site.btaSome 25 Mln Have Visited Istanbul's Hagia Sophia Mosque Since 2020

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul continues to be the most visited site in Turkiye. Turned into a mosque by a decree of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2020, it has since been visited by some 25 million people. Around 50,000 visit Hagia Sophia every day, or 6 to 7 million people a year, Istanbul Deputy Mufti Ahmet Aktürkoğlu said as quoted by local media.

In his words, the visitors of Hagia Sophia mosque come from all parts of Turkiye as well as Muslim and non-Muslim countries, because it is a historical place attracting the interest of everyone, a symbol of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople.

At Hagia Sophia, the traditional Muslim ritual of namaz is carried out five times a day. There are also various initiatives organized by the Istanbul Mufti's Office, such as lessons in Islamic religion, marking of the Kandil Holy Nights, and classes in Qurani Kerim organized jointly with the Education Ministry. Fifty employees of Turkiye's Presidency of Religious Affairs work at the mosque; they give guidance to visitors to ensure order is observed during prayer service and provide foreign tourists with information on Islam and Hagia Sophia.

Hagia Sophia, designated by UNESCO as a monument of universal value, functioned as a church for 916 years. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, it was transformed into a mosque. In 1934, Hagia Sophia became a national museum by decree of President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and a Council of Ministers decision. On July 10, 2020, the site was once again declared to be a mosque under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On July 24 that year, an impressive Islamic ceremony was held with the participation of Erdogan and the Council of Ministers marking the first namaz at Hagia Sophia in 86 years.