Erdoğan: We embrace Istanbul

The government is trying to pay its "debt of gratitude" to Istanbul by protecting its historical and cultural fabric, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.

"We love this city, which was entrusted to us by Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Ulubatlı Hasan, with all its districts," Erdoğan said on June 16 during a ceremony to reopen the Vaniköy Mosque in Üsküdar following restoration works.

"We do not leave our love for Istanbul only in words unlike others," the president said.

"We show our sincerity by embroidering every square meter of Istanbul with our works, investments and projects. We fulfill the necessity of our love by serving all citizens in Istanbul without any discrimination. We try to fulfill our debt of gratitude to Istanbul by protecting the historical and cultural structure of this ancient city even more."

Built in 1665 by Vani Mehmed Efendi, the mosque was restored after being damaged and largely destroyed by a fire in November 2020.

"Unfortunately, the 358-year-old Vaniköy Mosque, one of the pearls of the Bosphorus, was severely damaged in a fire two and a half years ago," Erdoğan said.

"We acted quickly to rebuild this precious heirloom with a mission of loyalty to the city."

The ground floor of the Hünkar Pavilion in the mosque will also be made available to the citizens as a library, Erdoğan added.

"Approximately 1,600 works, selected with great care, will be at the disposal of everyone who visits our mosque, especially our young people," he said.

Erdoğan said the mosques are not only places of worship. "They are also deeds that show that this land is ours forever."

"Mosques are our identity cards. They are our spiritual bridges that connect us to our glorious past of thousands of...