Description

Description

Hagia Sophia is located in the European side of Istanbul and in Sultan Ahmed neighborhood. It is one of the oldest and most beautiful mosques in Istanbul. Hagia Sophia means Holy Wisdom and is one of the greatest symbols of Istanbul. This mosque is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in Istanbul.

History of the Hagia Sophia Mosque

The original building was built in 360 by the order of Constantine I, the Byzantine emperor. At that time, Istanbul was called Constantinople. Hagia Sophia was a church with a wooden roof and was attacked in 404 and then burned. In the sixth century, it was rebuilt.

The name of the building was Hagia Sophia. In the fifteenth century, after years of conflict between Muslims and the Byzantine Empire, Muslims, led by Sultan Mehmed Fatih (the Ottoman King), won the war and conquered Constantinople and renamed it to Islambul.

In 1453 the building was converted into a mosque and a century later minarets and pulpits, tombs and various other sections were added to it.

In time and with the establishment of the Republic of Turkey by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Islambul was renamed to Istanbul, and the Hagia Sophia Mosque turned into a museum by order of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1934.

The monument is 1478 years old. It was a church for 916 years and a mosque for 481. It has seen many earthquakes and wars to this day and has been rebuilt several times and has the largest dome in the world.

Places to visit near Hagia Sophia Mosque: Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Hurrem Sultan's Shrine, Hurrem Sultan’s Fountain, Ahmed III Spring, Rihanna Reservoir, and Turkish Myths Gallery.

Hagia Sophia ticket price

Tickets are free for children under 12 years old, but it is free for children under 6 if you are visiting the shrine.

The ticket is 40 TL for adults.

Tips to visit Hagia Sophia Mosque

• You must be there before 4:00 PM to buy tickets and visit the mosque.
• In order to enter this mosque you have to observe religious rules. Of course, having hijab is not a must, but be sure to cover your body fully and wear suitable clothes.
• In spring and summer the visiting hours are from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and in spring and winter, you can visit the mosque from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
• The Mosque is closed on Mondays.

How to get to the Hagia Sophia Mosque?

You can take almost any sort of transportation around Istanbul to get to the Sultan Ahmed district.