Tourists visiting Hagia Sophia for non-worship purposes will need to pay an entrance fee

Tourists who visit Hagia Sophia, which was opened for worship under the name of ‘Ayasofya-i Kebir Cami-i Şerifi’ on July 24, 2020, for purposes other than worship, will be charged a re-entry fee.

Before being opened for worship at Hagia Sophia, it served as a museum for 86 years.

Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, stated that as of January 15, 2024, foreign tourists will need to pay an entrance fee to visit Hagia Sophia, which is currently undergoing restoration.

Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, made statements regarding the ongoing restoration of Hagia Sophia Mosque.

Minister Ersoy indicated that based on the recommendation of UNESCO, a visitor management plan will be implemented starting from January 15, 2024. He mentioned that from this date, foreign tourists will be required to pay an entrance fee to visit Hagia Sophia.

Minister Ersoy stated:

Upon UNESCO’s recommendation, we will implement a visitor management plan starting from January 15, 2024. This application will enhance the quality and safety of visits.

There will be no change for Turkish citizens visiting the mosque for worship purposes. However, for foreign nationals visiting for tourism and cultural reasons, the entrance gate will be different.

Starting from January 15, visits made by foreign nationals for tourism purposes will be subject to an entrance fee. Visits by Turkish citizens for worship purposes will remain free, as they have been in the past and present.

The exact fee has not been finalized yet. We will finalize it before January 15; it is not our priority at the moment.