Foreign tourists visiting the former Orthodox Christian cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will have to pay an entrance fee of 25 euros from Monday, January 15, 2024. This was announced by Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry already some time ago.
The 1,500-year-old Byzantine cathedral, which was converted from a museum into a mosque by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2020, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and receives over 3.5 million visitors a year.
Tourists entering the historic site will pay 25 euros, while Turkish nationals visiting for religious worship will continue to enter for free from a separate entrance.
The ministry stated that ticket booths have been installed as part of restoration efforts, ensuring visitor preparedness by Monday.
Security cameras, fire detection and emergency communication systems have been set up, with protective measures along the touring route at the monument.
Not all Turkish people are thrilled about the booth installations, though.
These people are just crazy… WTF. A brand new shopping mall security style entrance to the Hagia Sophia, built right into the structure… (25 euro ticket for tourists since today) https://t.co/HGnA690itJ
— Arie Amaya-Akkermans (@byzantinologue) January 15, 2024
PS if Turkey charges 25 euros for a visit to Hagia Sophia, then Greece is not wrong to charge 30 euros to foreigners and Greeks for a visit to Acropolis as of upcoming April.
