Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the reopening of a mosque in Istanbul, formerly an ancient Byzantine Orthodox church, despite objections from Greece.

Erdogan made the announcement during a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis aimed at improving bilateral relations.

The converted church, known as the Kariye mosque, underwent extensive restoration and will be open to all visitors.

Mitsotakis expressed dissatisfaction with the conversion, emphasizing the cultural significance of the monument listed as UNESCO world heritage.

Originally a church, the building was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453 and later into a museum, Barron’s reported.

Erdogan’s decision to reconvert it into a mosque follows a similar controversial move regarding the Hagia Sophia cathedral.

Despite disagreements, both leaders expressed a commitment to normalize relations and signed agreements on disaster management and emergency response.

They aim to increase bilateral trade and cooperation, signaling a potential improvement in relations between Turkey and Greece.

Written by B.C. Begley