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[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

The place was basically a de facto mosque anyway, regardless of its status of a museum and whether or not it was in use. Its interior is decorated with Islamic motifs and it has minarets. See here. The move is quite nominal, they're only opening it up to allow formal use of the Hagia Sophia during certain times and they're not going to destroy any of the iconoclasms inside, I believe they're covering them up with a movable curtain which will show them during tourist times and hide them during prayer times.

I know a lot of people are upset that the place is not a church but it's almost impossible this place would ever be a church again under Turks, even under secular ones, its a symbol of their capture of the city which ties a lot more with their nationalism than even religion. I doubt Turkey would ever let Greeks dictate to it what they can or cannot do.

[–]Wrangel 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I was so disappointed when I went there, it is just a big empty cube. Hagia Sophia lacks so much of the decoration that a big church should have so it doesn't have the feel to it.