America News Agency

The historic structure located inside Enez Castle in the Enez district of Edirne and known today as the Enez Hagia Sophia Mosque is among the district's important cultural heritage sites, with a history extending from the Eastern Roman period to the Ottoman era.

The structure, built as a church around the 12th century during the Eastern Roman period, was converted into a mosque after Enez came under Ottoman rule. It began to be used as a mosque during the reign of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, when a mihrab, minbar and minaret were added.

The historic structure, which witnessed different periods over the centuries, was severely damaged in the earthquake that struck Enez in 1965. The mosque, whose dome and some sections were damaged in the earthquake, remained unusable for many years.

Following comprehensive restoration work aimed at reviving the historic structure, the Enez Hagia Sophia Mosque reopened for worship on December 24, 2021, after a 56-year hiatus.

Today, visitors to Enez Castle have the opportunity to see traces of the district's centuries-old history together in the structure, which was built as a church during the Eastern Roman period, converted into a mosque during the Ottoman era, and restored and reopened for worship after the 1965 earthquake.

The Enez Hagia Sophia Mosque continues to be one of the important symbols of the district's historical and cultural identity, both for bearing traces of different civilizations and for its location within Enez Castle.