content tagged with Hagia Sophia

Turkey to introduce entry fees for foreign tourists at Hagia Sophia

Turkey to introduce entry fees for foreign tourists at Hagia Sophia

Citizens visiting Hagia Sophia for religious purposes will not be affected by this change, as there will be no charge for their entry.

31 October 2023

Journalist detained while reporting on damage to Hagia Sophia

Journalist detained while reporting on damage to Hagia Sophia

The officers did not provide a sensible explanation of his detention, reporter Engin Açar has said.

Erdoğan's friend gets contract for Hagia Sophia restoration

Erdoğan's friend gets contract for Hagia Sophia restoration

The 23 million lira contract covers the restoration of several buildings in the Hagia Sophia Complex.

'The endless suffering': What is happening in Hagia Sophia?

'The endless suffering': What is happening in Hagia Sophia?

Shattered windows, shoes put on historical stones, a historical millstone used as a garbage bin, and covered mosaics. What is going on in Hagia Sophia? Let's take a look at it.

13 May 2022 Tuğçe Yılmaz,Melin Durmaz

UNESCO may strip Hagia Sophia and Chora of World Heritage Site status

UNESCO may strip Hagia Sophia and Chora of World Heritage Site status

The UNESCO Committee has said that it "deeply regrets the lack of dialogue and information" on Turkey’s intention to change the status of Hagia Sophia and Chora museums. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has lashed out at the statement in a press release.

Eid al-Fitr prayer at Hagia Sophia after 87 years

Eid al-Fitr prayer at Hagia Sophia after 87 years

Built as a church in the Byzantine time and converted back into a mosque from a museum in 2020, Hagia Sophia hosted the first Eid al-Fitr prayer after 87 years. President of Religious Affairs Erbaş climbed to the mosque pulpit with a sword, again.

Report: UNESCO applies to inspect Hagia Sophia, Chora after conversion

Report: UNESCO applies to inspect Hagia Sophia, Chora after conversion

The two former churches were converted from museums into mosques.

3 December 2020

Hagia Sophia’s cat Gli has passed away

Hagia Sophia’s cat Gli has passed away

“Hagia Sophia's cat Gli unfortunately passed away due to her old age,” İstanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya has announced on Twitter. She had been in treatment at a veterinary clinic since September 24.

9 November 2020

President Erdoğan: Macron's statement is a blatant provocation

President Erdoğan: Macron's statement is a blatant provocation

President and ruling AKP Chair Erdoğan has responded to the remarks of President of France Emmanuel Macron, who has recently said, “Islam is a religion that is in crisis all over the world today.”

Survey: Hagia Sophia's conversion didn't affect voter preferences

Survey: Hagia Sophia's conversion didn't affect voter preferences

More than 42 percent of the participants said they would vote for the ruling AKP or its ally MHP "if there was an election today."

Council of State ruling on Hagia Sophia could set a precedent for Sanasaryan Han

Council of State ruling on Hagia Sophia could set a precedent for Sanasaryan Han

In a news report on Sanasaryan Inn in İstanbul, Agos newspaper has written that the inn, which was confiscated from the Armenian community in Turkey in 1928, belongs to the Sanasaryan Foundation.

Ministry of Defense statement on armed forces’ social media post

Ministry of Defense statement on armed forces’ social media post

Making a statement about the picture of Atatürk’s Tomb shared on the Turkish Armed Forces’ social media account, the Ministry of Defense has said that the posts to be shared are decided a month ago and they are not related with recent debates.

'Damn' part omitted from Friday sermon following social media post of armed forces

'Damn' part omitted from Friday sermon following social media post of armed forces

Amid debates of President of Religious Affairs' "damnation,” the Armed Forces posted a picture of Atatürk’s Tomb in Ankara. Afterwards, the Presidency of Religious Affairs has omitted the “damn” part from the Friday sermon at Hagia Sophia.

Russia: Turkey has assured UNESCO of Hagia Sophia's protection

Russia: Turkey has assured UNESCO of Hagia Sophia's protection

The 1,500-year-old monument reopened as a mosque last Friday.

Foreign Minister: Greece must accept that İstanbul was conquered in 1453

HAGIA SOPHIA'S CONVERSION

Foreign Minister: Greece must accept that İstanbul was conquered in 1453

During a joint press conference with his counterpart from Spain, Minister Çavuşoğlu said that the conversion of the monument into a mosque was Turkey's internal matter.

Criminal complaint against President of Religious Affairs

Criminal complaint against President of Religious Affairs

The criminal complaint requests that President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş shall stand trial for violating the Constitution and the Law on Crimes Committed against Atatürk over his remarks during Friday sermon at Hagia Sophia on July 24.

Erdoğan: Turkey’s intelligence organization has been a game-changer in Libya

Erdoğan: Turkey’s intelligence organization has been a game-changer in Libya

“Thanks to our widening area of influence in foreign intelligence, our country has begun to take its place on all platforms as a regional and global power,” President Erdoğan has said at the opening ceremony of new service building of the MİT.

Erdoğan recites Quran at Hagia Sophia, religious authority head gives sermon with sword

FIRST FRIDAY PRAYER AT HAGIA SOPHIA

Erdoğan recites Quran at Hagia Sophia, religious authority head gives sermon with sword

Hagia Sophia reopened as a mosque with a Friday prayer attended by thousands of people.

24 July 2020 Hikmet Adal

Preparations completed for first mass Friday prayer at Hagia Sophia

Preparations completed for first mass Friday prayer at Hagia Sophia

The monument will reopen as a mosque tomorrow.

Erdoğan visits Hagia Sophia ahead of mass Friday prayer

Erdoğan visits Hagia Sophia ahead of mass Friday prayer

The presidential spokesperson has reiterated that Hagia Sophia's mosaics will be preserved.

Kremlin says Hagia Sophia better as a mosque as it will be free to visit

Kremlin says Hagia Sophia better as a mosque as it will be free to visit

"Our Turkish partners explained that everything will be preserved in the best possible way, and everyone will be able to visit Hagia Sophia. Moreover, I will tell you, there were quite expensive tickets to Hagia Sophia," Peskov has said.

Hagia Sophia sets a precedent: Application for Atatürk Forest Farm

Hagia Sophia sets a precedent: Application for Atatürk Forest Farm

Referring to the ruling on the status of Hagia Sophia, the Chamber of Architects is preparing to take legal action to demand that Atatürk Forest Farm, where the Presidential Complex is also located, be returned to its original in line with the last will of Atatürk.

Erdoğan: Hagia Sophia converted to a mosque not from a church but from a museum

Erdoğan: Hagia Sophia converted to a mosque not from a church but from a museum

“It was us that turned, even if by a wrong decision, Hagia Sophia into a museum and it is us yet again that is now converting it back to a mosque,” President and ruling AKP Chair Erdoğan has said in his address to the public following a cabinet meeting.

‘Will Turkey pay damages to the Swiss company for Hagia Sophia?’

‘Will Turkey pay damages to the Swiss company for Hagia Sophia?’

HDP MP Kerestecioğlu has addressed a Parliamentary question to Minister of Tourism and Culture, asking him about the allegations that Turkey will pay damages to the SICPA company as Hagia Sophia is handed over to Presidency of Religious Affairs.

Turkey 'rejects' EU's condemnation of Hagia Sophia's conversion

Turkey 'rejects' EU's condemnation of Hagia Sophia's conversion

"Had Borell said, 'It would be better if it remained a museum,' I would respect that but we reject the word 'condemnation'," Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu has said.

Meral Akşener: We won’t let İstanbul Convention be crushed by a couple of cowards

İYİ PARTY GROUP MEETING

Meral Akşener: We won’t let İstanbul Convention be crushed by a couple of cowards

Speaking at the weekly group meeting of her party, İYİ Party Chair Akşener has addressed the recent debates about Turkey's possible withdrawal from İstanbul Convention: "What is it that bothers you about İstanbul Convention?"

AKP says Hagia Sophia's frescoes, icons to be 'better preserved'

AKP says Hagia Sophia's frescoes, icons to be 'better preserved'

Turkey is open to cooperation with UNESCO for the preservation of the universal heritage, the AKP spokesperson has said.

EU condemns Turkey over Hagia Sophia decision

EU condemns Turkey over Hagia Sophia decision

High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Borrell has said, “The Foreign Affairs Council has condemned the Turkish decision to convert such an emblematic monument as Hagia Sophia back to a mosque.”

İstanbul Mayor backs Hagia Sophia conversion: 'For me, it's been a mosque since 1453'

İstanbul Mayor backs Hagia Sophia conversion: 'For me, it's been a mosque since 1453'

What needed to be questioned was not whether the decision was good or bad, but Erdoğan's remarks a year ago against the conversion of the monument, İmamoğlu has said.

Hagia Sophia handed over to Presidency of Religious Affairs

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS DECREE ANNULLED

Hagia Sophia handed over to Presidency of Religious Affairs

Shortly after the Council of State annulled the decree converting Hagia Sophia from a mosque into a museum, a Presidential Decree handing it over to the Presidency of Religious Affairs and opening it to worship has been published on the Official Gazette.

UNESCO: We must be notified of any change in the status of Hagia Sophia

UNESCO: We must be notified of any change in the status of Hagia Sophia

Making a statement ahead of a Council of State ruling on the status of Hagia Sophia, UNESCO has noted that Hagia Sophia is on its list of World Heritage Sites as a museum and has certain commitments and legal obligations in that regard.

HDP deputy: Hagia Sophia should be a church

HDP deputy: Hagia Sophia should be a church

As the government considers converting the monument into a mosque, MP Hüda Kaya has said it was built as and should be reconverted into a church.

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