It is not the first time that the distinguished Turkish historian İlber Ortaylı has publicly warned about the danger of the collapse of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.
Speaking on Teke Tek Bilim, the professor talked about the condition of Hagia Sophia, which was converted into a mosque three years ago and hosts thousands of visitors daily.
In his recent article in the newspaper Hürriyet, entitled: "Let's protect Hagia Sophia", Ortaylı points out the monument's severe dangers due to increased visitors after its reopening as a Muslim mosque. He warns that the underground galleries, underground canals, drainage networks and ventilation systems must be improved to accommodate visitors.
"Even an annual visit of 20-30,000 people, consisting of scientists - such as historians and archaeologists - representatives of the major religions, politicians and civil servants whose input and opinions are essential, is considered too much for this place."
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The Turkish historian notes that the Hagia Sophia is the oldest temple of humanity, still standing in its place and preserved in its original structure.
"There are churches that are older than Hagia Sophia in changes of shape and volume, but they do not have a leading role in the history of art, and from a technical point of view, they cannot be compared to the engineering of Hagia Sophia," he said.
According to him, except for the mausoleums, the tiles and the four minarets, which are later additions, no other changes that would overshadow the original form of Hagia Sophia have existed over time.
The historian sounds the alarm about the underground channels that pass under the monument, which must be repaired, cleaned and restored immediately to avoid problems with the monument's stability.
The article also answers the request to construct new sanitary facilities (WC) and sinks to serve the faithful Muslims.
“If everyone who enters uses taps and toilets, how will the sewage system carry the sewage under the monument? This should be taken seriously," emphasises Ortaylı, a history professor at Galatasaray University in Istanbul and Bilkent University in Ankara.
According to the Turkish Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Hagia Sophia has received 21 million visitors since it was converted into a mosque three years ago.
UNESCO has warned that it may strip the Hagia Sophia of its World Heritage status because of damage to the monument and its potential risk of collapse.
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