---
title: "Turkey Converts Another Ancient Church Into A Mosque"
url: "https:\/\/theislamicinformation.com\/news\/turkey-converts-another-ancient-church-into-a-mosque\/"
type: "post"
updated: "2024-05-07"
description: "Byzantine Chora Church was turned into a mosque back in 2020, but in 2024, after undergoing several structural changes it is now formally opened for prayers."
taxonomies: ["News","Kariye Mosque","Turkey"]
---

# Turkey Converts Another Ancient Church Into A Mosque

Source: https://theislamicinformation.com/news/turkey-converts-another-ancient-church-into-a-mosque/
Updated: 2024-05-07

**KEY TAKEAWAYS:**

- Turkey converted the ancient Byzantine Chora Church into a mosque.
- Like the previous conversion of Hagia Sophia to a mosque in 2020.
- Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, stirring controversy.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan formally inaugurated a Byzantine church located in the heart of Istanbul as a Mosque on Monday, May 6th, 2024.

The Church of St. Saviour in Chora (also known as Kariya in Turkish) into a mosque back in 2020, right after it, the Turkish authorities turned Hagia Sophia into a Mosque.

Both sites are listed as United Nations' World Heritage Sites, and both conversion to Mosque drew praise from the Muslim community.

Just like [Hagia Sophia](https://theislamicinformation.com/news/free-entry-hagia-sophia-mosque/) was a church for centuries, and Chora had operated as a museum for decades. Chora was launched as a mosque in 2020 but had to undergo some changes to make it an operational one.

Erdogan on Monday attended the ceremony of the opening of Chora as a mosque.

The Church dates back to the 11th to 12th century but was transformed into a museum in 1945.