Turkey’s Chamber of Architects has sent a letter to Pope Francis, calling on him to not participate in the event to be held at Ak Saray (White Palace) presidential palace, reports PanARMENIAN.Net.

The Turkish Weekly reports that Turkish architects have sent a letter to the Pope listing the environmental violations that have been committed during the construction of the palace. The architects have asked the Pope to “not legitimize the palace that was built by violation of international norms by participating in the ceremony to be held there”.

One of the leaders of the Chamber, Tozkan Karakuli Candan has declared that the organizers will also send similar letters to all the guests of the upcoming ceremony to prevent the event from taking place.

The palace was built inside the so-called Ataturk Forest Farm where construction and deforestation is prohibited. However, in 2012, the area of the forest farm was intentionally reduced for the construction of the future presidential palace that the people call “Erdogan’s palace”.

The tremendous complex is larger than the White House, the Kremlin and Buckingham Palace in terms of size. Hundreds of trees were cut down for construction.

Controversy over the palace soared when it was known that nearly $600 million had been spent for construction. Twenty percent of Turkey’s population is below the level of poverty.

The Pope of Rome will visit Turkey on November 28. During the visit, the Pope will reflect on the violence in the Near East and the murders of Christians in Syria and Iraq. Pope Francis has been invited by the Patriarch of Constantinople, who visited the Vatican in the summer and attended the joint prayer of France and the leaders of Israel and Palestine.