Turkey is one of the countries that hosts various cultural treasures and natural beauty areas. Every year, a large number of tourists come to this country by both plane and bus. Since 2020, Hagia Sophia, which has been opened for worship, has emerged as one of the most visited historical structures today. When Turkey is mentioned, one of the first regions that comes to mind is our city of Istanbul. Istanbul, both on the Anatolian and European sides, is home to various historical buildings, national parks, and natural beauties. Especially in terms of cultural tourism, this city, which holds great importance, one of the widely visited structures is Hagia Sophia Mosque. This mosque is also known as Hagia Sophia Museum or the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. The number of people coming to this structure, which bears the traces of Byzantine architecture, especially for prayer, is quite high.
Where is Hagia Sophia?
Hagia Sophia is located in the Fatih district on the European side of Istanbul province. Visitors planning to come here from outside the city can purchase plane tickets if they plan to travel by air or bus tickets if they prefer to come by bus. Hagia Sophia is known as a culturally significant structure. Every year, both domestic and foreign tourists come regularly to see this historical beauty up close and to worship. Located in the Sultan Ahmet neighborhood of the Fatih district, Hagia Sophia was formerly used as a church and museum but has now been converted into a mosque for use. Therefore, it also holds great importance in terms of religious tourism.
When is Hagia Sophia Open?
Hagia Sophia Mosque holds the distinction of being the oldest cathedral in the world. Converted into a mosque during the Ottoman era, this structure contains various areas such as a pulpit, ablution fountain, tomb, and mihrab. This mosque, which captivates its visitors with its historical texture, is always open to those who wish to pray during prayer times. It is possible to come here and worship, to pray during prayer times. In the upper gallery of Hagia Sophia, there are various structures to be seen, such as the tombstone made in honor of Enrico Dandolo and various mosaics. The hours to visit the upper gallery are from 9:00 in the morning to 7:30 in the evening. Additionally, in 1985, Hagia Sophia earned its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
How to Get to Hagia Sophia?
There are various transportation options available to reach Hagia Sophia. If you are coming from within Istanbul, you can use various public transportation options. The first point of access to Hagia Sophia is Aksaray or Eminönü. Depending on your location, you can consider options such as buses or metro to reach these two areas. After reaching Eminönü or Aksaray, you can use the tram line to reach the area where Hagia Sophia is located. Visitors planning to come by private car can easily find directions via navigation applications. Those without private vehicles or who do not want to use them can consider other transportation options.
Visitors from outside Istanbul who want to visit this historic mosque can purchase plane tickets or bus tickets. Various discounts and promotions are sometimes offered on ticket prices. We recommend booking your ticket in advance to take advantage of these promotions. Those coming from other regions should first arrive in Istanbul to visit Hagia Sophia. Those considering traveling by plane commonly choose Atatürk Airport, which is close to the Fatih district. You can purchase plane tickets based on your location and, after landing at the airport, you can take the tram line from there or take a taxi directly for transportation.
Another transportation alternative you can consider to reach Istanbul is bus travel. For this, you can choose one of the bus terminals serving on the European side of Istanbul. Based on your location, you can make your choice and purchase a bus ticket at a reasonable price. Then, you can use various public transportation options or take a taxi directly for transportation. Since Hagia Sophia is located in a central area, we emphasize that you will not encounter any difficulties in transportation. You can easily come here from both the Anatolian and European sides of Istanbul and immerse yourself in this historic atmosphere.
How much is Hagia Sophia Entrance Fee?
In the past, there was no entrance fee for visiting Hagia Sophia Mosque. However, nowadays, when you want to visit here, you need to pay a certain fee and obtain a ticket. At this point, the issue of the entrance fee for Turkish citizens to Hagia Sophia may arise, and many local tourists may wonder how much this fee is. Without further ado, let's briefly discuss how much you need to pay when purchasing a ticket to enter this historic structure.
First of all, for foreign tourists visiting Hagia Sophia, the ticket price is 25 Euros. For Turkish citizens, the ticket price is 850 Turkish Lira. These entrance fees apply to those who will visit the gallery located on the upper part of the structure. However, no entrance fee is charged from visitors who come solely for worship purposes.
