Merkel on Istanbul tourist trail at Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque

Mar 30, 2010, 10:13 GMT

Istanbul - German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the religious heritage of Istanbul on Tuesday, the second day of her trip to Turkey, as she visited the Hagia Sophia, a former church and mosque which is now a key tourist attraction.

'An impressive architectural masterpiece in a metropolis that has always been home to many religions,' Merkel wrote in the guestbook of the present-day museum, which remained open to regular visitors during her tour of the building.

The chancellor continued her sightseeing in Istanbul, this year's joint European Capital of Culture, with a visit to the Blue Mosque.

Later in the day, Merkel is due to visit a German school in Istanbul, where she is to participate in a panel discussion with pupils.

A German-Turkish economic forum is also scheduled, at which both Merkel and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are due to be present. Germany is one of Turkey's key trade partners.

The previous day, Merkel held formal talks with Erdogan in Ankara, after which she stressed that Turkey's conflict with Cyprus was a major stumbling block in European Union accession talks.

The leaders are at odds over Turkey's desire to join the European Union, in place of which Merkel would prefer a 'privileged partnership.'

Disagreement also flared up last week, after Erdogan demanded that more be done to promote Turkish schooling in Germany. Merkel in turn stressed the importance of learning German as a key to integration.

Germany is home to 3 million people of Turkish origin.

Istanbul, home to 13 million people, shares the title of European Capital of Culture with Germany's former industrial Ruhr area and the town of Pecs in Hungary.