Mücahit Türetken
24 July 2026•Update: 24 July 2026
More than 30 million people have visited Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque since it reopened for worship six years ago, underscoring its enduring appeal as one of Türkiye’s most visited religious and historical landmarks.
Originally built as a church, Hagia Sophia served as a church for 916 years until the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul in 1453, when Sultan Mehmed II converted it into a mosque through his endowment.
It remained a mosque until 1934, when a Cabinet decree turned it into a museum, a status it held for 86 years.
On July 10, 2020, Türkiye’s Council of State annulled the 1934 decree, paving the way for the monument to reopen as a mosque.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decision transferring Hagia Sophia to the Presidency of Religious Affairs the same day, and the mosque reopened for worship with its first Friday prayers on July 24, 2020.
Speaking to Anadolu, Istanbul Deputy Mufti Arif Cevlek said the reopening was welcomed with great joy across Türkiye and the wider Muslim world.
"The restoration of Hagia Sophia to its original identity fulfilled a longing that had lasted for many years. It was a symbol of the conquest of Istanbul, and reopening it brought great happiness to those who had waited for this moment," he said.
Cevlek said interest in Hagia Sophia had remained as strong as when it first reopened, with visitors from Türkiye and abroad continuing to come both for worship and to experience its historical and architectural significance.
He said the mosque serves as both a place of worship and religious learning, offering year-round hadith and Islamic studies classes, daily Quran recitations and a longstanding Friday Quran recitation tradition.
Mosque staff also provide individual instruction in Quran recitation, qiraat and Turkish religious music, while religious guidance personnel from the Presidency of Religious Affairs offer information and counseling, particularly to foreign visitors.
Cevlek said Hagia Sophia’s spiritual atmosphere had influenced many visitors from abroad, adding that mosque officials regularly witnessed people embracing Islam after visiting the site.
He also dismissed earlier criticism that there was no need to reopen Hagia Sophia for worship, pointing to visitor numbers that had surpassed 30 million.
"Since it reopened for worship, more than 30 million people have visited. There is always a large crowd inside the mosque and at the entrances and exits, yet it has remained orderly," he said.
Cevlek said pilgrimage tours from Uzbekistan, Malaysia and Indonesia had increasingly included Istanbul and Hagia Sophia, contributing to a rise in visitors from East and Central Asia.
He said restoration work was continuing while the mosque remained open under controlled conditions, adding that around 120 personnel provided daily services to visitors. 24 Jul 2026 Fri 12:19
