Fire damages 600-year-old mosque in northern Greece

By Mehmet Hatipoglu

KOMOTINI, Greece

A historic Ottoman-era mosque in northern Greece which was undergoing renovations was severely damaged in an early-morning fire on Wednesday, according to local media.

The cause of the blaze in the mostly wooden Sultan Bayezid mosque in Didymoteicho town remains unknown.

However, Greek news agency ANA-MPA reported that an electrical fault could be responsible. Culture Ministry official Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki is expected to visit the site later on Wednesday.

The wooden roof of the mosque, which was a special architectural feature, was completely destroyed, ANA-MPA added.

Deputy Foreign Minister Giannis Amanatidis told ANA-MPA on Wednesday that the damage caused by the fire would be repaired.

"The desire of the government is immediate restoration," he said.

Education Minister Kostas Gavroglu was also quoted by ANA-MPA as saying that the mosque "constitutes a very important religious monument for our country and our civilization".

"The destruction of it because of a fire is a wound that deeply saddens us," he said, expressing his support for the mosque's restoration.

Construction of the Sultan Bayezid mosque, also known as the Sultan Celebi Mehmet mosque, started in 1389 and was completed in 1420, during the early-Ottoman era.

In 2010 the Greek authorities decided to restore the mosque; work was due to be finished this year.

The building had been closed to worship.

* Fatih Hafiz Mehmet also contributed to this story from Ankara.