Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke of the Turkish legacy of conquest and the conversion of the Hagia Sophia during a mosque opening in the city of Zonguldak on Friday.
“We maintained these lands and made them our homeland with our blood, our flag, and the sound of prayer from the mosques. This is why the re-opening of the Hagia Sophia as a mosque is important, as it is a legacy of conquest,” stated the Turkish president.
Erdogan also promised the construction of mosques all over Turkey.
“I believe that every mosque we build is a cultural lighthouse to safeguard the future of our people and our homeland,” he said before reciting a poem by Ziya Gokalp.