... Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey...said on Wednesday it was time to rename Istanbul's landmark Hagia Sophia as a mosque, saying that it had been a "very big mistake" to convert it into a museum.
"Hagia Sophia will not be called a museum. It will be taken out of that status. We will call Hagia Sophia a mosque," Erdogan told A Haber television during an interview.
"Those who come to Hagia Sophia will visit Hagia Sophia mosque," he said.
The former church and mosque, now a museum, often sparks tensions between Christians and Moslems over Islamic activities held there, including the reading of verses from the Holy Koran or collective prayers.
Its secular status allows believers of all faiths to meditate, reflect or simply enjoy the astonishing architecture of a building dating back to the sixth century.
Erdogan is campaigning for votes for his Justice and Development Party (AKP) ahead of municipal elections on March 31.