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Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands visits Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia in Turkey

Türkiye Materials 2 March 2007 15:02 (UTC +04:00)

( Cihan ) - Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, along with the royal family, visited Sultanahmet Mosque, which is better known as the Blue Mosque, and the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

On the third day of her historic visit to Turkey, the queen arrived in Istanbul early along with Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima. Having toured the Bosphorus, they had a rest for a while at the presidential premises in Istanbul. The royal family visited the Blue Mosque later in the day.

The mosque was closed to visits during the royal family's visit, which lasted for 20 minutes. Emrullah Hatipoglu, Muslim cleric of the mosque, briefed Beatrix and the accompanying delegation.

Then they headed to the Hagia Sophia, 6th century Byzantinian monument located next to the Blue Mosque. The royal family waved to well-wishers as they walked to the mosque-turned church, which is now a museum.

Beatrix's visit is the first ever one from the Dutch Royal family Queen to Turkey during the four-century old diplomatic relations between the two centuries.

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