Monuments of Byzantine culture in today's Turkey: destiny and significance

The monuments of Byzantine Empire constitute a considerable and very valuable part of the cultural legacy of today’s Turkey. The outstanding pieces of architecture and monumental painting preserved in the area are the carriers of a unique cultural code that encompasses the geopolitical impulses of the Christian ecumenism. The reinstatement of the religious status of some of the most popular globally recognized historical sites, such as Hagia Sophia and the Chora Church (Kariye Camii) are the testaments of their historic and political topicality in the process of reshaping current national identity.