Turkey's Minister calls Hagia Sophia symbol of Ottoman conquest

The President and Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey. Photo: x.com

On July 10, 2026, Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy described Hagia Sophia as a “symbol of conquest” and thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for restoring the former Christian cathedral to the status of a functioning mosque. The official made the statement on his X account.

"Today marks the anniversary of the historic day when, with the signature of our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a long wait came to an end and the Great Hagia Sophia Mosque was reopened for worship," Ersoy said.

The Minister described Hagia Sophia as “a symbol of conquest and the priceless legacy of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.” According to him, the Turkish authorities intend to preserve the building in that capacity and pass it on to future generations.

“At Hagia Sophia, we are carrying out the most extensive restoration work in the history of the Republic of Turkey with the utmost care in order to preserve this sacred site in keeping with its original character and pass it on to future generations,” the minister wrote. He also thanked Erdoğan, “who led the process of reopening Hagia Sophia for worship.”

The Cathedral of Hagia Sophia was the main Christian church of the Byzantine Empire for nearly a thousand years. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, it was converted into a mosque, and in 1935 — into a museum. In July 2020, a Turkish court annulled the monument's museum status, after which Erdogan signed a decree converting it into a mosque. UNESCO expressed concern over the change in status of the World Heritage site.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Turkish officials were arrested over extortion near the Church of Constantinople.

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