In pictures: Churches that have been converted into mosques and mosques that have been converted into churches

In pictures: Churches that have been converted into mosques and mosques that have been converted into churches

 

Debate continues over the relocation of Aya-Sufiya to the mosque after nearly 90 years of being turned into a tourist attraction.

Political and religious leaders have expressed their views, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has defended the court's decision.

We examined five other Church buildings that had been converted into Mosques and Mosques that had been converted into Churches.

 

1- Hagia Sophia - Turkey

Istanbul's famous historic building - turned into a mosque. Orthodox Church building.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the move after a court ruled that the historic building had been turned into a mosque.

Hagia Sophia was built about 1,500 years ago as a Christian shrine, but years later in 1453 during the Ottoman Empire the building was converted into a mosque.

The place of worship, approved by the United Nations Cultural Organization in 1934, was turned into a tourist destination during Ataturk's rule in Turkey.

Earlier this month, a Turkish court ruled that the building should be reopened as a mosque, and that using it as a means of subsistence was "illegal."

"I am with the people of Istanbul," Pope Francis said in a statement. The sentencing of Santa Sophia is unfortunate. "

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that the first prayers in Hagia Sophia will resume on July 24.

 

History of building history in the world

The history of Hagia Sophia dates back to 537 BC when the Justinian dynasty ruled as the largest church.

The size of the tower, why it is described as the largest church and building in the world.

It was under the control of the Byzantine Empire before 1204 when the city was conquered.

In 1453, the Ottoman Empire was conquered by Sultan Mohammed II (formerly Constantinople) and led the first Friday prayers at the shrine of Hagie Sophia.

The Ottoman Empire turned the entire building into a mosque, then changed the building's cover and changed the inscription on its body to that of Arabia.

After many years under the Ottoman Empire, in 1934 the building was turned into a tourist attraction in an effort to make Turkey an independent state and abolish partition.

Today, Hagia Sophia is a popular tourist destination in Turkey, attracting at least 3.7 million visitors a year.

2- Babri Mosque, Ayodhya - India

In 2019, the controversial Babri mosque construction in the northern Indian state of Ayodhya was reverted to Hindu worship.

They say the building was originally used for Hindu worship before it was seized by Muslims in 1592 and turned into a mosque.

There has been a lot of speculation over the issue. The controversy is, in essence, the building of ownership between Muslims and Hindus.

The court ruled that Muslims would be given a plot of land to build a mosque.

Many Hindus believe that their god God Ram was born here. Muslims also say they have been worshiping in the building for centuries.

In 1992, angry Hindus stormed the mosque and destroyed it. The violence left 2,000 people dead.

The court said the evidence presented to the court proved that the building was not built by Muslims.

Other ruins of the mosque have been investigated.

The court ruled that Dhimsaha would return to the Hindu God Ram shrine, and that Muslims would be given a place to build their own mosque.

However, the court ruled that the demolition of the Babri Mosque was illegal.

The Muslim Council, which has expressed dissatisfaction with the court's decision, has said it will not appeal.

 

3- Cordoba Mosque

In 2014, thousands of people filed a lawsuit seeking to convert the mosque to a Catholic church.

The building was originally used as a mosque by the Islamic Republic of Andalia before it converted into a church in the 15th century.

The building, which was first rebuilt by Muslims and converted to Christianity, bears the logo of both religions.

Among the protesters in court was an attempt to remove the sign of the mosque and church from the building.

However, Catholics have denied the allegations and admitted that the mosque was originally built.

"It is easy to remove Islamic history from the building," a Catholic leader told the BBC in 2014.

At least 1.3 million people visit the building each year from different parts of the world.

 

4-England- The old Church has been converted into a Mosque

In 2017, Britain's governing council voted to convert a former church into a mosque. The council's move sparked controversy and dissent, giving Muslims access to places of worship.

 

5- Granada Mosque

In 2003, Muslims in Spain gained control of the Granada Mosque, which was seized from them nearly 500 years ago.

The city in which this mosque was built was the center of European Muslims.

During the opening ceremony of the mosque, many Muslims and Spanish government officials attended the event.

According to Muslims, the return of the mosque to them has revived their religious and religious dignity.

But there are many Spaniards who are not happy about that. Everyone is worried about the issue.

Nearly 500 years ago, Christian Spain invaded the south of the country, ending 800 years of Muslim rule from the west.

The mosque is a place of worship for more than 1,000 Spanish Muslims in the region, according to a Granada Muslim cleric.