Hagia Sophia: Former Istanbul museum to open for Muslim worshippers
The move was criticised by religious and political leaders worldwide.
When President Erdogan announced the decision to do so on 10 July, it was met with widespread criticism.Built almost 1,500 years ago, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque in 1453 The World Council of Churches, which counts 350 churches as members, called for the decision to be reversed, saying it would sow division.But Mr Erdogan defended the move, stressing that the country had exercised its sovereign right.
Hagia Sophia's complex history began almost 1,500 years ago, when Byzantine emperor Justinian built the huge church in the year 537.Mosaics can be seen on the walls of the iconic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
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