Should Ayia Sofia remain a museum or become a christian temple as it once was and why?

Question

Built in the 6th century, Hagia Sophia — Greek for "Holy Wisdom" — was Christendom's greatest and most celebrated church. After parrying centuries of jihadi thrusts from Arabs, Constantinople — now Istanbul — was finally sacked by Turks in 1453, and Hagia Sophia's crosses were desecrated, its icons defaced. Along with thousands of other churches in the Byzantine Empire, it was immediately converted into a mosque, the tall minarets of Islam surrounding it in triumph. Nearly 500 years later, in 1935, as part of reformer Kemal Ataturk's drive to modernize Turkey, Hagia Sophia was secularized and transformed into a museum.

Is there a Muslim temple that has ever been transformed into a museum in Europe? Should that ever happen?

thanks
Frank

Edit: In case this is not clear, I am not a religious person and I do not support Orthodox Christianity or any other organized system of faith. My question was more into testing the connection of Turkish people to Ayia Sofia. To me it is stunning that the most prominent monument in Istanbul (in fact the emblem of the city) is the most glorious temple of Christianity.

Edit 2: Stelios again: Greece is an idea, you cannot catch, define or even restrict her geographically, religiously or nationally. Its not in a temple or a flag either. Its much bigger and heavier than you or me will ever be... Auschwitz and Birkenau offer a cheap alternative for the easily manipulated mind.

Answer 1

To begin with the last paragraph of your question, many mosques have been transormed even into churches in Spain, where the "spirit" of Ferdiando, Isabella and the Holly Inquisition still survives and dominates...

As for the most common example of a mosque transformed into a museum, I just mention the Haseki mosque at Monastiraki - Athens (museum of ceramic art), while in a close distance, at the area of the Roman forum there is another mosque, transformed into....nothing.

Hagia (Aya) Sofia must remain a museum of religious art, because it belongs to no nation or religion but to the whole humanity as a mastepiece of architecture and art.
Any other use than as a museum would harm the building additionally, as it already suffers, as any monument does, of a gradual damages by the visit of thousands of tourists, as Ipek already mentioned.

And being, once again, a devil's advocate, I'll just ask why doesn't anybody propose that the bysantine Monastery of Dafni in Athens be transformed into a church ? (it's a museum too).
The same stands for Nea Moni at Chios island, the mosaics of which are (or rather were) magnificent and similar to similar to those of Dafni, and is neither a church not a museum, just a cralling down by negligence bysantine monument...
Going even further, I would ask some fanatic Orthodox believers the reason why the (Catholic) Madona Chapel of the former Villa Devecchi in Rodos island has been transformed into a filthy open public toilet (unbelievable ? Though absolutely true).

In conclusion: Let the marbled king rest in peace, monumets too....

Edit 1. For heaven's sake, several aswerers, get some elementary knowledge: Justinianus was not Greek, nor was his east Roman Empire... He and his nasty company destroyed in purpose everything greek...It's written even in the schoolbooks that he (violently) closed down all Greek philosofical Schools....

Edit 2. Selin, your haterade to Greeks exceeds even your ignorance. There are two old mosques in Athens, and many in Rodos, not to mention Ioannina, but also Xanthi, Komotini etc, where they are actually used as religious centers.
And being beyond any generalization, I have to inform you that the famous "marbles" of the Parthenon in Athens have been sold to Lord Elgin by the Turkish governor of the city, while Parthenon, the most precious monument of the ancient world and of all times was from the begining of the conquest of Athens tranformed into a mosque, suffering many damages too, and the rest of the Acropolis monuments were tranformed into palaces and houses for the local turkish aristocracy ...
I'm objective, can't some people be too?

Edit 3. Stelios, you are Celin's male version... fanatic dreamers of both sides, why don't you make an alliance? You're so identical that finally you'll match...

Answer 2

Yes, some old mosques even in Greece are turned into museums, as the Tzisdaraki mosque in Monastiraki, the mosque at Nafplion, and the mosque in the roman Agora of Athens. Haghia Sofia must remain a museum for many reasons. The first reason is that due to political situations between Turkey and Greece, to turn Haghia Sophia into a place of worship would cause tension. Do you happen to know what happened when the Patriarch went to a church in Myra to do a liturgy? The extremist group of Grey Wolf in Turkey went to cause trouble and create problems to the Patriarch. The second reason will become apparent if you go to any Christian church in Greece or even mosque in Turkey. Carpets, ambos, icons, stands for icons, tables, closets for the liturgical items, kitsch lights or chandeliers etc. etc. destroy the interior space. haghia Sophia is such an important monument that no use other than an exhibit should be allowed. However, what I believe as a rstorer, not in any way trying to provoke Turks or Muslims, is that the huge disks with arabic writings should be removed. I am not saying this because i am Christian, I repeat that as a restorer of monuments I believe that based on teh Charter of Venice, these items are very new compared to the original work and of much lower artistic merit, whereas they cover marble revetments of huge artistic merit, so they should be removed and exhibited elsewhere.

Answer 3

my opinion is that Ayia Sofia should become a museum but as it was back then when Great Konstantine ruled the empire.
the greeks where the ones who made that wonder of the world and if you go and research you will see some points in its architecture that were way front then that times technology.
now you will ask me why not become a temple for the todays orthodox? well the answer to that is that if sth like that happened then all those ''teams" will destroy not only the monuments but they will also destroy people in it, which would be a catastrophy to the whole world.
and of course the same would happen if it becomed a turkish temple/mosque
so to be even for the greeks and the turks the best solution is to make the building as it was with the Greeks and like this everyone wins.
the greeks will now be able to show where they come from and how they used to be
and the Turks will have a touristic sight. this means that the economy goes up etc.
i think that would be fare for everybody

Answer 4

Sofia is Bulgaria's capital and its biggest city. Sofia was founded a large number of years back and today is really a city that continues to develop since the country's national and financial center and now you may have the chance to visit it hotelbye . Sofia keeps several valuable monuments to their long and storied past. Guests discovering the city's streets could see remnants of The Eastern Gate from the occasions when Sofia was Serdika and Sredets, relationship from the 2nd-4th centuries CE. These stays are exhibited in the underpass joining the Presidential Palace and The Ministerial Council, surrounded by stores selling standard Bulgarian souvenirs and rosewater. The Saint Sofia Basilica is among the items of Sofia. Is one of many oldest churches in the capital and was the city's key church through the Middle Ages, and under the Ottomans it absolutely was applied as a mosque.

Answer 5

I'll repeat my previous answer to a similar question. The initiative already exists.

Dear all,

The European Union Parliament is pressuring the Turkish Government to restore Saint Sophia Cathedral from a museum into an Orthodox Church. However the Parliament has set a requirement of 1.000.000 signatures on a petition before it makes this conversation a prerequisite for Turkey's admission into the European Union.

You are requested to consider casting your vote by logging on to a link at http://www.hagiasophiablog.com This is an opportunity for each of us to have a positive impact on world events. Get as many friends of yours to sign the petition and make history.

This should not be perceived as an action against the Turks, who aspire to become future fellow Europeans, or the Muslims in general. It is a question of respect to the European history and culture. It is respectful of the Turkish culture too, as it would restore to its initial status what they have been able to conquer and preserve. A brilliant prove of their historical role. What certainly is a religious issue too, it is a relevant political issue, which touches all European citizens.

All the best,

"Making a Difference"

Answer 6

Aya Sofia to be and continue as being a museum. Mosques and Churches are places for praying to God. We should stop saying Muslims and Christians because both are religions from God. Of course in addition to Judaism.

Answer 7

public need is equal to Rakshasa's hungry. The treasure related to the royal Trivancore kingdom now to the temple. it should be saved and again put it into a strong guarded room. what the government is doing in collecting the taxes? Let the government do good for the public from the income. If allowed, you can also say to sell the God's ornaments for the public good.

Answer 8

The Alhambra in Spain, perhaps?

It is maybe more of a palace than strictly a mosque, but I believe there is a mosque on the premises, and I believe that it is now a museum, in Granada.

Answer 9

all the facts you need for an answer are stated in dellarovore's answer.
edit- if it becomes a mosque or church or sth, one of the greatest signs of dialogue between islam and christianity (its motto is faith and respect at new 7 wonders website) will vanish and many people won't be able to see its wonders as it will not be a museum anymore.

Answer 10

Transforming a temple is wrong but it was a mosque more than five centuries so it is important for Muslims as much as it is for Christians.Therefore,there cannot be a more wisdom decision than Atatürk's decision.

To Selin:They were Armenians not Greeks.Try to do some research.