UNESCO Is Being Pursued By Archaeologists To Protect Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia

Since Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia turned back into a mosque at the start of the decade, its centuries-old architecture hasn’t been faring too well, with reports earlier in July noting that a cleaning mishap had cracked the site’s marble floors. 

A tour guide said that the state of the cultural monument was so derelict, it resembled “a fairground,” with art historians calling for the Department of Religious Affairs, who took over the charge of the landmark from the Department of Antiquities, to better protect the site. 

Now, in an even stronger push, the Association of Greek Archaeologists (SEA) has published an open letter asking for UNESCO to “intervene forcefully” in the preservation of one of the most important religious and cultural sites in the world. 

According to ARTnews, the Hagia Sophia was first declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, with its storied history of once being the largest cathedral in the world before being converted to a mosque in 1453, and a museum in 1935 before the latest change. 

“The lack of control of visitors and the absence of guards testify to the negligence for the protection of the monument and leave its protection at the mercy of the will of every visitor or pilgrim,” the letter stated. 

“Justifiably, therefore, concern has been aroused in Turkey and worldwide for the future life of Hagia Sophia,” it continued. 

“The devaluation of Hagia Sophia and the Chora Monastery restricts the vast social potential that culture provides, puts obstacles to the promotion of historical and artistic education, deprives Turkey of the understanding of its historical identity, and of the important position the country ought to have as one of the depositories of Byzantine culture.” 

[via ARTnews and Association of Greek Archaeologists, cover image via Achim Baqué | Dreamstime.com]