Hagia Sophia Mosque

5.0

3336 ratings

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Level 11 Local Expert

A magnificent human possession. Very beautiful inside and out. But the way inside is not particularly open for tourists. Mostly for believers only. But you can also try to pass as believers. For tourists, there is a separate entrance for one small fresco for 25 euros.…

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андрей в.

Level 21 Local Expert

Of all the religious buildings I know (and I've seen a lot of them) Hagia Sophia left the most amazing impression. It is impossible to imagine that this cathedral (now a mosque) was built 1,500 years ago. Everything is amazing: the gigantic volume of the building, the height of the dome, and the Byzantine mosaics (now partially hidden, after the status change of the temple). And even the fact that it is open for free access around the clock... But now it is necessary to take off your shoes before entering, leaving them in lockers on special shelves. It's okay: the floor is covered with a huge green carpet of perfect cleanliness, and no one will touch your shoes...

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Елена Журавлева

Level 6 Local Expert

Of course, it's interesting, the main thing is not to compare it with the blue Mosque, that's where the really impressive and beautiful architecture is, and even free admission, and the entrance to Hagia Sophia in autumn with the museum cost 50 euros

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Марина Кобякова

Level 18 Local Expert

If this is a global tourist destination with a set cost of visiting, then where is the information on the ticket offices that is accessible to everyone? We paid 1,000 Turkish rubles per person for visiting only the balcony, which is more than 2,000rubles, but if you came without a headscarf/skirt, then you have a "problem", and you need to buy these accessories: a headscarf of 1.5 €, and a chlamydia covering your knees of 3€. For a moment, it would be possible to include these pieces of non-woven fabric are included in the ticket price (this is a bit about the Turkish service, if anything))) moreover, we did not see anyone else in these purchased consumables, everyone usually comes prepared, but why not make money on this, as they say. If you want to join the worshippers in the lower non-tourist part, then be kind enough to pay double the price at the entrance. I think if it were not for the preserved 3 frescoes XI, XII In the 13th century, Christians have nothing to do here.

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светлана

Level 15 Local Expert

A beautiful mosque. It's very interesting inside. There are still Christian frescoes. Everything is convenient, there is an audio guide. But before visiting, I recommend that you first visit the Museum of AiSophy.

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Ольга Решетникова

Level 13 Local Expert

This is the main place in Istanbul to visit. Everything about it is amazing - beauty, grandeur, fundamentality ... it's a pity that the 1st floor is closed to the public - the mosque... but to touch the history, to feel the very Byzantium, to realize that miracles happened here and Grace stayed here. If I still find myself in Istanbul, I will definitely go to Sofia.

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Вадим Фомин

Level 9 Local Expert

The place, of course, is steeped in history, but it is very controversial and actually stands on blood. It is a pity that, contrary to the will of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the museum was reformatted into a mosque, so you can only get to the balconies, there is very little historical heritage left, and there are a lot of tourists. I do not recommend taking a separate ticket, as it is cheaper to take a complex tour and there are no queues at the entrance. In general, the place is multicultural, you can feel it when you walk inside the building, there are a lot of legends about Hagia Sophia, so I advise you to read and listen to an audio guide on the Internet, and of course it will be quite boring inside without a guide.

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Ольга Григорьева

Level 7 Local Expert

An impressive, incredible story. This is where Christianity has its roots. Be sure to visit. For reference: Princess Olga was baptized in the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Constantinople (Constantinople) in 957.

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Иван Яковлев

Level 17 Local Expert

A unique place. The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is an outstanding monument of Byzantine and world architecture, a symbol of the "golden age" of Byzantium, which is sometimes called the "eighth wonder of the world". In 2020, by decision of the State Council of Turkey, it has the status of a mosque, while the second floor is still a museum. The entrance to the cathedral costs 25 euros. A truly historical architectural monument that united Muslims and Orthodox under its arches. I definitely recommend that you familiarize yourself with the history of this amazing place before visiting, then you will not need a guide. Thank you for your time!

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Аня Иванова

Level 16 Local Expert

A grandiose building of the 6th century, a temple that Miman Sinan, in my inner conviction, could not surpass when you go inside! Yes, outwardly many mosques are similar and even surpassed the greatness of St. Peter.Sofia, Suleymania is one of them, but inside, there is no inside, there is some kind of special atmosphere, style, architecture, unlike other mosques in Istanbul, in which Sinan tried to bypass Sofia. I was lucky enough to get inside from the main, non-tourist entrance, to the first floor. All tourists are sent under the dome. There is practically nothing left of the mosaic and it does not make a proper impression, because it is covered up, you have to go to the monastery of Chora, in Fatiha, for protection with a mosaic. But the very atmosphere of Hagia Sophia is worth a visit! Admission for tourists is now 25 euros.

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Andrew Ye

Level 11 Local Expert

A majestic place with incredible energy! The ticket price is, of course, very high. I recommend buying a ticket only to Sofia, and not going to the museum. They show a short cartoon and a poor exposition.

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Oleg

Level 21 Local Expert

A beautiful historical building. It's a pity that it's no longer a museum. But you can still get in. A unique architectural masterpiece. Touching the columns of the cathedral feels like you're touching history. And this feeling is quite justified, because the cathedral is almost 1.5 thousand years old.

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Анастасия К.

Level 10 Local Expert

You should start exploring Istanbul from this monument. The entrance is expensive, but what can you do? The mosaics are luxurious, but unfortunately there are few of them. I recommend buying a ticket only inside the mosque (formerly the cathedral). So much has been filmed and written about him that there is no need to go to an interactive museum. The attraction is not included in the museum map. I'm attaching a photo. 4 stars for the cost of the visit. It is unreasonably high for such a small number of preserved mosaics. There are many more in the former monastery of Khora, now it is the Kariye Mosque. I am attaching a photo from Sofia, photos from the monastery of Khora can be viewed in my other reviews!

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Александр Матвеев

Level 7 Local Expert

I visited Hagia Sophia in March 2025, I was impressed! We were struck by the grandeur and beauty, even the window frames are made of stone, although the glass was small during construction. It is a pity that the inspection is only from the balconies, but the balconies themselves are huge (the emperor hosted receptions there). Climb to the balconies along the historical stairs and passageways. All of this is impressive. We stood in line from the beginning for tickets, then at the entrance. It's better to come early in the morning, there are a lot fewer people. They tried to sell the ticket for 1800 lire (with a visit to the museum), barely got rid of it, with a scandal, but bought it for 1000 lire (without a museum). The mosque is operational, so you can get to the "first floor", but the entrance is in a different place. I am pleased with the visit, I have visited the place where Orthodoxy originated!

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Ольга Рукавишникова

Level 15 Local Expert

A gorgeous place with a long history. A place where two religions are intertwined, surahs from the Koran and Orthodox frescoes. Thank you for leaving this temple for our generation, because many Orthodox churches in the world were built in its likeness.

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Колбунцова Софья

Level 15 Local Expert

Just imagine, initially it was an Orthodox church, then a Catholic one, then a mosque, and for a very long time the building was a museum. Now it's a mosque again. At the time of January 2025, admission for visitors costs 25 euros. You will not get down, you will only walk along the balcony. But it's definitely worth doing. There is a wonderful free audio guide in Russian (QR codes will be all along the route). The scale, the intertwining of cultures and the atmosphere are very impressive!

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Ирин8457

Level 19 Local Expert

It's a very beautiful mosque! Before that, it was a Christian Cathedral, where the Byzantine mosaic of Christ the Savior was preserved. This cathedral served as inspiration for the architects who built the cathedral for sailors (Kronstadt Cathedral) in Kronstadt just before the 1917 revolution.

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Наталья Пяткина

Level 7 Local Expert

If you are going to Istanbul, be sure to see Hagia Sophia! It's very crowded here, and you can buy tickets for tourists yourself at the ticket offices on the square. Well, if you are Muslims, you can go inside for free during the service. It feels like cultures, an array of centuries-old history and modern life are intertwined here.

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Эльмира Агаева

Level 6 Local Expert

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is an incredible place that combines rich history and architectural splendor. Originally built as a cathedral in the 6th century, it later became a mosque. The atmosphere inside the building is mesmerizing, and you can feel the story passing in front of you. It is especially worth noting the play of light passing through the windows and the unique details of the interior. I recommend buying tickets in advance to avoid long queues and allow enough time for sightseeing.

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Aleks Matveev

Level 21 Local Expert

The cathedral has a thousand-year history, walls, corridors, ceilings, windows, every corner is steeped in the history of centuries. Excellent preservation of all the ancient delights of the architects' work. A must-see place in Istanbul.

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Марина Кравченко

Level 30 Local Expert

Definitely this is the place that is a must-visit: - we took a one-hour tour and went inside with a guide to learn the story and pay attention to all the details inside, understanding what/how/why - an incredible place with history, atmosphere and energy - the interior of the mosque is perfectly preserved, considering that the building of the 6th century, it is hard to believe the eyes - the intertwining of religions in Sofia is very unusual and interesting

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Лидия Романова

Level 8 Local Expert

My husband went to Istanbul only because of St. Sophia.Of course, you should see it, because all the other mosques are built in its image and likeness.The mosque is operational, services are held on the ground floor, you can only see the second floor.But the building is huge.Impressive.Admission costs 30€, in terms of lira.Only the tickets were held for 45 minutes.There is not a single toilet where tourists go.

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Вита

Level 12 Local Expert

The grandeur of the building both from the outside (soft lines, rounded shapes, stability) and inside (tall arches, spacious halls) is fascinating. The feeling of touching centuries-old history appears as soon as you cross the threshold. With great regret and a sense of irretrievably lost, you look at what remains of the Christian frescoes :( The ticket is expensive for foreigners, but it is necessary to go. It seems to me that this is the main attraction of Istanbul.

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Патрина

Level 12 Local Expert

A magnificent temple. The cradle of Orthodoxy. It is a pity that they are not allowed on the first floor. But from the second floor there is a magnificent view too. Take a handkerchief with you. Of course, they sell nearby, but their own is nicer. The entrance fee is in lira. I heartily recommend visiting the museum dedicated to Hagia Sophia. Tickets are sold at the same box office.

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Александр Шкаев

Level 7 Local Expert

A historical place with a centuries-old history that fascinates with its interior decoration and atmosphere, where Christianity gets along with Islam, complementing each other

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Евгений Кузнецов

Level 17 Local Expert

Hagia Sophia impresses with its scale and historical significance, but its visit is overshadowed by huge queues at the entrance. Even on weekdays, crowds of tourists line up in long lines that stretch for hundreds of meters. Waiting in the open air, especially in the heat, can take 1-2 hours, which requires patience and comfortable shoes. The inside of the mosque is also crowded: it is difficult to see the mosaics and architectural details without pandemonium. However, the building itself is impressive: the dome, ancient frescoes, and the atmosphere of the sacred place cover up the inconveniences. Tip: come to the opening or later in the evening to reduce the time in line. If you are ready to put up with the crowd, Hagia Sophia remains a must—see, but plan your visit in advance.

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Дима Дима

Level 20 Local Expert

This is the heritage of mankind, as - architectural building - interior and decoration as an achievement of imaginative art and aesthetics - as a place of inspiration and spiritual charging for people of all faiths (Muslim, Christian, Catholic, etc.) , you always miss something from the outside and from the inside. And I always want to visit her again!!!

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Ксения Шевелева

Level 16 Local Expert

Beautiful! We spent an hour and a half there, looking at every corner. If you run, you can forget in 15 minutes. But when I read what kind of marble was brought from where, and then you see these yellow, green structures, the story comes to life. We found Christian elements that we had preserved. They tore off patterns for themselves. In short, we examined it thoroughly in order to firmly say to ourselves: we have lived here for 1.5 hours of our lives.

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Ольга Н

Level 4 Local Expert

To say that I'm disappointed is to say nothing! The mosque is big and ancient - that's it! How can you even charge for visiting Hagia Sophia? Where is the world community looking? Nothing is being restored, they are not allowed on the ground floor. You can walk along the balcony and look around, if you want to see everything, convert to Islam (that's how we were told at the end). The temple, which was built for Christians, was rebuilt into a mosque, they charge money for the inspection and also don't let them see it completely! The building itself is majestic, but it doesn't stand next to our St. Petersburg cathedrals) When buying tickets, you will be offered to visit the museum, take only a visit to Hagia Sophia without a museum!!! You can read about the history of the temple on the Internet, it's fast and free! At the very end, the phrase sounded: The truth (Sofia) can only be understood by standing under the dome! Well, you get it… I did not feel the healing, awareness-giving energy that is present in all places of prayer. And it's very strange!

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Ольга Белякова

Level 10 Local Expert

As the mosque was not impressed, unfortunately you can only go to the 1st floor, when the mosque was a temple it was much more interesting and informative, there was an opportunity to climb and appreciate the beauty of the structure and historical significance

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Валерий С.

Level 16 Local Expert

A place that must be visited once in a lifetime. The mother of churches . Yes, the price is high, we only walked along the balcony, but to visit Istanbul and not come here.. We arrived on the same day - the queue is a kilometer long. Not the next day early, it's empty.

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Svetlana K

Level 12 Local Expert

It is difficult to assess: 5 - Hagia Sophia, or 2 - how in the 21st century one religion can control access to cultural heritage, a symbol of different religions, and education. 25 euros entrance to the gallery on the second floor and a micro-basement on the ground floor. The main frescoes are covered with canvases. A green baize floor. Early June, Tuesday - about 15 minutes in line at the ticket office around 11 a.m. The ticket office asks if you want to see "all parts of Hagia Sophia", but this means the 2nd floor and the interactive museum. Such a ticket costs 2200 TL, cash at the box office can only be paid in lira and euros, dollars are not charged. Plus, when buying two adult tickets, a child of 11 years old was given a free ticket (in general, 8+ is a standard adult, but I asked at the checkout if there were discounts for children, and they offered this option). 2 separate windows for the purchase of shawls (2 euros) and hooded robes a la raincoat (3 euros) made of non-woven fabric. Next, there is a separate queue for inspection, we spent 7 minutes in it. On Wednesday, at about 2:30 p.m., they passed by the ticket offices again - no more than 10 people in line, no one to inspect.

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Сервиназ Н.

Level 6 Local Expert

Unreal energy . It is very beautiful and majestic for Muslims to go to the first floor for prayer for free. The tour is allowed on the second floor for 30 euros

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Юлия Малиш

Level 23 Local Expert

An extraordinary atmosphere, a mixture of religions, you can see both Christian frescoes and a Muslim sound, a call to a very ancient place of prayer, it was blessed

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Дарья ю.

Level 8 Local Expert

It is a magical place, and every Christian who comes to Istanbul must visit it. It is a pity that the Christian Cathedral has become a mosque, the main feature of St. Sophia Cathedral is its huge central dome.

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Анна Михайловна

Level 11 Local Expert

Guys, don't go. Little has been preserved of St. Sophia, and even less will be shown. Instead of a beautiful temple for 25 euros, you can only take a short walk on the 2nd floor. and take a look at the Muslim ornaments. The dress code is stricter than in the operating room - you can close your knees, but you can't wear trousers, only a skirt for women, God forbid the hair from under the scarf will appear - you can't go! It's a shame, I wanted to see the great monument, But maybe we saw the fifth part...

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Данил Астапов

Level 8 Local Expert

Hagia Sophia is one of the great monuments of history, culture, and architecture. If you come to old Istanbul, then a visit to Hagia Sophia is a must. One of the disadvantages: the cost of visiting, after acquiring the status of a mosque, all the side walls are closed.

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Сергей Е.

Level 14 Local Expert

It's a very beautiful mosque, and I really liked Istanbul. It is better to walk in the old town, there are very big traffic jams. It's very beautiful in the evening.

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Путешественник

Level 10 Local Expert

Istanbul's most famous landmark, which is now too expensive (25 euros). To finally damage your wallet, you need to go to the Hagia Sophia Museum (23 euros) - a multimedia journey into the history of the cathedral. They can tell you in different languages, including Russian.

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Elena M.

Level 6 Local Expert

A place that is definitely worth visiting in Istanbul is to pay tribute to history and antiquity. The temple is more than 15 centuries old, the basilica-mosque-museum-mosque/museum has been rebuilt several times. It is located in the Sultanahmet district in the center opposite the Blue Mosque. There is a long queue constantly crowding the square in front of the main entrance - this is a queue for free admission for believers (and masquerading as believers). The ticket offices and the entrance for tourists are on the right side of the mosque from the side of the Bosphorus. Believers enter the lower part of the building, and tourists enter the upper galleries around the perimeter. It seemed to me more interesting to look at the beauty from above - more general plans, closer you can see mosaics, angels (only one of them has a face open), a general panorama of the cathedral, chandeliers, inscriptions, etc. Quite an adequate audio guide (included in the ticket price), but it is better, of course, to read in advance about the history of this miracle of Constantinople and already absorb the spirit of the times here. Together with the mosque itself, it is offered to visit the St. Peter's Museum for an additional fee.Sofia, which is located in the park opposite the Blue Mosque (walk 300 meters from Hagia Sophia). It is more interesting for children to move from hall to hall in small groups, accompanied by an audio guide and interactive paintings on the walls of the halls telling about the history of St. Sophia from the beginning of time to the present day.

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Анастасия А.

Level 12 Local Expert

A wonderful place with an ancient history, you just need to see it, of course it's better to take a ticket with a guide and you will get an interesting journey into the world of antiquity.You will be shown a lot that you may not even notice yourself.

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Марина Пушкарева

Level 8 Local Expert

It's huge. When you think about how many times you've seen this temple and how many more you'll see, you get goosebumps. It is a pity that they are allowed only on the balcony and it is impossible to fully appreciate the splendor of the structure and its scale. Of course, in my opinion, such buildings with such a history should remain world-class museums and be supported by the entire world community. Now Sofia is covered in scaffolding and it is not visible that the reconstruction is underway.

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Нина Архипова

Level 18 Local Expert

I often travel to Istanbul and often go to Sofia. But there was a break of three years. Sofia was killed by fellow Turks, they are being charged for watching the overdofig dismemberment, there is no point in going on a campaign. I took a ticket straight to the museum, the screens, everything is sparkling, the nonsense is coming from the screens. So that you understand, Comrade Mahmud Fatih (aka Mehmet the Conqueror) stormed Tsargrad in order to save Sofia from the destructive effects of the Romans. For some reason, they didn't tell us about how he rode in there on a horse and chopped off heads, and then hung cages with birds and planted pots with palm trees.

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Чернышов Дмитрий Валентинович

Level 16 Local Expert

A beautiful cathedral, very beautiful and colorful, they say it's about 56 meters high, the beauty is indescribable, I advise you to visit, I really want to be there more

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Сергей Виноградов

Level 10 Local Expert

It's a beautiful place. Definitely worth a visit. I won't tell you much, so as not to spoil the impression with my assessment and comments. Everyone finds their personal impressions here. And sometimes it's not worth sharing them.

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Светлана

Level 9 Local Expert

For more than 10 centuries, it has been the largest Christian church in the world, and since the 15th century, since the time of the Ottoman Empire, it has been a mosque. A larger temple was built later in the Vatican. In recent years, it has been an active mosque. It is better to go with a guide, you will not see for yourself where to see the old Christian frescoes and other interesting accents will be placed by the guide. The tour is offered at the entrance to the mosque. The scale and beauty of the building are very impressive!

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Азамат

Level 21 Local Expert

It is a very beautiful mosque, it was a church before that, in principle it is very interesting to read the history of this building, and I would like to see how many more times they have been converted into frescoes, But as a rule such things are closed. Visiting the council

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Айк Бабаян

Level 24 Local Expert

Not the most beautiful building in the city with a somewhat clumsy architecture, surrounded by crowds of tourists, but interesting from a historical point of view, and through it you can get to a beautiful park.

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Ирина В.

Level 18 Local Expert

My favorite place in Istanbul. A beautiful historical monument. Both as a mosque and as a temple, this is a very sacred place. There is always a feeling of peace and love in the heart, regardless of religion

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Александр Мезенцев

Level 13 Local Expert

Now the cathedral is paid for by everyone except Muslims, and you can only get to the second floor if you are not a Muslim. Whether it's worth it is up to you to decide) the walls inside are stripped , the building is not being restored . Christian frescoes are bequeathed with fabrics. In previous years, anyone could enter the ground floor for free at any time of the day, except for prayer time, as far as I remember.

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Hagia Sophia Mosque

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