"We hope the restoration works are carried out faithfully to the original structure"
Habipoğlu emphasized the importance of the restoration works being faithful to the original structure of the mosque. He expressed hope that "our six-century-old historic mosque, which is one of the finest examples of our shared cultural heritage, will reopen for worship in 2026."
The Çelebi Sultan Mehmet (Beyazıt) Mosque, located in Didymoteicho, Evros, Greece, suffered extensive damage in 2017 when a fire destroyed its entire wooden roof and much of its interior. Restoration efforts are currently underway.
ABTTF Statement on the Restoration
According to Ülkü newspaper, the Greek Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, inspected the restoration works at the Çelebi Sultan Mehmet (Beyazıt) Mosque on August 5, 2024. During the visit, which was accompanied by the President of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Christodoulos Topsidis, Mendoni indicated that the restoration works must be completed by December 31, 2025.
Mendoni emphasized that the most crucial aspect of this project is the reconstruction of the mosque's wooden roof, one of the largest wooden structures ever built in Europe. She noted that due to its complexity, the project requires close monitoring and must adhere to scientific and technical methods.
Located in the center of Didymoteicho, the Çelebi Sultan Mehmet (Beyazıt) Mosque is one of the most significant Turkish-Islamic monuments in the Balkans and Europe. It is the first mosque constructed by the Ottoman Empire in Europe. The restoration is being conducted based on a project prepared by the National Technical University of Athens and is financed by the Rescue Fund.
Halit Habipoğlu's Comments
Halit Habipoğlu, President of the ABTTF, commented on the matter:
"It is very positive that our Minister of Culture and Sports has visited Didymoteicho again after last July to personally inspect the restoration works at the Sultan Çelebi Mehmet (Beyazıt) Mosque, one of the most important cultural and architectural works in Europe. This shows her commitment to the project. In our work with the United Nations and the Council of Europe, we had called for an investigation into the fire at the mosque and highlighted the delays in the restoration following the fire. It is our collective wish and desire that the restoration works, which began in 2022, five years after the 2017 fire, will be finally completed by the end of 2025, as the Minister has stated. As we have mentioned before, we hope the restoration works are carried out faithfully to the original structure, and our six-century-old historic mosque, which is one of the finest examples of our shared cultural heritage, will reopen for worship in 2026."
