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TurkeyWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Museum-Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, aka Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya Muzesi, Hagia Sophia Museum or Aya Sofya) – this is a former large museum complex of the Orthodox Hagia Sophia (Sophia Cathedral), which became a mosque during the Ottoman Empire. Until 2020, it was a museum, a monument of Byzantine art. One of the most popular historical monuments and museums, just a must-visit during the first tourist trip to Istanbul. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Attention! In July 2020, by the decision of the Turkish authorities, the Hagia Sophia Museum was transformed from a museum into a mosque. Since that moment, visiting Hagia Sophia has become free, but when visiting you must adhere to the traditional rules of visiting the mosque: take off your shoes at the entrance, be appropriately dressed, do not visit the mosque during prayer so as not to interfere with the faithful to pray.
The entrance is now completely free, but during the namaz, non-Muslims are not allowed to enter, so as not to distract believers from prayer. The floor is now covered with a carpet for prayers, respectively, at the entrance you need to take off your shoes. Some of the ancient frescoes with images of Christian saints are covered with canvases and wooden shields. But this was done not because of disrespect for someone else's religion, but because in Islam images of animals and people are forbidden (aniconism). But some of the ancient frescoes can still be seen from a certain angle.
The Orthodox Hagia Sophia was originally built in 537 by the Byzantines on the site of an old church. In the following centuries, it was partially destroyed by an earthquake, restored and rebuilt, but the general appearance of the temple was preserved. In the 15th century, the temple passed to the Turks and was transformed into the Hagia Sophia Mosque. Then the traditional attributes of Orthodox churches and shrines were removed, and the frescoes and mosaics inside were plastered. Mihrab, minbar, and four minarets were completed. In 1935, the mosque was converted into a museum by order of the first president of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Today Hagia Sophia is a unique building that combines elements of Orthodox and Muslim culture.: outside and in the interior you can see many architectural elements inherent in both religions. So it is believed that the Imperial gate is made of the remains of Noah's Ark, and under the dome you can see a mosaic of the 11th century depicting the Virgin and Jesus Christ. At the same time, there are also shields-medallions with the names of Allah, Muhammad, his grandchildren and the first caliphs. To consider everything in great detail, it is recommended to bring binoculars.
How to visit, inspection tips
After leaving the museum, do not forget to see several more historical buildings on the street: the mausoleum of the Ottoman sultans and their families, the fountain, the baptismal annex, etc.
Also adjacent to St. Sophia Cathedral are the mausoleums of the Ottoman sultans. The entrance to them is separate, and they are visited free of charge. The place is very important and sacred to the locals, so there is strict security control at the entrance.
There are always a lot of visitors in the museum, just not crowded. If you want to take a photo without tourists and calmly walk around the cathedral, you need to come either to the opening or two hours before closing.
Unfortunately, almost always there is something under restoration. At the end of 2019, for example, almost a quarter of the interior walls are covered with scaffolding and awnings.
In general, a leisurely walk around the museum will take 1-2 hours. At the entrance, you can get a free booklet with a floor plan and an indication of individual interior elements that are worth paying attention to. To make it more interesting, you can rent an audio guide at the entrance for 40 lire (0.87 USD), including in Russian, and it is best to visit the cathedral with a tour or guide, which you can pick up online here.
To get inside the cathedral, you have to stand a huge queue at the box office, which in high season can delay you for an hour or more. To avoid the queue, it is best to buy in advance a museum map of Istanbul in less popular museums, and then you can immediately proceed to the entrance through the turnstiles and security control. If you do not want to buy a museum card, there is another option – to buy a single ticket to the three main attractions in Sultanahmet: Topkapi Palace, Archaeological Museum, and Hagia Sophia. It costs 162 lira (3.53 USD), and separately their visit costs 180 (3.92 in order not to stand in line, it is better to buy it in the Archaeological Museum, there is the least queue.
🌐 Website: https://ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr
🕐 Working hours
around the clock, but Hagia Sophia cannot be visited by tourists during namaz (prayer), which is held 5 times a day, so as not to distract the faithful. The schedule of namaz changes, you can specify it on a special calendar, and it is also published at the entrance. Namaz lasts 1-1.5 hours,so even if you come here at this time, you can wait and walk around the square nearby.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
From 15 jan 2024 – 25 EUR.
🚶 How to get there
located in the historic Sultanahmet district at Ayasofya Meydanı, 34122 (Cathedral on the map). From Sultanahmet districts/Fatih can be reached on foot. From Beyoglu district by tram T1 (stop nearby); Metro Line M2 to Vezneciler station and walk 1 kilometer; buses 80T, 70KY, 74A, taxis 22 and 23 and walk 1-2 kilometers. From the Asian part and Kadikoy district by the Marmaray city train. On the tourist bus Big Bus Istanbul get off at the Stop number 1/20.
You can also visit Hagia Sophia with a guided tour or an individual guide. There are excursions in Russian. You can view descriptions, read reviews and order What You Like on one of these proven sites: