Visiting Hagia Sophia: New Rules and Insights

The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul has reopened its upper gallery for the first time since 2020 – but under new rules and a substantial entrance fee.

Home to some magnificent Byzantine-era mosaics, the upper gallery of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia has opened its doors to visitors. However, access to many areas of the historic building is now notably restricted for foreign travelers.

In addition to a new entrance fee of €25, tourists and non-Muslims can no longer explore most of the ground floor. This change follows the 6th-century cathedral’s conversion back into a mosque by President Erdoğan of Türkiye four years ago.

In recent years, Hagia Sophia faced challenges related to overtourism. It was already a major attraction in Istanbul, but once it was reverted to a mosque, entry became free, leading to skyrocketing visitor numbers.

According to government statistics, visitor numbers soared from 3.7 million in 2019 to 13.6 million in 2022. Long queues of one to two hours became routine, and reports surfaced regarding vandalism and damage from the sheer volume of visitors.

“Hagia Sophia is an ancient structure, and it was getting excessively crowded,” said Cihancan Sezgin, a licensed tour guide based in Istanbul. “The new entrance fee is high, particularly for Turkish people, but for the preservation of the building itself, this new system is a significant improvement over the past few years. We will have to observe how it performs in the high season this summer,” he added.

New Visiting Rules for Hagia Sophia

As of January 15, 2024, the Hagia Sophia has implemented two separate entrances. The entrance on Sultanahmet Square is now exclusively for Turkish citizens visiting the worship area.

However, during a recent visit, guards at the entrance were unsure whether non-Turkish Muslim visitors are allowed to enter this area to pray. Many believe these new regulations will take time to be fully understood.

Visitors from “Other Nationalities” must use the “Visiting Area” entrance located at the northeast corner of the building. A newly established ticket booth has been set up near the Fountain of Sultan Ahmet III, where all visitors over the age of 8 are required to purchase a ticket for €25 (or 850 TL).

Furthermore, women visitors are required to wear a headscarf before passing through a temporary entrance and ascending a stone ramp to the upper gallery. Scarves are available for purchase near the worship area entrance for 30 TL.

Off-Limits Areas for Foreign Visitors

After exploring the upper gallery, visitors will descend a flight of stairs to the southwest vestibule.

Here, they can view the 10th-century mosaic depicting Emperors Justinian and Constantine presenting Hagia Sophia and the city of Constantinople to Mary and the Christ child.

The doorway below the mosaic, where the Byzantine emperor traditionally entered the inner narthex, is now off-limits to foreign visitors, who must exit the building from this point.

This alteration means visitors will miss out on one of Hagia Sophia’s most exquisite mosaics depicting Emperor Leo IV bowing before Christ. Other restricted areas include the oak-and-brass Imperial Door, the rich marble-paneled walls, and the omphalion, where Byzantine emperors were crowned.

Tour guide Sezgin considers this a significant loss. “Experiencing the nave and gazing up at the magnificent dome cannot be replicated,” he remarked. “The feeling of insignificance within such an immense space was truly remarkable.”

Highlights of the Upper Gallery at Hagia Sophia

Under the revised rules, professional guides are no longer permitted to conduct tours inside Hagia Sophia.

Instead, visitors can utilize a QR code on their mobile devices to access an audio-visual tour (headsets available for an additional 100 TL/€3, or use your own). This tour provides information on 10 points of interest in 23 different languages, including nine in the upper gallery.

Some highlights include the marble door known as the ‘Heaven and Hell Gate,’ the 11th-century graffiti recognized as the Viking Script, and the mosaic of Constantine IX and Empress Zoe.

Additionally, the monumental Deësis mosaic, featuring the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, and John the Baptist, is located in the upper gallery.

Historical Context: Why Charging Non-Muslims Isn’t New

Art historian Sedat Bornovalı, an Istanbul-based expert, notes that charging non-Muslims for entrance is not a recent practice. “Documents in the Ottoman archives reveal that tickets to the upper gallery of Hagia Sophia were sold to foreign visitors in the past,” he stated.

“It’s unfortunate that visitors can’t proceed further into the building’s interior now. Maintaining the stance that entry is restricted to prayers is both unnecessary and unsustainable,” he continued.

The Significance of Hagia Sophia

Originally commissioned by Byzantine Emperor Justinian and consecrated in 537 as a Christian basilica, the Hagia Sophia represents a pinnacle of architectural and engineering achievement.

With a towering central dome that reaches 56 meters (184 feet), its stunning design remained unrivaled for nearly a millennium and significantly influenced the Ottoman-era imperial mosques that define the city’s skyline today. The building is a testament to the extensive history that has shaped Istanbul and, more broadly, Turkey.

After surviving numerous earthquakes and fires, it was temporarily converted into a Latin Catholic cathedral during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Eventually, the Byzantine Empire regained control until Ottoman forces captured Constantinople in 1453.

Just three days following this conquest, the Hagia Sophia began hosting Friday prayers, now functioning as a mosque under the order of Sultan Mehmed II. The building remained a mosque for over four and a half centuries during Ottoman rule, during which minarets and calligraphic panels were added.

In 1935, founding President Atatürk transformed it into a museum as part of his secularization policies. Almost a century later, President Erdoğan controversially reversed this decision, ordering the Hagia Sophia to be reconverted into a mosque. Since then, the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque has resumed Muslim prayers starting July 24, 2020.

Today, turquoise carpets adorn the marble floor of its former nave, with certain Christian iconography, such as the emblematic apse mosaic of the Virgin Mary and Christ child, currently concealed by screens.