TURKEY: Hagia Sophia Will It Become A Mosque Again?

Hagia Sophia or Holy Wisdom is the former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal cathedral, later an Ottoman imperial mosque and now a museum Ayasofya Muzesi in Istanbul, Turkey.

Built in AD 360 at the beginning of the Middle Ages, it was famous in particular for its massive dome. It was the world's largest building and an engineering marvel of its time.

It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have changed the history of architecture.

The Hagia Sophia construction consists of mostly masonry. The structure is composed of brick and mortar joints that are 1.5 times the width of the bricks.

The mortar joints are composed of a combination of sand and minute ceramic pieces displaced very evenly throughout the mortar joints. This combination of sand and ceramic pieces could be considered to be the equivalent of modern concrete at the time.

From the date of its construction's completion in 537 until 1453, it served as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral and the seat of the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted by the Fourth Crusaders to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire.

The building was later converted into an Ottoman mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931. It was then secularized and opened as a museum on 1 February 1935. It remained the world's largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520.

The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 on the orders of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I and was the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site, the prior one having been destroyed by rioters in the Nika riots.

It was designed by the Greek geometers Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles. The church was dedicated to the Wisdom of God, the Logos, the second person of the Trinity, its patronal feast taking place on 25 December, the commemoration of the birth of the incarnation of the Logos in Christ.

Although sometimes referred to as Sancta Sophia as though it were named after Sophia the Martyr, sophia being the phonetic spelling in Latin of the Greek word for wisdom, or Shrine of the Holy Wisdom of God.

The church contained a large collection of relics and featured, among other things, a 15-metre (49 ft) silver iconostasis.

The focal point of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly one thousand years, the building witnessed the excommunication of Patriarch Michael I Cerularius officially communicated by Humbert of Silva Candida, the papal envoy of Pope Leo IX in 1054, an act that is commonly considered the start of the East–West Schism.

In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Empire under Mehmed the Conqueror, who ordered this main church of Eastern Orthodox Christianity converted into a mosque.

Although some parts of the city of Constantinople had fallen into disrepair, the cathedral had been maintained with funds set aside for this purpose, and the Christian cathedral made a strong impression on the new Ottoman rulers who conceived its conversion.

The bells, altar, iconostasis, and other relics were destroyed and the mosaics depicting Jesus, his Mother Mary, Christian saints, and angels were also destroyed or plastered over.

Islamic features such as the mihrab a niche in the wall indicating the direction toward Mecca, for prayer, minbar or pulpit, and four minarets were added. It remained a mosque until 1931 when it was closed to the public for four years.

It was re-opened in 1935 as a museum by the Republic of Turkey. Hagia Sophia was, as of 2014, the second-most visited museum in Turkey, attracting almost 3.3 million visitors annually.

According to data released by the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry, Hagia Sophia was Turkey's most visited tourist attraction in 2015.

From its initial conversion until the construction of the nearby Sultan Ahmed Mosque, aka the Blue Mosque of Istanbul, in 1616, it was the principal mosque of Istanbul.

The Byzantine architecture of the Hagia Sophia served as inspiration for many other Ottoman mosques, including the Blue Mosque, the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, the Rustem Pasha Mosque and the Kılıç Ali Pasha Complex.

In 1935, the first Turkish President and founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, transformed the building into a museum. The carpets were removed and marble floor decorations such as the Omphalion appeared for the first time in centuries, while the white plaster covering many of the mosaics was removed.

Nevertheless, the condition of the structure deteriorated, and the World Monuments Fund placed Hagia Sophia on 1996 World Monuments Watch, and again in 1998. The building's copper roof had cracked, causing water to leak down over the fragile frescoes and mosaics.

Moisture entered from below as well. Rising ground water had raised the level of humidity within the monument, creating an unstable environment for stone and paint. The WMF secured a series of grants from 1997 to 2002 for the restoration of the dome.

The first stage of work involved the structural stabilization and repair of the cracked roof, which was undertaken with the participation of the Turkish Ministry of Culture.

The second phase, the preservation of the dome's interior, afforded the opportunity to employ and train young Turkish conservators in the care of mosaics.

By 2006, the WMF project was complete, though many other areas of Hagia Sophia continue to require significant stability improvement, restoration and conservation.Hagia Sophia is currently the second most visited museum in Turkey, attracting almost 3.3 million visitors annually.

Although use of the complex as a place of worship - mosque or church was strictly prohibited, in 2006 the Turkish government allowed the allocation of a small room in the museum complex to be used as a prayer room for Christian and Muslim museum staff.

Since 2013 from the minarets of the museum the muezzin sings the call to prayer twice per day, in the afternoon.

In 2007, Greek American politician Chris Spirou launched an international organization - Free Agia Sophia Council championing the cause of restoring the building to its original function as a Christian church.

Since the early 2010s, several campaigns and government high officials, notably Turkey's deputy prime minister Bulent Arınç in November 2013, have been demanding that Hagia Sophia be converted into a mosque again.

In 2015, in retaliation for the acknowledgment by Pope Francis of the Armenian Genocide, the Mufti of Ankara, Mefail Hızlı, stated that he believes the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque will be accelerated.

On 13 May 2017 a large group of people, organized by the Anatolia Youth Association (AGD), gathered in front of Hagia Sophia and prayed the morning prayer with a call for the reconversion of the museum into a mosque.

On 21 June 2017 Presidency of Religious Affairs or Diyanet organized a special program, which included the recitation of the Quran and prayers in Hagia Sofia, to mark the Laylat al-Qadr, the program was broadcast live by state-run television TRT.

On 31 March 2018 Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recited the first verse of the Quran in the Hagia Sophia, dedicating the prayer to the souls of all who left us this work as inheritance, especially Istanbul's conqueror.

Strengthening the political movement to make the Hagia Sophia a mosque once again, which would reverse Atatürk's measure of turning the Hagia Sophia into a secular museum.

In March 2019 Erdogan said that he will change the status of Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque, adding that it was a very big mistake to turn it into a museum.

As a UNESCO World Heritage site, this change would require approval from UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.

On 1 July 2016 Muslim prayers were held again in the Hagia Sophia for the first time in 85 years.

Many religious structures have been modeled on the Hagia Sophia's core structure of a large central dome resting on pendentives and buttressed by two semi-domes. A notable Venetian example is the High Altar of Santa Maria della Salute.

Several mosques commissioned by the Ottoman dynasty closely mimic the geometry of the Hagia Sophia, including the Suleymaniye Mosque and the Bayezid II Mosque. In many cases, Ottoman architects preferred to surround the central dome with four semi-domes rather than two.

This is true in the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the New Mosque - Istanbul, and the Fatih Mosque. Like the original plan of the Hagia Sophia, many of these mosques are also entered through a colonnaded courtyard. However, the courtyard of the Hagia Sophia no longer exists.

Many Neo-Byzantine churches are modeled on the Hagia Sophia. The Kronstadt Naval Cathedral and Poti Cathedral closely replicate the internal geometry of the Hagia Sophia. The interior of the Kronstadt Naval Cathedral is a nearly 1-to-1 copy of the Hagia Sophia.

The marble revetment also closely mimics the source work. Like Ottoman mosques, many churches based on the Hagia Sophia include four semi-domes rather than two, such as the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade.

Several churches combine the layout of the Hagia Sophia with a Latin cross plan. For instance, the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis (St. Louis), where the transept is formed by two semi-domes surrounding the main dome.

This church also closely emulates the column capitals and mosaic styles of the Hagia Sophia. Other similar examples include the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, Saint Clement Catholic Church, Chicago, and Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The Catedral Metropolitana Ortodoxa in Sao Paulo and the Eglise du Saint-Esprit (Paris) closely follow the interior layout of the Hagia Sophia.

Both include four semi-domes, but the two lateral semi-domes are very shallow. In terms of size, the Eglise du Saint-Esprit is about two thirds the scale of the Hagia Sophia.

Synagogues based on the Hagia Sophia include the Congregation Emanu-El (San Francisco), Great Synagogue of Florence, and Hurva Synagogue.

UNITED KINGDOM: British Tourists Advised To Avoid Turkey Because Of Likely Terror Attacks

Tourists heading to the holiday destination over the summer have been told to brace themselves for the duel threat of mob violence and lethal terror attacks.

People are being advised to stay clear of large crowds in cities like Istanbul as the unstable country faces unscheduled presidential and parliamentary elections later this month.

The advice to those travelling has since been updated with the government telling tourists to avoid large crowds as the country deals with the political turmoil.

In a statement issued on Friday, a Government spokesperson said: Presidential and parliamentary elections will take place on June 24 2018.

This may result in rallies and demonstrations around the country; you should avoid large gatherings and follow the advice of the local authorities.

Turkey’s snap election was called by the president of 15 years, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in April, amid rising opposition to his rule and concerns about the economy.

The UK Government already warns against all travel to within 10km of the border with Syria and to the city of Diyarbakir, while additional security measures may apply on any flights to Turkey.

The Foreign Office says that terrorists are very likely to carry out attacks in Turkey with the majority occurring in the south and east of the country in Ankara and Istanbul.

It said: A number of terrorist groups are active.

Since 2015 there has been an increase in PKK the Kurdish separatist terrorist activity in south-east Turkey.

There have been a number of attacks by other groups including suicide attacks by Daesh formerly referred to as ISIL, attacks by the far left DHKP(C) and the Kurdish separatist group TAK, including in cities such as Ankara and Istanbul.

Terrorist groups, including Daesh and the TAK, have publicly threatened to attack tourist sites in Turkey.

Attacks could be indiscriminate and could affect places visited by foreigners.

There is a heightened risk of terrorist attack against the aviation industry in Turkey.

You should co-operate fully with security officials at airports.

Be vigilant around significant religious occasions including the holy month of Ramadan and public holidays; terrorist groups sometimes call for attacks around these times."

However, some attacks may target western interests and tourists from western countries, particularly in the major cities.

The Foreign Office said: “You should be vigilant, follow the advice of local security authorities, monitor media reports and keep up to date with this travel advice.”


Tourism Observer

TURKEY: Istanbul’s Third Airport To Provide For Flights To More Than 350 Destinations

Turkey’s aviation sector, which grew by 14 percent over the past decade, is expected to grow even further once the Istanbul Third Airport becomes operational.

The airport, set to open Oct. 29, 2018, is expected to be the largest airport in the world when completed in 2023 and will serve as Turkey’s primary airport and a hub for connecting flights between Europe and Asia.

The airport will serve 90 million passengers annually once the first stage of the project is completed in the first half of 2018.

Last month, Transport, Maritime Affairs, and Communications Minister Ahmet Arslan announced the number of employees working on construction of Istanbul New Airport reached 30,000, while 57 percent of the project was complete.

He added that they were aiming to reach 35,000 employees soon and estimated that direct and indirect employment would rise to 225,000 once the airport is completed.

The airport is expected to provide opportunities for flights to more than 350 destinations for nearly 100 airline companies.

According to the best-case scenario, as of 2025, 120 million passengers, including 35.5 million domestic and 84.9 million international fliers, will be served in and out of the airport.

While passenger traffic expectations for 2025 was 120 million, 69 percent of passengers were expected to travel internationally, while 31 percent were expected to travel on domestic routes.

Arslan previously said that Istanbul New Airport, currently under construction, will contribute greatly to the Turkish economy and to employment rates, noting that it will make very serious contributions to trade and is expected to generate 4.9 percent for the gross domestic product (GDP), with an additional $79 billion obtained just through the airport.

The minister added that Turkey’s aviation sector has made great advances due to the emphasis placed on aviation by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), asserting that the liberalization of the sector allowed it to expand and pointed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım’s instructions to make airlines the way of the people.


Tourism Observer

TURKEY: Revenge, Russian Ambassador To Turkey Shot Dead

Andrey Karlov , the Russian ambassador to Ankara, lying on the floor after being shot by a gunman (R) during an attack during a public event in Ankara. A gunman crying "Aleppo" and "revenge" shot Karlov while he was visiting an art exhibition in Ankara on December 19, witnesses and media reports said. The Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency said the gunman had been "neutralised" in a police operation, without giving further details.

Andrei Karlov stumbles as the bullets hit him in the back, then comes crashing to the ground.

The press had come to cover the opening of a show at an Ankara exhibition hall Monday, but their cameras ended up capturing the chilling scene of the Russian envoy's murder at the hands of a Turkish policeman.

Images from shortly before the shooting showed a clean-shaven officer standing discreetly behind Karlov in a white shirt, dark suit and tie,apparently a bodyguard for the ambassador as he gave a speech at the exhibition.

But footage from minutes later showed the man brandishing his gun at shocked onlookers, jabbing his finger in the air and pacing backwards and forwards as Karlov lies motionless on his back.

He shouts "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") and then talks about pledging allegiance to jihad in accented Arabic, the images showed.

Switching to Turkish, he then says: "Don't forget about Syria, don't forget about Aleppo. All those who participate in this tyranny will be held accountable".

The terrified guests meanwhile cower behind tall cocktail tables laid out for the exhibition opening.

Immediately after the shooting at 19.05 (1605 GMT), police entered the building and were later followed by special forces, Turkish interior minister Suleyman Soylu said.

The state-run Anadolu news agency said the gunman had been "neutralised" in a police operation inside the hall after 15 minutes of clashes when he refused to surrender.

Photos showing the man lying on the ground, riddled with bullet wounds, quickly began to circulate on social media.

The Russian ambassador was taken to Ankara Hospital where he was pronounced dead despite efforts to revive him, Soylu said.

The minister identified the attacker as Mevlut Mert Altintas, 22, who had worked in the Ankara anti-riot police for the last two-and-a-half years.

Reports said that his mother, father and sister were immediately detained for questioning in their home in western Turkey.

Ankara mayor Melih Gokcek speculated on his official Twitter account that the policeman may be linked to the group of exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen, who is blamed for the July coup aimed at toppling President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The shooting came on the eve of a crucial meeting between the Turkish, Russian and Iranian foreign ministers on the Syrian conflict.

SOMALIA: Al-Shabaab Attack Ambassador Hotel In Mogadishu Killing 16 Among Them 2 MPs

Mogadishu so deaths of at least 16 people, including two MPs, in coordinated attack on Ambassador Hotel.

Somali authorities say at least 16 people have been killed and 55 more wounded in a car bomb and gun attack on a hotel in the centre of Mogadishu.

Sporadic gunfire could still be heard on Thursday, a day after the attack on Hotel Ambassador.

Al-Shabaab, the anti-government group affiliated with al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack.

Two legislators were among the dead.

"So far we have confirmed that 16 people, mostly civilians, died and 55 others were injured," Major Nur Mohamed, a police officer said.

He said gunfire had died down at the hotel, adding: "We suspect the roof top is not safe. Security forces are inside from the first to fourth floor."

Government forces have blocked off all the main roads near the hotel.

Witnesses said gunfire could still be heard at the Hotel Ambassador, a five-storey building which has been extensively damaged.

Relatives were gathering at hospitals and at the hotel searching for loved ones, with some people believed trapped inside.

Witnesses heard one man on the fifth floor crying out: "Please rescue me."

At least three fighters were involved in the attack.

The attack happened shortly before the arrival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Mogadishu.

The Ambassador Hotel is located along the road that Erdogan was supposed to take from the airport to the presidential palace.

He said the attack has the signature of al-Shabab, adding that it was not the first time the hotel, popular with politicians, was targeted.

They want to send a message that although they might have lost control of the city, they can still carry out such attacks with audacity.

In February, at least nine people were killed when al-Shabab fighters set off a car bomb at the gate of a popular park near a hotel in the capital.

In January, an attack on a beach-front restaurant killed at least 17 people.

In recent attacks, the armed fighters have also taken civilians as legitimate targets.

Al-Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu by the African Union peacekeeping force AMISOM in 2011.

Last year it was turfed out from strongholds elsewhere in the south by AMISOM and the Somali National Army.

However, it has remained a potent threat in Somalia, launching frequent attacks aimed at overthrowing the government.

The group has also been behind deadly attacks in Kenya and Uganda. Both contribute troops to an African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia.

USA: Obama Trip To Asia Light On Tourism For A Presidential Jaunt

Although Obama has scheduled no formal meetings with Putin, both the White House and the Kremlin said they expected them to meet on the sidelines.

U.S. President Barack Obama is slated to be briefed by his top advisers on Saturday on the latest intelligence on Friday’s deadly attacks in Paris, a White House official said.

Islamic State claimed responsibility on Saturday for the coordinated assault by gunmen and bombers that killed 127 people across Paris.

French President Francois Hollande has canceled his visit to the G20, his office said, and will be represented instead by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Finance Minister Michel Sapin.

Efforts by the USA and European countries to punish Russian Federation with economic sanctions have done little to change Putin’s approach in Ukraine.

The State Department said in a statement it believes Americans were among those injured in the terror strikes, which occurred at a crowded concert venue, a Cambodian restaurant and France’s national soccer stadium. But the White House did not list Obama-Modi meeting among the bilateral released by it during the trip-preview news conference.

The USA leader will meet in the Philippines with Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Australia’s Malcolm Turnbull, whose countries have signed up to a US-backed trans-Pacific free trade deal, known as the TPP.

But the violence on the streets of Paris added new urgency ahead of the two-day G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey, where Obama was hoping to build support for his administration’s strategy to defeat the Islamic State in the Middle East and bring a negotiated end to the civil war in Syria. Turkey has detained dozens of IS suspects in recent weeks, including a few 20 in or near Antalya. Obama’s National Security Adviser Susan Rice said the goal was simply to make “incremental progress”.

The president’s first meeting in Turkey is with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish leader whose ties with the White House have become increasingly strained. Their meeting wasn’t announced until shortly before Obama’s departure, a underscoring the “very tense nature” of the U.S.-Turkey relationship, according to Heather Conley, a Europe expert at the Center for Strategic and global Studies, a Washington think tank. With that in mind, Abe and Obama are expected to talk about the importance of ensuring the freedom of navigation, among other issues, the sources said.

“The USA and Turkey do not align on the dimension of the Syrian campaign”, Conley said. Until Putin is willing to abandon Assad and accept new leadership in Syria, it’s unlikely a political solution can be reached.

Obama’s dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Syria have been even more complicated.