Erdogan Calls for Hagia Sophia to Be Mosque; Was Built as a Greek Orth.Church in 6th Cent.

The Greek government voiced opposition yesterday to the suggestion from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Istanbul's Hagia Sophia -- a Byzantine-era cathedral that now serves as a museum -- could be reconverted into a mosque, the AP website reports today (March 26, 2019).

Erdogan's suggestion drew ire in Greece as the cathedral -- built in the 6th century -- was the main seat of the Greek Orthodox Church.

It remained so until it was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of the city -- at that time known as Constantinople -- in 1453. Turkey turned the structure into a museum in 1935 that attracts millions of tourists each year.

"It is not only a great temple of Christendom -- the largest for many centuries -- it also belongs to humanity. It has been recognized by UNESCO as part of our global cultural heritage," Greek Foreign Minister George Katrougalos said.