Shutter door to Hagia Sophia
A shutter-style door such as those used in garages has been installed at the historic Hagia Sophia to distinguish between people entering for worship and the tourist visits. Hagia Sophia which served as a museum for 86 years was converted into a mosque in 2020.
Social media users expressed their reactions to the door installed at the historical building.
On the other hand, starting today, foreign tourists visiting the mosque will be charged a fee of 25 euros.
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— Izzet Capa (@izzetcapa) January 14, 2024
Bu gördüğünüz 1500 yıllık Ayasofya’ya yapılan yeni kapı…
Garaj kapısı mı desem, dükkan kepengi mi desem, AVM otoparkı girişi mi desem bilemedim…
Muazzam bir tarihi abideye şunu yapan zihniyete ne diyeceğimi vallahi bilemedim… pic.twitter.com/O8yeohz6wi
Journalist İzzet Çapa wrote on his X account, "The new door you see on the 1500-year-old Hagia Sophia... Should I call it a garage door, a shop shutter, or the entrance to a mall parking lot? I really can't decide... To think about what to say to the mindset that did this to a magnificent historical monument, I honestly don't know..."
The process of converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque
Steps towards converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque, which had been a museum for 86 years and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, began in June 2020.
The Cabinet decision dated 1934, which granted museum status to Hagia Sophia, was annulled by the Council of State. This was followed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's signature on July 10, 2020, endorsing a decision to transfer the management of Hagia Sophia to the Presidency of Religious Affairs for it to be opened for worship.
With these steps, Hagia Sophia, with a historical background of 1500 years, regained the status of a mosque. The first Friday prayer was held in Hagia Sophia after an 86-year hiatus on July 24, 2020,.
Additionally, the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council changed the description of Hagia Sophia, previously designated as a museum in the zoning plans, to "Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and Complex. (AÖ/PE)