French prosecutors have charged the man, a Rwandan refugee, with arson. He had been questioned and released earlier in the investigation.
Tag: Historic Buildings and Sites
Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Reopens as a Mosque
The Muslim faithful celebrated the decision by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, even as it generated dismay among Christians and architectural conservators.
Demolition of Vietnam’s Historic Bui Chu Cathedral Is Underway
The 135-year-old Bui Chu Cathedral will be replaced with a replica that can hold more people. The church rejected an offer of land and help renovating the old building.
Turkey’s Erdogan Signs Decree Declaring Hagia Sophia a Mosque
The decree came after a Turkish court revoked the site’s 80-year-old status as a museum and is likely to provoke an international furor.
Erdogan Signs Decree Allowing Hagia Sophia to Be Used as a Mosque Again
The decree came after a Turkish court revoked the site’s 80-year-old status as a museum and is likely to provoke an international furor.
Erdogan Talks of Making Hagia Sophia a Mosque Again, to International Dismay
The World Heritage site was once a potent symbol of Christian-Muslim rivalry, and it could become one once more.
George Floyd’s Killing Forces Wider Debate on France’s Slave-Trading Past
Rather than tear down statues, some argue that the past should not be obliterated, but remembered and explained.
500 Years Ago, This Port Linked East to West. Its Fate Was to Fade Away.
Malacca gave birth to the notion of Asian Fusion centuries before it became a culinary trope. Its decline speaks to the promise and perils of globalization.
Secret Passage Dating to 1660 Is Found Inside U.K. Parliament
An exclusive walkway once used by royalty was rediscovered inside the landmark building, along with some graffiti from Victorian laborers.
A Bittersweet Homecoming for Egypt’s Jews
A rare ceremony at an ancient synagogue brought 180 Jews back to Egypt, decades after they were pressured to leave. But few Egyptians knew about it, highlighting government ambivalence.