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Hagia Sophia: Chronicle of a death foretold
The 44th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee recently concluded under the shadow of the decision to convert Hagia Sophia and the Monastery of Christ at Chora in Istanbul into mosques.
In 2016, the reading of the Quran inside Hagia Sophia and the gathering of worshippers in the surrounding area was the precursor of its fall.
- Helen Methodiou
- ekathimerini
Despite numerous protests and international concerns, UNESCO did not issue a public statement or recommendation, a fact that was apparently assessed by the Turkish side as tacit tolerance.
Following the decision of the Supreme Court of Turkey (July 2020) and the announcement that the…