Gli, the beloved feline resident of the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, passed away at the age of 16.
The world-famous feline who made Hagia Sophia of Istanbul her own is now part of the iconic mosque's history, reports TRTWORLD.
For the last few years, the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque has served as a shelter for Gli.
Gli has about 114,000 Instagram followers and is known as a celebrity cat.
Hagia Sophia moved from a museum back to a mosque earlier this year and the hubbub didn't affect Gli. The architectural treasure has always been her home, a statement officials have been swift to affirm.
Gli has been a favourite sight for many of the mosque's guests with her shining green eyes, including former U.S. President Barack Obama, who had been filmed stroking her on a 2009 tour, reports Daily Sabah.
“Hagia Sophia's cat Gli, who was being treated at a private veterinary clinic Istanbul's Levent district since September 24, unfortunately, passed away due to her old age," Ali Yerlikaya, mayor of the Turkish metropolis, said on Twitter.
Hagia Sophia served as a church for 916 years until the conquest of Istanbul, and a mosque from 1453 to 1934 – nearly 500 years – and most recently as a museum for 86 years.
