New arrangement in Hagia Sophia: 'Turkish citizens' and others
With the new arrangement introduced at Hagia Sophia, officially named as Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, the entrances for those who come for worship and foreign tourists intending to visit Hagia Sophia for tourism purposes have been separated.
The new arrangement saw the first Friday prayer performed today.
As part of the restoration works initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, a new arrangement has been implemented at Hagia Sophia. Those who come for worship enter Hagia Sophia from the Imperial Gate in the section at Sultanahmet Square. For those wanting to visit the historical Hagia Sophia, they start their tour from a shuttered system door opened across from the III. Ahmet Fountain, continuing through the gallery floor.
A 25 Euro entrance fee is charged for those who wish to explore this section.
Tourists passing through the heaven-hell door, observing the mosque's sanctuary floor, and viewing the Ottoman-era additions can also examine the Byzantine-era mosaics in this section. However, for some reason, this practice is prohibited for citizens of the Republic of Turkey.
"Turks are not allowed in that section"
Even if you are willing to spend 25 Euros to visit the tourist section of Hagia Sophia, you encounter a warning from officials stating, "Turks are not allowed in that section." When trying to enter the mosque section for worship, you are told that Friday prayers will be held, and you can only visit Hagia Sophia after 14:30. In other words, if you are a woman, you can only enter Hagia Sophia on Fridays during specific hours.
However, according to information from the highest decision and advisory body on religious matters, the Religious Affairs High Council, within the Presidency of Religious Affairs:
"The fact that Friday prayer is not obligatory for women is not a deprivation for them but an exemption. If they wish, there is no religious obstacle for them to go to the mosque and perform the Friday prayer with the congregation. In fact, it may be recommended for them to continue attending Friday prayers to benefit from sermons and lectures."
You leave Hagia Sophia with many questions in mind: If you are a citizen of the Republic of Turkey and a local tourist, which entrance will you use? As non-male citizens of the Republic of Turkey, what should we do during prayer times? Can foreign tourists buy tickets and visit the gallery floor during prayer time?
On the other hand, almost everything within the setup of Hagia Sophia has been designed with foreign tourists in mind, and turned into a source of income. Determining whether Hagia Sophia is still a museum or a mosque is quite challenging.
Process of converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque
The steps towards converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque began in June 2020, despite its 86-year status as a museum and its inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985.
The Cabinet decision dated 1934, which granted museum status to Hagia Sophia, was annulled by the Council of State. This was followed by a signature from AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on July 10, 2020, endorsing the decision to transfer it to the Directorate of Religious Affairs for its reopening for worship.
With a history spanning 1500 years, Hagia Sophia was thus reclassified as a mosque. On July 24, 2020, the first Friday prayer was held in Hagia Sophia after an interval of 86 years.
The İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council also changed the designation of the structure, previously marked as a museum in urban plans, to "Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and Complex.
(TY/PE)