THE CROSS AND THE MINARET A comparative study on the religious reappropriation of mosques

This research explores the historical phenomenon of converting mosques into churches and vice versa across different periods and regions. Using a multidisciplinary approach, it investigates four major case studies: Ketchaoua Mosque in Algeria, the Great Mosque of Córdoba in Spain, Hagia Sophia in Turkey, and Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque in Cyprus. Each case reflects deep socio-political and religious transformations, highlighting how architecture becomes a site of ideological expression. By analyzing the physical, symbolic, and cultural shifts within these sacred spaces, this study reveals how religious buildings are not merely passive structures but dynamic tools in the shaping of power, identity, and collective memory. The findings suggest that such conversions are complex acts of appropriation, negotiation, and resistance that continue to resonate in contemporary heritage debates.