanon is key to preventing displacement

Banks Association head: Need for cooperation to address banking crisis

2026-05-14

Banks Association head: Need for cooperation to address banking crisis

Videos

Iran uses cluster bombs to target Israel: AiTelly explains what happens when a missile is intercepted—Video

2026-03-25

Iran uses cluster bombs to target Israel: AiTelly explains what happens when a missile is intercepted—Video

At least 19 killed after strike destroys three-story building in Sir el-Gharbiyeh: Video

2026-03-08

At least 19 killed after strike destroys three-story building in Sir el-Gharbiyeh: Video

Israeli airstrike targets Beirut’s southern suburbs: Video

2026-03-06

Israeli airstrike targets Beirut’s southern suburbs: Video

Intense consecutive airstrikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs: Video

2026-03-05

Intense consecutive airstrikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs: Video

Israeli army launches evening airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs after evacuation warning

2026-03-05

Israeli army launches evening airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs after evacuation warning

Smoke rises over Beirut’s southern suburbs as Israel targets area: Video

2026-03-02

Smoke rises over Beirut’s southern suburbs as Israel targets area: Video

German President Steinmeier meets Lebanon's President Aoun at Baabda Palace—Video

2026-02-16

German President Steinmeier meets Lebanon's President Aoun at Baabda Palace—Video

Future Movement supporters mark Rafic Hariri anniversary, call for Saad Hariri's return to politics

2026-02-14

Future Movement supporters mark Rafic Hariri anniversary, call for Saad Hariri's return to politics

Israel strikes vehicle in Doueir-Wadi Aaba in South Lebanon—Video

2026-02-01

Israel strikes vehicle in Doueir-Wadi Aaba in South Lebanon—Video

Most read

24 hours

7 days

Month

US official describes Lebanon-Israel talks as ‘productive and positive’

1

US official describes Lebanon-Israel talks as ‘productive and positive’

President Aoun briefed on Washington talks in call with Lebanese delegation, sources tell LBCI

2

President Aoun briefed on Washington talks in call with Lebanese delegation, sources tell LBCI

The battle over distance: Israel’s strategic vision for the Litani Line

3

The battle over distance: Israel’s strategic vision for the Litani Line

Second round of Lebanon-Israel talks in Washington concludes, lunch break underway: LBCI sources

4

Second round of Lebanon-Israel talks in Washington concludes, lunch break underway: LBCI sources

Lebanon-Israel talks in Washington conclude, set to resume Friday morning

5

Lebanon-Israel talks in Washington conclude, set to resume Friday morning

Hezbollah says targeted Israeli troops in north Israel

6

Hezbollah says targeted Israeli troops in north Israel

New round of Lebanon-Israel talks kicks off in Washington

7

New round of Lebanon-Israel talks kicks off in Washington

Aoun, Salam discuss Lebanon-Israel talks and regional developments

8

Aoun, Salam discuss Lebanon-Israel talks and regional developments

Download now the LBCI mobile app

To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world

Google Play

App Store

Download now the LBCI mobile app

We use
cookies

We use cookies to make
your experience on this
website better.

Accept

Learn More