President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday commemorated the 573rd anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul, rejecting calls that question its historical status.
Speaking at a ceremony titled “From the Conquest of Istanbul to the Conquest of Hearts” at the Haliç Congress Center, Erdoğan criticized those who challenge the legacy of the conquest, saying they were uncomfortable with Islamic symbols associated with the city’s Ottoman heritage.
“Whoever says Istanbul’s status should change cannot accept the Quran recited at Topkapı Palace or the call to prayer heard at Hagia Sophia,” Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan noted Istanbul has been a Turkish city since 1453 and remains a source of pride for the nation. He argued that some critics, both inside and outside the country, still have not accepted the city’s conquest centuries later.
The Turkish leader said the conquest of Istanbul in 1453 brought renewal and prosperity to the city.
