Murad Reis Mosque one of Rare buildings dating back to the Ottoman era survived for Centuries on Greek island of Rhodes. However, the mosque served as a center of Faith for Muslims, joined development list of Ottoman heritage buildings that were misused by Greece. It is now a file music school, d. neval konok, who Ottoman Heritage Studies in Balkans.
conversion is latest in Greece’s efforts to destroy Its Turkish Islamic heritage as tensions with Its neighbor Turkey is escalating.
The mosque is known as “the college” among the locals population (A complex in which there is a mosque, an inn, and a cemetery of ottoman has fallen soldiers) fell victim to hidden policy of Greece against Ottoman past. in Rhodes policy manifested as purchase of Historic buildings from the institutions they manage and their alleged “restoration”, which mostly works to delete original identity, according to experts. In most cases, a file building’s original use he is abandoned And it turns into something completely different.
After the independence of Greece, many Ottoman buildings were converted to military Prisons, cinemas, district offices, hostels and storage units. Moreover, dozens of Mosques were closed for worship, while others were converted into churches. many buildings abandoned Since this time it has fallen into ruin.
Fethiye Mosque in athena, built by Muhammad Al-Fateh in 1458, is currently Used as an exhibition hall. The city Tzisdaraki Mosque has also It has been repurposed as a museum of ceramics. while, in The state second-Larger cityThessaloniki, Hamza Bey Mosque – the oldest in The city Closed due to renovations work Aims to transform The building in a museum. The iconic building in 1467, previously converted to a file movie stage. The city Mosque of Alaka Imaret, which is very close just Old also turned into a museum.
Yeni Mosque in Thessaloniki – built in 1904 – has long been closed to worship, with his minaret destroyed distance city It was incorporated into modern Greece. in this time , building as a showroom of Municipal. At the same time, the white tower, one of The most important Ottoman landmarks in Thessaloniki, promoted as “Byzantine workAnd the symbol of The city.
Konuk told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Monday that the Murat Reis Mosque was originally a cemetery for “Martyrs” Umm Osmani soldiers who Died while opening of The island by the Ottoman forces in 1522 and later expanded to host graves of Murad Pasha Al-Fateh of Cyprus and former Shah of Iran. “With the passage of time, the complex has turned into a center for Muslims are here where they are hosted Religious wedding ceremonies and other religious customs,” she said of aban Kargınlıoğlu, volunteer guard of The mosque, in 2018 local board for Historical monuments captured place And the over Konuk said it has been converted into a school. “This is it great Damage to cultural heritage and a great disrespect for religion of a community. “
Greece said also Resorted to practice of Not registering the buildings of the Ottoman era in files official building records. “You can’t find any Turkish Ottoman temple in Record them, no on mainland no in carrots. They record it as “Islamic heritage”. It is either an “Islamic fountain” or an “Islamic library”. So it can easily be denied that it has any Ottoman heritage.”
Konok added That the cemetery of the mosque was also Some were damaged stolen in The past contracts. “They did not repair any stones. The residents also left fodder for animals. in The cemetery draw cats and dogs here. Stray cats and dogs leave their droppings on The holy graves of Muslims, which is also insult to people she said.
