Museum or mosque? Turkey's iconic Hagia Sophia is at the centre of a debate

The building is now at the centre of a heated debate between nationalist, religious groups who are pressing for it to be reconverted into a mosque and those who believe it should remain a museum

In its more than 1,400-year existence, the majestic domed structure of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul has served as the Byzantine Empire's main cathedral, a mosque under the Ottoman Empire and a museum under modern Turkey, attracting millions of tourists each year.

The 6th-century building is now at the centre of a heated debate between nationalist, conservative and religious groups who are pressing for it to be reconverted back into a mosque and those who believe the UNESCO World Heritage site should remain a museum, underscoring Istanbul's status as a bridge between continents and cultures.

On Thursday, Turkey's Council of State, the country's