After the New Year holidays, tourists will be charged for entry to the main attraction of Istanbul, the most popular in Turkey.
The Church of Saint Sophia, aka the Hagia Sophia Mosque, as reported by the Turkish press, will be paid for by foreigners, including tourists. This was ordered by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
As the head of the department, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, said on Tuesday, the visit should be paid from January 15, 2024. Moreover, this was done “in connection with UNESCO’s recommendation to develop a plan for managing visits to the mosque.”
At the same time, for those citizens of Turkey who will visit the temple as a “cult institution”, i.e. as a mosque, the entrance will remain free. To avoid confusion, tourists and worshipers will be taken to different entrances.