The 2020 conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque sparked controversy and criticism from the international community due to its historical significance.

President Erdogan's decision to reconvert the Hagia Sophia into a mosque is seen as a move to appeal to his domestic supporters.

The Turkish government's decision to reconvert the Hagia Sophia into a mosque has been criticized for disregarding its cultural and historical significance.

The Hagia Sophia's reconversion reflects Turkey's complex relationship between religion, culture, and politics, requiring tour guides to be sensitive to these issues.

Tour guides in Istanbul must understand the complex context of Hagia Sophia to provide visitors with accurate and respectful information.

Tour guides should be respectful of Islamic customs at historically significant locations like the Hagia Sophia.

The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque raises concerns about its preservation due to humidity, crowds, and falling dome fragments.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site designation adds complexity to the Hagia Sophia controversy, with the organization advising on restoration and management.

The Turkish government has implemented a visitor management policy, regulating density and providing multilingual information to preserve the site.

The site's management is working to balance visitor needs while respecting its religious and cultural significance through measures like separate entrances and multilingual information.

Tour guides can promote cross-cultural understanding by providing accurate information about Hagia Sophia and being sensitive to their visitors' diverse backgrounds.

Regulating visitor access and preserving cultural assets are crucial to maintaining Hagia Sophia as a vibrant place of worship and cultural exchange.

The 2020 conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque sparked controversy and criticism from the international community due to its historical significance.

Title:

Content: She returned Hagia Sophia to a mosque.
Turkey has challenged global trusteeship
Daily Morning
Istanbul, Turkey
Posted at 29.10.2022 10: 23
Hagia Sophia Mosque (Getty Images)
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that the fact that Turkey has returned the Hagia Sophia museum from a museum to a mosque represents a major challenge to the global trusteeship.
Speaking at a ceremony announcing the vision of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) “Turkey ’ s Century ” in Ankara, Erdogan said his country was challenging global tutelage and thanked citizens for their support for the decision to return Hagia Sophia.
He noted that his party has always sought to eliminate any vestiges of guardianship and promote democracy in the country over the past 20 years.
Turkey has lived through a remarkable period in its history in general and the history of Istanbul, especially when Hagia Sophia was transformed from its status as a museum and restored to its former glory as the Grand Mosque of Hagia Sophia on July 24, 2020.
The historic building remained a church for 916 years until the conquest of Istanbul.
It was then used as a mosque between 1453 and 1934, nearly 500 years before becoming a museum for 86 years.
It is one of the most visited historical buildings in Turkey by domestic and international tourists, and Hagia Sophia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.
On July 10, 2020, a Turkish court overturned a 1934 ministerial decision that turned Hagia Sophia into a museum, paving the way for it to be used again as a mosque after an 86-year hiatus.

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

President Erdogan's decision to reconvert the Hagia Sophia into a mosque is seen as a move to appeal to his domestic supporters.

Title:

Content: Entrance to the Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul will be paid for foreign tourists
Entrance to the Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul from January 15 will be paid for foreign tourists.
This is reported by RIA Novosti.
According to the agency, such a measure will be taken three and a half years after the transformation of the museum into a religious object.
It is noted that a ticket to Hagia Sophia will cost €25.
For Turkish citizens, the entrance will be free.
In 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree changing the status of Hagia Sophia to a mosque.
He later stated that changing the status of Hagia Sophia (Hagia Sophia) in Istanbul is a step towards greater Turkey.
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What kind of domestic reaction did Erdogan's reconversion of Hagia Sophia receive?

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

The decision aimed to rally anti-Kemalist voters.

The Turkish government's decision to reconvert the Hagia Sophia into a mosque has been criticized for disregarding its cultural and historical significance.

Title:

Content: After Hagia Sophia, Turkey converts a second ancient Byzantine church into a mosque

Hundreds of worshippers filled the narrow streets of Istanbul's Fatih district on Friday to hear the sounds of Friday prayers ringing out from the newly inaugurated Kariye Mosque.

Once known as the Chora Church, the site spent the last 79 years as a museum. But it is now the latest structure to be converted back into a mosque by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following the conversion of Hagia Sophia in 2020. While viewed as a triumph by many Turkish Muslims, the Greek Orthodox Church has decried it as an "ill-advised decision" that "makes a mockery of the Turkish government's commitment to religious tolerance and religious freedom."

Chora's conversion was announced shortly after Hagia Sophia's, but its opening for prayer was delayed by years of restoration work.

The showing for the first Friday prayers at Kariye was relatively quiet compared to Hagia Sophia, which drew hundreds of thousands who filled the streets with prayer rugs for blocks and blocks away from the building. By contrast, the crowd on Friday was relatively average for a mosque in one of Istanbul's more religiously conservative neighborhoods, where Friday worshippers frequently spill out onto the streets.

Both the Chora Church and Hagia Sophia are 4th-century Byzantine constructions. They spent nearly a millennium as Christian holy sites before being converted to mosques by the Ottomans after their conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century. Despite their conversions, they remained revered by Orthodox Christians. After the founding of a secular Turkish Republic in the early 20th century, the decision was made for both to be neither mosque nor church but simply museums.

"Both Hagia Sophia and Chora embodied Byzantine and Ottoman pasts, and they became symbols of co-existence and multi-faith living practices. Their conversion fundamentally implies a hierarchy, prioritizing the Islamic past over all other layers, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Jewish, Syriac, et al," Dr. Özgür Kaymak, a lecturer and researcher on minority rights at Istanbul's MEF University, told Religion News Service in an email.

Rededicating the sites as mosques is more than just a status change. According to Islamic tradition, artwork of human figures are forbidden in places of prayer, while in Orthodox Churches, icons of Christ, saints and other biblical figures are a defining feature.

In Hagia Sophia, the mosaics of Jesus and Mary have been covered with curtains since the conversion. While Erdoğan promised Hagia Sophia would remain fully accessible and free to all visitors, Turkey reneged on that earlier this year, reimposing an entrance fee on tourists and relegating them to the upper level, while the main floor is exclusive to Muslim worshippers.

Observers have also criticized the Turkish Directorate of Religion's caretaking of the site, noting damage that did not exist when it was under the purview of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Though Chora is significantly smaller than Hagia Sophia, it is home to some of the best-preserved examples of late-Byzantine art, including mosaics, icons and frescoes, and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"For us it's a very important place because it remembers our culture and our traditions here," Father Evangelos Markantonis, an Orthodox priest who was leading a group of theology students to Chora on Friday, told Religion News Service.

"Though we cannot venerate as Orthodox Christians, we have to try to find things we can be united on. Only with dialogue and good deeds can we continue our lives," Markantonis, who is also a professor at the University of Athens, said when asked about the controversy.

Erdoğan had long refused calls from his right to convert churches like Hagia Sophia and Chora, telling supporters in 2018 to fill the nearby Sultan Ahmet Mosque (also known in English as the Blue Mosque) before they talked about needing to pray in Hagia Sophia.

Nonetheless, he made an about-turn in 2020.

"My dear nation, the conquest of Istanbul and the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a Mosque are among the most glorious chapters in Turkish history," Erdoğan said at the time in a speech inaugurating the Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

"This is the most honorable day that Islam has been looking forward to, Greek Constantinople has become Turkish Istanbul," he added, quoting the Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet.

"The resurrection of Hagia Sophia heralds the liberation of the al-Aqsa Mosque. The resurrection of Hagia Sophia is the footsteps of the will of Muslims across the world to come out of the interregnum," Erdoğan said in his concluding remarks.

Chora's opening as the Kariye Mosque comes just weeks after Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered its largest electoral defeat in two decades during Turkey's nationwide municipal elections.

"The recent conversion of Chora into a mosque may be due to Erdoğan's many problems, including his geopolitical power politics, his appeal to religio-nationalism to revive his electoral popularity after the March elections or his tactic to divert attention from Turkey's economic downturn," Kaymak said.

Many analysts have attributed the loss to AKP bleeding votes to the more Islamist-leaning New Welfare Party, which has pressured Erdogan over his response to the Israel-Hamas war and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Muslim worshippers at the mosque on Friday said they viewed its rededication as an Islamic site to be a national win for Turkey.

"This mosque is one of the symbols of the Conquest. We are proud and happy. There are very beautiful frescoes inside. They were also nicely renovated before they were closed. May it be good for our country and our nation," a bystander, Ahmet Öteyüzoğlu, told Turkish media.

"Thank God for these days. Not everyone has the opportunity in their lifetime," another bystander named Mehmet Çelik told the Turkish news service Anadolu Agency, in reference to having been able to pray at both the rededicated Hagia Sophia and Kariye Mosques.

However, Greece, the U.S. State Department and Orthodox Christian institutions worldwide have all criticized the decision to revert the structure into a mosque.

"I want to publicly express my intense dissatisfaction, interpreting the feelings of all Greek women and men, for the completely unnecessary conversion of a historic Byzantine temple, the Monastery of Chora, into a mosque. It is, I believe, an action that offends the rich history of Istanbul itself as a crossroads of cultures," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said shortly before leaving for Turkey for a planned meeting with Erdogan.

"We encourage the Turkish government to preserve and ensure access to sites and buildings that have hosted different religious communities in a way that respects their diverse histories," a State Department spokesperson said in response to questions from Greek media.

"The Turkish government's appropriation of both as the property of one faith group not only constitutes yet another sign of that government's contempt for Turkey's rich Orthodox Christian heritage but further imperils the religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the remaining Christians of that land," the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate said in a statement.

© Religion News Service

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

The Hagia Sophia's reconversion reflects Turkey's complex relationship between religion, culture, and politics, requiring tour guides to be sensitive to these issues.

Title:

Content: Hagia Sophia must once again become a place of Christian worship, demands the American Council for the Liberation of Hagia Sophia.
For a start, according to the organization, it is possible to allow liturgies in Hagia Sophia, preserving its museum status.
Although Christians still perceive this cathedral captured together with Constantinople in 1453 as one of the most important shrines.
In case of refusal, the “Council ” intends to appeal to the ECHR.
However, the situation around Hagia Sophia is much more complicated; the observer of IA REGNUM Stanislav Stremidlovsky analyzes the recent events around the former main temple of Byzantium.
Erhan Elaldı – Anadolu Agency
The 564th anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople was celebrated by the Hagia Sophia as a museum.
What is the 565th anniversary?
The head of the “Council ”, American politician Chris Spirou, has already been declared a provocateur by the Turkish authorities.
Today, when Erdogan is increasingly moving away from “his overseas partners ” at least in terms of the desired image of the president, and the new owner of the White House pays much more attention to Middle Eastern Christians than Obama, the situation is clearly changing.
There are already hints that Hagia Sophia from the museum will become a mosque.
At the same time, Erdogan ’ s victory in the last referendum made the president a debtor of domestic Anatolia (at least she believes so), who gave him their votes.
The Anatolian Youth Association strongly opposes any manifestations of non-Muslim faith in Turkish society.
For three years now, they have been trying to make Hagia Sophia a mosque.
And although Erdogan is in no hurry to meet, the Association expects decisive measures from him.
Where the Turkish president is inclined and what Hagia Sophia, cathedral or mosque can become, read here: Internal Anatolia, who supported Erdogan, demands to make Hagia Sophia a mosque
Read other articles by Stanislav Stremidlovsky on the relationship of world religions.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

Tour guides in Istanbul must understand the complex context of Hagia Sophia to provide visitors with accurate and respectful information.

Title:

Content: Turkey’s iconic Hagia Sophia mosque to charge $28 entry fee for tourists

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Turkey’s Hagia Sophia mosque began charging tourists nearly $28 on Monday for entrance to the landmark site.

The UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned for its blue-tiled interior, will no longer allow free admission to foreigners, the Turkish tourism ministry announced.

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The former museum-turned mosque has a new entrance in front of the Topkapi Palace Museum open for tourists.

Tunnel entrance at Turkey's Hagia Sophia. (File photo)

The Hagia Sophia was a museum space from 1934 until 2020 when Turkey decided to change it to a mosque. Various historical reports say the mosque with byzantine architecture was an Orthodox cathedral decades ago.

“With the new application that will start on January 15 at the Hagia Sophia Mosque, tourists will be able to visit the mosque without disturbing the prayer environment,” the ministry said in a statement.

The entrance to the mosque will be “provided in a controlled manner through the tunnel and entrance ramp where visitors will be transported to the gallery floor and exited via the ramp in the northeast direction,” the statement said.

“Tourists who come to the gallery section will be able to see the sanctuary floor of the mosque and the Ottoman Period annexes, pass through the heaven-hell gate, and examine the Byzantine Period mosaics in this section,” it added.

Security cameras, fire detection and emergency announcement systems were reportedly installed in the mosque along the tour route. Cleaning and conservation work on the marble coverings and wooden railings on the gallery floor of the mosque was also carried out by restorers and conservators.

Visitors will also have access to a headset guide with QR codes where information on the sight is available in 23 languages.

People visit the Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Istanbul, Turkey, July 10, 2020. (Reuters)

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Tour guides should be respectful of Islamic customs at historically significant locations like the Hagia Sophia.

Title:

Content: Sunday, 17 March 2024 03: 25 GMT
Asala Al Kaabi: Our mission is to enrich the world ’ s knowledge of the UAE ’ s heritage and cultural assets
(MENAFN- Al-Bayan)
The UAE tour guide seeks to highlight the beauty of the country ’ s landmarks from buildings, history and prominent Islamic civilization, embodied in the details of many buildings and monuments, through multiple tours with tourists who visit the country to learn about its culture, history and authentic Arab heritage.
While doing his best to enrich the foreign tourist ’ s knowledge of the UAE ’ s heritage, culture and civilizational affiliation.
Although the career of a tour guide seems relatively new in the country, young Emiratis who have been in this profession have proved themselves in a short period of time the best ambassadors of their culture, and the best guides to its landmarks and cultural treasures; where the job of a tour guide is a creative profession that navigates the history of civilization and its effects.
ISLAMIC STYLE
Aseel Al Kaabi, who has a Bachelor ’ s degree in Tourism Management from the Higher Colleges of Technology in Fujairah, met with Emirati tour guide Aseel Al Kaabi, who has completed almost a year of work in this field, to talk about her tours with tourists. She says: “I am honored to be a tourist ambassador to my country, where I have done several tours with tourists from different countries and cultures. ” Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, where tourists enjoy the beauty of the museum built in the Islamic style, characterized by its Arabic and Islamic motifs, in addition to the architecture and the golden dome and night mosaics, which made the museum a tourist destination.
UAE Desert
Al-Kaabi continues: During the tours I explain to tourists the history of Islamic civilization through ancient monuments and sculptures.
I am helped by some archaeological sites, as well as museums, especially the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, which includes several sections, including, for example, (Department of Medicine in ancient times) and how to treat people previously, and such sections help to introduce tourists to the most important achievements and inventions that distinguished Arabs previously.
Speaking about tourism, she said: “We also do other tours, such as visiting the Mleiha Archaeological Center, where tourists enjoy lunch in the middle of the beautiful desert of the UAE and ride camels, and learn how to travel in the old days of the people of the UAE, where we try to create unforgettable experiences for tourists to keep memories of their visit to our country. Tourists feel that our country arouses interest in its heritage, culture and civilizational stock.
Asleh Al Kaabi confirms that the tour guide in the UAE is a profession that roams the past, present and future, and this is something that distinguishes this profession in the country from its counterparts in many other countries.
Souvenir Photos
Al-Kaabi stressed that tourists are very fond of Arabic speech, and try to learn simple words such as how to say hello and what words are appropriate during the events, and are keen to take commemorative pictures in the places they visit.
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The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque raises concerns about its preservation due to humidity, crowds, and falling dome fragments.

Title:

Content: [ditty_news_ticker id="27897"] Video Shows Fragments Falling from the Dome of Hagia Sophia - Orthodox Christian Laity

Video Shows Fragments Falling from the Dome of Hagia Sophia

0

Source: Greek Reporter

A still from a recently released video shows visitors rushing to take cover as fragments fall from the dome of Hagia Sophia. Credit: Daily Motion/BirGün

A video from 2022 that came to light recently shows fragments falling on visitors from the dome of Hagia Sophia, the former epicenter of Christian worship at Constantinople, today’s Istanbul.

The footage released by the Turkish newspaper, BirGün, raises serious questions over the safety of the former Orthodox Christian cathedral, now a mosque.

BirGün notably quoted officials as saying that “pieces are falling from the roof, due to the humidity created by the crowd, but no precautions are being taken”.

The president of the Turkish Art History Association, Serif Yasar, argued for restoration of the monument as soon as possible, suggesting that “If Hagia Sophia is not restored, it will collapse with the first earthquake.”

The monument was restored as a mosque three years ago after serving as a museum from 1935-2020 and has since received 21 million visitors, according to Turkey’s tourism and culture minister.

Yasar added that when the church was a museum, the scientific council overseeing it urged that groups of no more than 25 people should be allowed to enter the building at any one time.

This enormous lift in visitation has likely brought to the forefront the need for repairs and it was indeed reported in September that the Turkish government had decided to start long-term maintenance of Hagia Sophia.

Turkey to implement visitor management policy at Hagia Sophia

In early October Turkish historian Ilber Ortayli expressed fears that the large number of visitors to Hagia Sophia could lead to a catastrophic structural failure if not addressed immediately.

Writing in the Hürriyet daily, Ortayli said that the monument, which attracts three million pilgrims annually apart from tourists, has undergone significant damage since its conversion into a mosque.

He asserted that even a modest number of 20-30 thousand people annually, including scientists, historians, archaeologists, representatives of the Muslim religion, politicians, and public officials, could be considered excessive for the endurance of the monument.

In June 2022 a number of tiles of the ancient marble floors in Hagia Sophia were damaged by heavy machines used to clean the site.

In April 2022, The Turkish Association of Art Historians stated that the historic Imperial Gate in Hagia Sophia had been badly damaged.

The group posted a picture clearly depicting the damage to the oak wood of the 15-century-old gate.

Turkey unveiled plans in late October for a visitor management policy at Hagia Sophia, including charging foreign tourists with an entrance fee to be implemented starting Jan. 15.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that extensive restoration work is underway in various sections of Hagia Sophia, now a mosque, with plans to progress to other parts upon their completion.

He emphasized that, based on UNESCO’s recommendations, a visitor management plan would be enforced to enhance the quality and safety of visits while preserving the historical significance of the site.

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Officials argue for repairs to Hagia Sophia after footage shows fragments falling from the dome – Neos Kosmos

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The UNESCO World Heritage Site designation adds complexity to the Hagia Sophia controversy, with the organization advising on restoration and management.

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Content: Events
Entrance to Hagia Sophia will again be paid, but not for everyone
Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that visiting the Ayia Sophia mosque for foreign citizens from January 15 will be paid.
Ersoy, who held a press conference at the Ataturk Cultural Center (AKM), said that according to the first 9 months of tourism, the total number of visitors, which last year amounted to 40.2 million people, increased to 45.2 million at the end of September.
Noting that Ayia Sophia and Sultanahmet Square are included in the UNESCO permanent heritage list, Ersoy said that they listened to the advice and opinions of UNESCO and implemented the decisions on the restoration of the Ayia Sophia Mosque.
Minister Ersoy stressed that from January 15, 2024, they will move to the management plan of the visitors of Agia Sofya on the recommendation of UNESCO, and said:
“In this management plan, the quality of visits and safety will be improved.
Density will be regulated by distributing it along different routes.
Again, our precious mosque will be incorporated into a very ideal ecosystem focused on protecting and promoting the "Common Heritage of Humanity".
According to Ersoy, the entrance for worshippers will remain the same, but the tourist entrance will change, so that these two streams will not change. that information about Hagia Sophia will be provided in 16 languages through an application with a QR code and headphones.
Ersoy added: “From now on, visitors will be able to complete the process by receiving detailed information about the entire history and iconography of Hagia Sophia in a quiet environment without disturbing the faithful. ”
Noting that from January 15, 2024, foreign tourists visiting the mosque will be charged a ticket fee, Ersoy said: “Visits by our Turkish citizens for the purpose of worship will be free as before.
This practice also exists in many countries. "
In general, judging by the words of Ersoy, the Hagia Sophia mosque will partially return to the function of a museum.
The most important question that may concern us now is whether the mosque will become accessible to believers from other countries?
Ersoy said that free entrance will remain only for Turkish citizens, but perhaps here he was simply referring to those who come to the mosque for the purpose of prayer, since it is obvious that the absolute majority of those praying are Turks.
In any case, we hope for this, because if passports are checked at the entrance to the mosque, and the descendants of Bosniaks or Albanians are asked to pay money so that they can pray in the mosque that their ancestors conquered in the army of Sultan Fatih Mehmed, any neo-Ottomanism can be put a bold end to.
Author: Jakub Hadžić
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The Turkish government has implemented a visitor management policy, regulating density and providing multilingual information to preserve the site.

The site's management is working to balance visitor needs while respecting its religious and cultural significance through measures like separate entrances and multilingual information.

Tour guides can promote cross-cultural understanding by providing accurate information about Hagia Sophia and being sensitive to their visitors' diverse backgrounds.

Title:

Content: Turkey officially opens the Byzantine church and museum "Khora" as a mosque (PHOTOS)
World News
"Kari Mosque" in the Museum and Monastery of "Khora"
Copy Link https: / / www.rt.com / xhpk
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday officially opened the Kari Mosque in Istanbul ’ s Byzantine Museum and Monastery of Khora, four years after the church dedicated a mosque to Muslims.
On Monday, Erdogan oversaw the official remote opening of the Khora mosque and a number of restored sites from the conference hall of his residence in Ankara.
Erdogan said during the opening ceremony, which was broadcast on Turkish television, "May it be a good start."
One of the first worshipers at the mosque told Anadolu Agency: “I have been waiting for its opening for four years, and I have been honored to pray in such a place. ”
Anadolu quoted another serum as saying: “Thank God for showing us these days, I hope we come here from time to time and do our prayers. ”
The site near the walls of the old city of Istanbul is famous for its fine mosaics and frescoes.
The church dates back to the 4th century, although the edifice took its present form during the 11th and 12th centuries.
Greece has criticized the Turkish government ’ s decision to return it to use as a mosque, accusing Ankara of “personal insult ” to another World Heritage site, saying the decisions to turn Hagia Sophia and Khora back into mosques are steps aimed at strengthening the support base of conservatives and the religious trend of Erdogan ’ s ruling party amid an economic downturn.
The museum was built "Khora" monastery, in 534, the building was converted into "Kari Mosque" at the beginning of the 16th century, it was used as a mosque for more than four centuries and was converted into a museum in 1945 by a Turkish ministerial decision.
In August 2020, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree on the conversion of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral and the Kari Museum, known as a “bottomless church ” in Turkish, into mosques.
The conversion of the two churches into mosques was praised by Muslims, but drew criticism from Greece and other countries that urged Turkey to protect important Byzantine monuments, both of which have been listed as World Heritage Sites by the United Nations.
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Regulating visitor access and preserving cultural assets are crucial to maintaining Hagia Sophia as a vibrant place of worship and cultural exchange.

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Content: New rules come into force for the visit of Hagia Sophia Mosque in Turkey - Sunrise Gate
Tuesday 16 January 2024 2: 04 PM Cairo Cairo 24 °
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New rules come into effect for visiting Hagia Sophia mosque in Turkey
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Published on: Tuesday 16 January 2024 - 1: 54 PM | Last updated on Tuesday 16 January 2024 - 1: 54 PM
The project for the Hagia Sophia mosque was closest to the heart of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – but it was also the project that drew international criticism.
In the summer of 2020, Erdogan restored Hagia Sophia to be a mosque after it was originally a church, converted into an Ottoman mosque, converted into a museum.
At the time, Erdogan assured citizens that entry fees would be abolished, adding that the cultural edifice would remain open to everyone – Muslims or non-Muslims alike.
There will be another major change from January 15, with access to the Hagia Sophia restricted and visitors will have to pay fees again.
Turkish Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Arsoy hopes this will improve coexistence between religious and tourist visitors.
Arsoy said recently that tourist visitors are making noise and disrupting calm and prayer.
Until recently, visitors and worshippers were allowed to enter the interior of Hagia Sophia together, with barriers and signs keeping a certain distance between them.
However, from now on, worshippers and tourists will be introduced through different entrances.
Although worshippers can use the same entrances as before, tourists will be guided through an upstairs hallway.
According to Arsoy, tour guides will not be allowed to accompany visitors through the corridors, and earphones will be used instead.
“Our priority there is prayer, ” Arsoy said, noting that the building is a world cultural heritage site and should therefore remain open to all visitors around the world.
Zuleiha Duman, 29, who returned to Istanbul from Germany to see Hagia Sophia after it was converted into a mosque, said she found it taking away.
Welcoming the new rules, she said: “As long as the entrance fee isn ’ t too high, I think it ’ s acceptable. ”
“Why shouldn ’ t Turkey and the government take advantage of this place?
These funds can be channeled to preserve more religious places. ”
Hagia Sophia has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of Istanbul ’ s history since 1985.
Built by Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the largest place of worship in Christianity for nearly a thousand years, it was the main church during the Byzantine Empire, and from the seventh century, the emperor was crowned inside.
After the Ottomans entered Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.
On the orders of the founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the building was converted into a museum in 1934 until the summer of 2020.
Hagia Sophia is as symbolically important to Orthodox Christians around the world as St. Peter ’ s Basilica is to Catholics.
After the building was converted into a mosque, criticism poured in from the Greek Orthodox Church.
The UNESCO Foundation also criticized the decision without consultation.
For Erdogan, turning the place into a mosque was his “childhood dream, ” as he himself said, and pleasing to religious voters.
A few external changes were made at the time, for example, a green carpet was placed above the marble floor.
It seems clear that all these things did not detract from the popularity of this teacher.
According to official statistics, some 13.6 million people visited the Hagia Sophia landmark in 2022, not all of them from Europe.
The number of visitors from Indonesia in particular has risen, Hagia Sophia Imam Binyamin Topoglu told Turkey ’ s Anadolu news agency in 2023.
The amount of the fees has not yet been determined.
Tourism Minister Ersoy says the proceeds will be spent on cultural assets, for excavation or preservation of monuments such as the Hagia Sophia.
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The conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 by Turkish President Erdogan has sparked controversy and criticism due to its historical significance as both a Byzantine cathedral and an Ottoman mosque.

The UNESCO Foundation has criticized the conversion for being done without consultation, highlighting the site's symbolic importance to Orthodox Christians worldwide.

As a tour guide in Istanbul, it is essential to be aware of the controversy surrounding the Hagia Sophia's conversion and to provide a balanced perspective on the site's complex history and cultural significance.

To achieve this, tour guides can use strategies such as individual tours with small groups, which allow for better dialogue and question-asking, and providing recommendations and answering questions about the city.

Guides should be knowledgeable about the site's history and cultural significance, and inform tourists about dress codes and entrance fees for mosques.

The Turkish government has implemented measures to manage tourist access to the Hagia Sophia, including separate entrances for tourists and worshippers, and the use of earphones for tourist guidance.

Tour guides can provide balanced perspectives on controversial historical topics, such as the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque, by presenting multiple viewpoints and acknowledging the different interpretations of the site's history.

The conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 was met with international criticism and controversy, with some countries and organizations criticizing the move as a political gesture by President Erdogan.

The Greek PM criticized the conversion of the Chora Church into a mosque, another UNESCO World Heritage site, as offending history.

To address tourist concerns and questions about the Hagia Sophia conversion, tour guides can use diplomatic responses such as "We respect all visitors" and "Prayer is our priority" to explain the rules and regulations in place.

Guides can also emphasize the importance of Hagia Sophia as a world heritage site and use earphones to provide information to tourists without disrupting prayer.

The new rules in place aim to improve coexistence between visitors and worshippers, and separate entrances are now used for worshippers and tourists.

The entrance fee for foreign tourists will help fund the preservation of cultural assets, including the excavation and restoration of monuments like Hagia Sophia.

Tour guides can say "We welcome all visitors" to promote inclusivity and respect for all visitors, regardless of their faith or background.

The controversy surrounding the Hagia Sophia's conversion has sparked international concern, with UNESCO expressing concerns about the site's preservation and the impact of the conversion on its cultural heritage.

The Turkish government has implemented visitor management policies to regulate visitor density and ensure safety and quality, and is working to implement UNESCO recommendations for preservation.

Hagia Sophia's conversion has been criticized by the Greek Orthodox Church and other Christian groups, who see it as a loss of a significant Christian site.

The site's history and significance are complex, with Hagia Sophia having been a Byzantine cathedral, an Ottoman mosque, and a museum, before being converted back into a mosque in 2020.

The conversion has also sparked concerns about safety, with fragments falling from the dome of Hagia Sophia in 2022, and restoration work urgently needed to preserve the site.

To provide a nuanced and informative perspective on the Hagia Sophia's history and cultural significance, tour guides should be aware of the site's complex history and cultural significance, and be able to communicate this information effectively to tourists.

The Ministries have set standards for tourist guides to ensure accurate information, and guides must pass exams and have university qualifications to provide high-quality guidance.

Tourist guides must master multiple languages to effectively communicate with tourists from different countries and backgrounds.

The conservation work done on the Hagia Sophia, including the restoration of marble and wooden railings, and the preservation of Byzantine Period mosaics, is an important aspect of the site's history and cultural significance.

The Hagia Sophia's history spans nearly four and a half centuries, and its significance extends beyond religion to culture, making it a unique and complex site to manage and interpret.

The Turkish authorities have implemented measures to preserve the cultural assets of the Hagia Sophia, including the use of entrance fees to fund conservation work.

The visitor management policy implemented at the Hagia Sophia aims to improve the quality and safety of the tourist experience, while also preserving the site's cultural and historical significance.

The regulation of density and the distribution of visitors along different routes can help to prevent catastrophic structural failure and preserve the site's integrity.

By being aware of the controversy and criticism surrounding the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque, tour guides can address tourist concerns and questions in a sensitive and respectful manner.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site designation of the Hagia Sophia highlights the importance of preserving the site's cultural and historical significance, and tour guides can emphasize this in their interactions with tourists.

Overall, the most effective strategies for tour guides to address tourist concerns and questions about the Hagia Sophia conversion involve providing accurate and respectful information, being sensitive to the cultural and historical context, and emphasizing the importance of preserving the site's cultural heritage.

The conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 by Turkish President Erdogan has sparked controversy and criticism due to its historical significance as both a Byzantine cathedral and an Ottoman mosque.

Title:

Content: New rules come into force for the visit of Hagia Sophia Mosque in Turkey - Sunrise Gate
Tuesday 16 January 2024 2: 04 PM Cairo Cairo 24 °
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New rules come into effect for visiting Hagia Sophia mosque in Turkey
DBA
Published on: Tuesday 16 January 2024 - 1: 54 PM | Last updated on Tuesday 16 January 2024 - 1: 54 PM
The project for the Hagia Sophia mosque was closest to the heart of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – but it was also the project that drew international criticism.
In the summer of 2020, Erdogan restored Hagia Sophia to be a mosque after it was originally a church, converted into an Ottoman mosque, converted into a museum.
At the time, Erdogan assured citizens that entry fees would be abolished, adding that the cultural edifice would remain open to everyone – Muslims or non-Muslims alike.
There will be another major change from January 15, with access to the Hagia Sophia restricted and visitors will have to pay fees again.
Turkish Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Arsoy hopes this will improve coexistence between religious and tourist visitors.
Arsoy said recently that tourist visitors are making noise and disrupting calm and prayer.
Until recently, visitors and worshippers were allowed to enter the interior of Hagia Sophia together, with barriers and signs keeping a certain distance between them.
However, from now on, worshippers and tourists will be introduced through different entrances.
Although worshippers can use the same entrances as before, tourists will be guided through an upstairs hallway.
According to Arsoy, tour guides will not be allowed to accompany visitors through the corridors, and earphones will be used instead.
“Our priority there is prayer, ” Arsoy said, noting that the building is a world cultural heritage site and should therefore remain open to all visitors around the world.
Zuleiha Duman, 29, who returned to Istanbul from Germany to see Hagia Sophia after it was converted into a mosque, said she found it taking away.
Welcoming the new rules, she said: “As long as the entrance fee isn ’ t too high, I think it ’ s acceptable. ”
“Why shouldn ’ t Turkey and the government take advantage of this place?
These funds can be channeled to preserve more religious places. ”
Hagia Sophia has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of Istanbul ’ s history since 1985.
Built by Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the largest place of worship in Christianity for nearly a thousand years, it was the main church during the Byzantine Empire, and from the seventh century, the emperor was crowned inside.
After the Ottomans entered Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.
On the orders of the founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the building was converted into a museum in 1934 until the summer of 2020.
Hagia Sophia is as symbolically important to Orthodox Christians around the world as St. Peter ’ s Basilica is to Catholics.
After the building was converted into a mosque, criticism poured in from the Greek Orthodox Church.
The UNESCO Foundation also criticized the decision without consultation.
For Erdogan, turning the place into a mosque was his “childhood dream, ” as he himself said, and pleasing to religious voters.
A few external changes were made at the time, for example, a green carpet was placed above the marble floor.
It seems clear that all these things did not detract from the popularity of this teacher.
According to official statistics, some 13.6 million people visited the Hagia Sophia landmark in 2022, not all of them from Europe.
The number of visitors from Indonesia in particular has risen, Hagia Sophia Imam Binyamin Topoglu told Turkey ’ s Anadolu news agency in 2023.
The amount of the fees has not yet been determined.
Tourism Minister Ersoy says the proceeds will be spent on cultural assets, for excavation or preservation of monuments such as the Hagia Sophia.
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How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

What was the original historical and cultural significance of Hagia Sophia in the Byzantine Empire?

Served as the central church of Byzantine Christianity,

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

The UNESCO Foundation has criticized the conversion for being done without consultation, highlighting the site's symbolic importance to Orthodox Christians worldwide.

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

What was UNESCO's main complaint about the reconversion?

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

As a tour guide in Istanbul, it is essential to be aware of the controversy surrounding the Hagia Sophia's conversion and to provide a balanced perspective on the site's complex history and cultural significance.

Title:

Content: Echoes of Constantinople: Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome Square, Basilica Cistern
Immerse yourself in the history of the centuries-old city on excursions to its main places
For a couple of hours we will leave Istanbul to be in ancient Constantinople.
This is a journey not in space, but in time: I will take you to those places that remember the glory of the Byzantine Empire.
The first thing to see is, of course, Hagia Sophia – a unique temple with an incredible history.
Then we will visit the Hippodrome Square and finish the walk down to the dungeon.
5
2 reviews
Upcoming dates:
Start time: 09: 00, 09: 30, 10: 00, 10: 30, 11: 00, 11: 30, 12: 00, 12: 30, 13: 00, 13: 30, 14: 00, 14: 30, 15: 30, 16: 00, 16: 30, 17: 00, 17: 30, 18: 00, 18: 30, 19: 00, 19: 30, 20: 00
Description of the excursion
What awaits you
This tour will open the doors to the past of the great Constantinople.
Let ’ s start with Hagia Sophia, where you will learn about its transformation from a Christian cathedral into a mosque, into a museum and again into a mosque.
And enjoy the scale and beauty of the building.
Then we will move to the Hippodrome Square, where the Byzantines once had fun, and explore the Egyptian obelisk, which is already 3,500 years old!
The last stop will be the Basilica Cistern, the largest Roman reservoir in Europe.
I will tell you how the city ’ s water supply system functioned.
And you can make spectacular pictures - even the dungeons in those days were beautifully decorated.
Organizational details
• To enter the mosque, you must cover your head with a handkerchief and be in closed clothes
• Additional entrance fees to the Basilica Cistern – 800 lire / person and to Hagia Sophia – 27 €/ person.
Choose a convenient date from the schedule
Choose date
Answers to questions
Place of start and end?
On Hippodrome Square
When and how long does it last?
When: Choose a convenient date from the schedule
The tour lasts about 2.5 hours
Book in advance, at least 3 hours in advance
Who else will be with me?
This is an individual tour, all the attention will be for you and your company.
Group size no more than 5 people.
Do I have to pay everything at once?
No, you do not need to pay immediately - it is enough to pay 22% of the cost, and the rest is already on the spot.
It is necessary that the date and number of people are reserved for you, and the guides begin to prepare for the tour.
Before payment, you can ask a question to the organizer
Can I ask a question before booking?
Of course, the guide will be happy to answer your questions.
Just go to this form and ask your question.
It is not necessary to pay, you just make a request for a reservation without payment, but with a question, and if then something does not suit you, just do not pay or click the cancel button.
Reviews and rating
5
Based on 2 reviews
Write a review can only tourists who attended the event
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2
1
May 15, 2024
The most enthusiastic reviews and impressions of excursions conducted by Islam!!!
Great Russian language, the most interesting presentation of the city!
With a lot of historical facts, questions and answers to them!
In a casual way about the most important thing: c
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photo fixation, not in a hurry, while doing everything in time.
We are very grateful to this guide and definitely recommend it!
On the street is very noisy and a lot of tourists, to walk in groups of 10 and especially 15 people I find very inconvenient.
Shouting your questions through the crowd will bring little pleasure, dialogue I think will not work out.
Ask for an individual guide is the best gift you can give yourself!!!
Islam, thank you very much!!!
A
May 15, 2024
We were on a tour with a group of 5 people.
We liked Islam as a guide, an interesting interlocutor and a comprehensively developed person.
He answered all the questions, helped to orient himself in the city, gave the necessary recommendations.
The tour made an unforgettable impression, I highly recommend to visit!
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What did the CALHSC president urge regarding decisions on Hagia Sophia?

Consider both Muslim and Christian voices

To achieve this, tour guides can use strategies such as individual tours with small groups, which allow for better dialogue and question-asking, and providing recommendations and answering questions about the city.

Guides should be knowledgeable about the site's history and cultural significance, and inform tourists about dress codes and entrance fees for mosques.

The Turkish government has implemented measures to manage tourist access to the Hagia Sophia, including separate entrances for tourists and worshippers, and the use of earphones for tourist guidance.

Tour guides can provide balanced perspectives on controversial historical topics, such as the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque, by presenting multiple viewpoints and acknowledging the different interpretations of the site's history.

Title:

Content: The first Friday prayer in the old church of Istanbul that has been converted into a mosque - Sunrise Gate
Friday 10 May 2024 9: 23 PM Cairo Cairo 24 °
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First Friday prayers held in the old Istanbul church that has been converted into a mosque
Istanbul - (DPA)
Published on: Friday 10 May 2024 - 7: 21 PM | Last updated on Friday 10 May 2024 - 7: 21 PM
Muslims held Friday prayers at the historic ancient church of Chora, one of Istanbul ’ s most famous Byzantine era monuments, for the first time since it was converted into a mosque, state broadcaster TRT reported.
The Chora Church, formerly a museum, was officially converted into a mosque in 2020.
After lengthy restoration work, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated the UNESCO World Heritage Site as a mosque on Monday.
It is noteworthy that in 2020, the famous Hagia Sophia church in Istanbul was converted into a mosque after a decree issued by Erdogan.
The two churches were converted into mosques after the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul in 1435.
The Hagia Sophia became a museum in 1935 and Chora in 1945, and the conversion of the two churches was met with international criticism.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis criticized the transformation of Chora as "an act that offends Istanbul's rich history" ahead of his planned meeting with Erdogan on May 13 in Turkey.
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What did the CALHSC president urge regarding decisions on Hagia Sophia?

Consider both Muslim and Christian voices

The conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 was met with international criticism and controversy, with some countries and organizations criticizing the move as a political gesture by President Erdogan.

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

The decision aimed to rally anti-Kemalist voters.

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

The Greek PM criticized the conversion of the Chora Church into a mosque, another UNESCO World Heritage site, as offending history.

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

To address tourist concerns and questions about the Hagia Sophia conversion, tour guides can use diplomatic responses such as "We respect all visitors" and "Prayer is our priority" to explain the rules and regulations in place.

Guides can also emphasize the importance of Hagia Sophia as a world heritage site and use earphones to provide information to tourists without disrupting prayer.

The new rules in place aim to improve coexistence between visitors and worshippers, and separate entrances are now used for worshippers and tourists.

The entrance fee for foreign tourists will help fund the preservation of cultural assets, including the excavation and restoration of monuments like Hagia Sophia.

Tour guides can say "We welcome all visitors" to promote inclusivity and respect for all visitors, regardless of their faith or background.

The controversy surrounding the Hagia Sophia's conversion has sparked international concern, with UNESCO expressing concerns about the site's preservation and the impact of the conversion on its cultural heritage.

Title:

Content: Turkey officially opens the Byzantine church and museum "Khora" as a mosque (PHOTOS)
World News
"Kari Mosque" in the Museum and Monastery of "Khora"
Copy Link https: / / www.rt.com / xhpk
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday officially opened the Kari Mosque in Istanbul ’ s Byzantine Museum and Monastery of Khora, four years after the church dedicated a mosque to Muslims.
On Monday, Erdogan oversaw the official remote opening of the Khora mosque and a number of restored sites from the conference hall of his residence in Ankara.
Erdogan said during the opening ceremony, which was broadcast on Turkish television, "May it be a good start."
One of the first worshipers at the mosque told Anadolu Agency: “I have been waiting for its opening for four years, and I have been honored to pray in such a place. ”
Anadolu quoted another serum as saying: “Thank God for showing us these days, I hope we come here from time to time and do our prayers. ”
The site near the walls of the old city of Istanbul is famous for its fine mosaics and frescoes.
The church dates back to the 4th century, although the edifice took its present form during the 11th and 12th centuries.
Greece has criticized the Turkish government ’ s decision to return it to use as a mosque, accusing Ankara of “personal insult ” to another World Heritage site, saying the decisions to turn Hagia Sophia and Khora back into mosques are steps aimed at strengthening the support base of conservatives and the religious trend of Erdogan ’ s ruling party amid an economic downturn.
The museum was built "Khora" monastery, in 534, the building was converted into "Kari Mosque" at the beginning of the 16th century, it was used as a mosque for more than four centuries and was converted into a museum in 1945 by a Turkish ministerial decision.
In August 2020, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree on the conversion of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral and the Kari Museum, known as a “bottomless church ” in Turkish, into mosques.
The conversion of the two churches into mosques was praised by Muslims, but drew criticism from Greece and other countries that urged Turkey to protect important Byzantine monuments, both of which have been listed as World Heritage Sites by the United Nations.
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The Turkish government has implemented visitor management policies to regulate visitor density and ensure safety and quality, and is working to implement UNESCO recommendations for preservation.

Title:

Content: Events
Entrance to Hagia Sophia will again be paid, but not for everyone
Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that visiting the Ayia Sophia mosque for foreign citizens from January 15 will be paid.
Ersoy, who held a press conference at the Ataturk Cultural Center (AKM), said that according to the first 9 months of tourism, the total number of visitors, which last year amounted to 40.2 million people, increased to 45.2 million at the end of September.
Noting that Ayia Sophia and Sultanahmet Square are included in the UNESCO permanent heritage list, Ersoy said that they listened to the advice and opinions of UNESCO and implemented the decisions on the restoration of the Ayia Sophia Mosque.
Minister Ersoy stressed that from January 15, 2024, they will move to the management plan of the visitors of Agia Sofya on the recommendation of UNESCO, and said:
“In this management plan, the quality of visits and safety will be improved.
Density will be regulated by distributing it along different routes.
Again, our precious mosque will be incorporated into a very ideal ecosystem focused on protecting and promoting the "Common Heritage of Humanity".
According to Ersoy, the entrance for worshippers will remain the same, but the tourist entrance will change, so that these two streams will not change. that information about Hagia Sophia will be provided in 16 languages through an application with a QR code and headphones.
Ersoy added: “From now on, visitors will be able to complete the process by receiving detailed information about the entire history and iconography of Hagia Sophia in a quiet environment without disturbing the faithful. ”
Noting that from January 15, 2024, foreign tourists visiting the mosque will be charged a ticket fee, Ersoy said: “Visits by our Turkish citizens for the purpose of worship will be free as before.
This practice also exists in many countries. "
In general, judging by the words of Ersoy, the Hagia Sophia mosque will partially return to the function of a museum.
The most important question that may concern us now is whether the mosque will become accessible to believers from other countries?
Ersoy said that free entrance will remain only for Turkish citizens, but perhaps here he was simply referring to those who come to the mosque for the purpose of prayer, since it is obvious that the absolute majority of those praying are Turks.
In any case, we hope for this, because if passports are checked at the entrance to the mosque, and the descendants of Bosniaks or Albanians are asked to pay money so that they can pray in the mosque that their ancestors conquered in the army of Sultan Fatih Mehmed, any neo-Ottomanism can be put a bold end to.
Author: Jakub Hadžić
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Hagia Sophia's conversion has been criticized by the Greek Orthodox Church and other Christian groups, who see it as a loss of a significant Christian site.

Title:

Content: After Hagia Sophia, Turkey converts a second ancient Byzantine church into a mosque

Hundreds of worshippers filled the narrow streets of Istanbul's Fatih district on Friday to hear the sounds of Friday prayers ringing out from the newly inaugurated Kariye Mosque.

Once known as the Chora Church, the site spent the last 79 years as a museum. But it is now the latest structure to be converted back into a mosque by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following the conversion of Hagia Sophia in 2020. While viewed as a triumph by many Turkish Muslims, the Greek Orthodox Church has decried it as an "ill-advised decision" that "makes a mockery of the Turkish government's commitment to religious tolerance and religious freedom."

Chora's conversion was announced shortly after Hagia Sophia's, but its opening for prayer was delayed by years of restoration work.

The showing for the first Friday prayers at Kariye was relatively quiet compared to Hagia Sophia, which drew hundreds of thousands who filled the streets with prayer rugs for blocks and blocks away from the building. By contrast, the crowd on Friday was relatively average for a mosque in one of Istanbul's more religiously conservative neighborhoods, where Friday worshippers frequently spill out onto the streets.

Both the Chora Church and Hagia Sophia are 4th-century Byzantine constructions. They spent nearly a millennium as Christian holy sites before being converted to mosques by the Ottomans after their conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century. Despite their conversions, they remained revered by Orthodox Christians. After the founding of a secular Turkish Republic in the early 20th century, the decision was made for both to be neither mosque nor church but simply museums.

"Both Hagia Sophia and Chora embodied Byzantine and Ottoman pasts, and they became symbols of co-existence and multi-faith living practices. Their conversion fundamentally implies a hierarchy, prioritizing the Islamic past over all other layers, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Jewish, Syriac, et al," Dr. Özgür Kaymak, a lecturer and researcher on minority rights at Istanbul's MEF University, told Religion News Service in an email.

Rededicating the sites as mosques is more than just a status change. According to Islamic tradition, artwork of human figures are forbidden in places of prayer, while in Orthodox Churches, icons of Christ, saints and other biblical figures are a defining feature.

In Hagia Sophia, the mosaics of Jesus and Mary have been covered with curtains since the conversion. While Erdoğan promised Hagia Sophia would remain fully accessible and free to all visitors, Turkey reneged on that earlier this year, reimposing an entrance fee on tourists and relegating them to the upper level, while the main floor is exclusive to Muslim worshippers.

Observers have also criticized the Turkish Directorate of Religion's caretaking of the site, noting damage that did not exist when it was under the purview of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Though Chora is significantly smaller than Hagia Sophia, it is home to some of the best-preserved examples of late-Byzantine art, including mosaics, icons and frescoes, and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"For us it's a very important place because it remembers our culture and our traditions here," Father Evangelos Markantonis, an Orthodox priest who was leading a group of theology students to Chora on Friday, told Religion News Service.

"Though we cannot venerate as Orthodox Christians, we have to try to find things we can be united on. Only with dialogue and good deeds can we continue our lives," Markantonis, who is also a professor at the University of Athens, said when asked about the controversy.

Erdoğan had long refused calls from his right to convert churches like Hagia Sophia and Chora, telling supporters in 2018 to fill the nearby Sultan Ahmet Mosque (also known in English as the Blue Mosque) before they talked about needing to pray in Hagia Sophia.

Nonetheless, he made an about-turn in 2020.

"My dear nation, the conquest of Istanbul and the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a Mosque are among the most glorious chapters in Turkish history," Erdoğan said at the time in a speech inaugurating the Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

"This is the most honorable day that Islam has been looking forward to, Greek Constantinople has become Turkish Istanbul," he added, quoting the Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet.

"The resurrection of Hagia Sophia heralds the liberation of the al-Aqsa Mosque. The resurrection of Hagia Sophia is the footsteps of the will of Muslims across the world to come out of the interregnum," Erdoğan said in his concluding remarks.

Chora's opening as the Kariye Mosque comes just weeks after Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered its largest electoral defeat in two decades during Turkey's nationwide municipal elections.

"The recent conversion of Chora into a mosque may be due to Erdoğan's many problems, including his geopolitical power politics, his appeal to religio-nationalism to revive his electoral popularity after the March elections or his tactic to divert attention from Turkey's economic downturn," Kaymak said.

Many analysts have attributed the loss to AKP bleeding votes to the more Islamist-leaning New Welfare Party, which has pressured Erdogan over his response to the Israel-Hamas war and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Muslim worshippers at the mosque on Friday said they viewed its rededication as an Islamic site to be a national win for Turkey.

"This mosque is one of the symbols of the Conquest. We are proud and happy. There are very beautiful frescoes inside. They were also nicely renovated before they were closed. May it be good for our country and our nation," a bystander, Ahmet Öteyüzoğlu, told Turkish media.

"Thank God for these days. Not everyone has the opportunity in their lifetime," another bystander named Mehmet Çelik told the Turkish news service Anadolu Agency, in reference to having been able to pray at both the rededicated Hagia Sophia and Kariye Mosques.

However, Greece, the U.S. State Department and Orthodox Christian institutions worldwide have all criticized the decision to revert the structure into a mosque.

"I want to publicly express my intense dissatisfaction, interpreting the feelings of all Greek women and men, for the completely unnecessary conversion of a historic Byzantine temple, the Monastery of Chora, into a mosque. It is, I believe, an action that offends the rich history of Istanbul itself as a crossroads of cultures," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said shortly before leaving for Turkey for a planned meeting with Erdogan.

"We encourage the Turkish government to preserve and ensure access to sites and buildings that have hosted different religious communities in a way that respects their diverse histories," a State Department spokesperson said in response to questions from Greek media.

"The Turkish government's appropriation of both as the property of one faith group not only constitutes yet another sign of that government's contempt for Turkey's rich Orthodox Christian heritage but further imperils the religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the remaining Christians of that land," the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate said in a statement.

© Religion News Service

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

The site's history and significance are complex, with Hagia Sophia having been a Byzantine cathedral, an Ottoman mosque, and a museum, before being converted back into a mosque in 2020.

Title:

Content: Turkey’s iconic Hagia Sophia mosque to charge $28 entry fee for tourists

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Turkey’s Hagia Sophia mosque began charging tourists nearly $28 on Monday for entrance to the landmark site.

The UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned for its blue-tiled interior, will no longer allow free admission to foreigners, the Turkish tourism ministry announced.

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The former museum-turned mosque has a new entrance in front of the Topkapi Palace Museum open for tourists.

Tunnel entrance at Turkey's Hagia Sophia. (File photo)

The Hagia Sophia was a museum space from 1934 until 2020 when Turkey decided to change it to a mosque. Various historical reports say the mosque with byzantine architecture was an Orthodox cathedral decades ago.

“With the new application that will start on January 15 at the Hagia Sophia Mosque, tourists will be able to visit the mosque without disturbing the prayer environment,” the ministry said in a statement.

The entrance to the mosque will be “provided in a controlled manner through the tunnel and entrance ramp where visitors will be transported to the gallery floor and exited via the ramp in the northeast direction,” the statement said.

“Tourists who come to the gallery section will be able to see the sanctuary floor of the mosque and the Ottoman Period annexes, pass through the heaven-hell gate, and examine the Byzantine Period mosaics in this section,” it added.

Security cameras, fire detection and emergency announcement systems were reportedly installed in the mosque along the tour route. Cleaning and conservation work on the marble coverings and wooden railings on the gallery floor of the mosque was also carried out by restorers and conservators.

Visitors will also have access to a headset guide with QR codes where information on the sight is available in 23 languages.

People visit the Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Istanbul, Turkey, July 10, 2020. (Reuters)

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How did the role of Hagia Sophia change following the Ottoman conquest?

Hagia Sophia became a central Islamic religious site for centuries

What was the original historical and cultural significance of Hagia Sophia in the Byzantine Empire?

Served as the central church of Byzantine Christianity,

The conversion has also sparked concerns about safety, with fragments falling from the dome of Hagia Sophia in 2022, and restoration work urgently needed to preserve the site.

Title:

Content: [ditty_news_ticker id="27897"] Video Shows Fragments Falling from the Dome of Hagia Sophia - Orthodox Christian Laity

Video Shows Fragments Falling from the Dome of Hagia Sophia

0

Source: Greek Reporter

A still from a recently released video shows visitors rushing to take cover as fragments fall from the dome of Hagia Sophia. Credit: Daily Motion/BirGün

A video from 2022 that came to light recently shows fragments falling on visitors from the dome of Hagia Sophia, the former epicenter of Christian worship at Constantinople, today’s Istanbul.

The footage released by the Turkish newspaper, BirGün, raises serious questions over the safety of the former Orthodox Christian cathedral, now a mosque.

BirGün notably quoted officials as saying that “pieces are falling from the roof, due to the humidity created by the crowd, but no precautions are being taken”.

The president of the Turkish Art History Association, Serif Yasar, argued for restoration of the monument as soon as possible, suggesting that “If Hagia Sophia is not restored, it will collapse with the first earthquake.”

The monument was restored as a mosque three years ago after serving as a museum from 1935-2020 and has since received 21 million visitors, according to Turkey’s tourism and culture minister.

Yasar added that when the church was a museum, the scientific council overseeing it urged that groups of no more than 25 people should be allowed to enter the building at any one time.

This enormous lift in visitation has likely brought to the forefront the need for repairs and it was indeed reported in September that the Turkish government had decided to start long-term maintenance of Hagia Sophia.

Turkey to implement visitor management policy at Hagia Sophia

In early October Turkish historian Ilber Ortayli expressed fears that the large number of visitors to Hagia Sophia could lead to a catastrophic structural failure if not addressed immediately.

Writing in the Hürriyet daily, Ortayli said that the monument, which attracts three million pilgrims annually apart from tourists, has undergone significant damage since its conversion into a mosque.

He asserted that even a modest number of 20-30 thousand people annually, including scientists, historians, archaeologists, representatives of the Muslim religion, politicians, and public officials, could be considered excessive for the endurance of the monument.

In June 2022 a number of tiles of the ancient marble floors in Hagia Sophia were damaged by heavy machines used to clean the site.

In April 2022, The Turkish Association of Art Historians stated that the historic Imperial Gate in Hagia Sophia had been badly damaged.

The group posted a picture clearly depicting the damage to the oak wood of the 15-century-old gate.

Turkey unveiled plans in late October for a visitor management policy at Hagia Sophia, including charging foreign tourists with an entrance fee to be implemented starting Jan. 15.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that extensive restoration work is underway in various sections of Hagia Sophia, now a mosque, with plans to progress to other parts upon their completion.

He emphasized that, based on UNESCO’s recommendations, a visitor management plan would be enforced to enhance the quality and safety of visits while preserving the historical significance of the site.

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To provide a nuanced and informative perspective on the Hagia Sophia's history and cultural significance, tour guides should be aware of the site's complex history and cultural significance, and be able to communicate this information effectively to tourists.

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Content: Opinions
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An opinion.
« Tourism Guidance » The modern and historical image of the country
Some of those who practice the profession of "tourist guidance" without academic and professional qualification at the hands of specialists are unaware of the danger of their work outside the legal framework, which set standards and requirements for the practitioners of this profession because of its very important responsibility throughout the modern and ancient history of the country.
The ministries and tourism authorities in different countries of the world are aware of the importance of this profession and are well aware of the message of its practitioners, and always seek to take into account this task of development and keep abreast of the changes that occur from time to time.
Previously, the driver of a taxi or bus and even his companions to serve passengers in general and tourists in particular practiced the profession of « tourist guidance » and their information passed down generation after generation or acquired from the profession is transmitted directly to tourists without any filtering or scrutiny, and find in the midst of information and figures or events that may not mean this country but the history of other countries. A lot, despite being published in the media.
To reduce all these things and more, the ministries and tourism bodies have taken some strict conditions for anyone wishing to practice this profession, and to pass several oral and written exams for the old generation, and a university qualification and preferably a specialization in tourism for the new generation so that the monitoring of this profession is done according to the unified international conditions, even if it differs in small parts between countries.
« Tourism Guidance » is the profession of the modern era in tourism recovery and this profession was not limited to the category of men without women, which began to race to reserve its prominent position in all merit, and the competition between the sexes became clear in development through mastery of a number of languages and keenness to enter training courses in order to develop skills in this field.
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The Ministries have set standards for tourist guides to ensure accurate information, and guides must pass exams and have university qualifications to provide high-quality guidance.

Tourist guides must master multiple languages to effectively communicate with tourists from different countries and backgrounds.

The conservation work done on the Hagia Sophia, including the restoration of marble and wooden railings, and the preservation of Byzantine Period mosaics, is an important aspect of the site's history and cultural significance.

What was the significance of Hagia Sophia's conversion into a museum in 1934?

repositioned Hagia Sophia as a global cultural landmark.

The Hagia Sophia's history spans nearly four and a half centuries, and its significance extends beyond religion to culture, making it a unique and complex site to manage and interpret.

Title:

Content: Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched the reopening and operation of Ayasofya Mosque's Fatih Madrassa — Istanbul’s first religious school under the Ottoman Empire.

The Turkish president has inaugurated the Ayasofya Fatih Madrassa, the first Ottoman school in Istanbul.

“We have taken a very important step to carry our magnificent past to the present and the future, and to bring it together with our people,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the inauguration ceremony on Friday.

“After the conquest of Istanbul, this place was put into service as the first madrassa of the city, next to Ayasofya," Erdogan added.

The religious school takes its name from Fatih (Conqueror), the title given to Sultan Mehmet II, who conquered the city in 1453. It was the first of its kind in the capital of the former Ottoman Empire.

Erdogan said the school continued to operate until 1924 with maintenance, repairs and construction during different periods, but was later demolished by "those who wanted to erase the country’s rich history."

Erdogan said the madrassa will again be an education centre, operated by the Fatih Sultan Mehmet University.

“Ayasofya Fatih Madrasa, which has been instrumental in the training of countless scholars for nearly four and a half centuries, will serve as an education centre from now on. I hope that tomorrow's scholars, intellectuals, scientists and researchers will be trained here,” the president said.

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Ayasofya’s historical significance

Ayasofya was built in the year 532 CE, and turned into a mosque after the conquest of Istanbul by Fatih Sultan Mehmet, who later established a mosque foundation.

The historic place of worship was converted into a museum in 1934, and it regained mosque status in 2020.

Besides being a mosque, Ayasofya is also among Türkiye's top tourism destinations and remains open for domestic and foreign visitors.

In 1985, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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Source: AA

What was the significance of Hagia Sophia's conversion into a museum in 1934?

repositioned Hagia Sophia as a global cultural landmark.

The Turkish authorities have implemented measures to preserve the cultural assets of the Hagia Sophia, including the use of entrance fees to fund conservation work.

The visitor management policy implemented at the Hagia Sophia aims to improve the quality and safety of the tourist experience, while also preserving the site's cultural and historical significance.

The regulation of density and the distribution of visitors along different routes can help to prevent catastrophic structural failure and preserve the site's integrity.

By being aware of the controversy and criticism surrounding the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque, tour guides can address tourist concerns and questions in a sensitive and respectful manner.

How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

The UNESCO World Heritage Site designation of the Hagia Sophia highlights the importance of preserving the site's cultural and historical significance, and tour guides can emphasize this in their interactions with tourists.

Title:

Content: She returned Hagia Sophia to a mosque.
Turkey has challenged global trusteeship
Daily Morning
Istanbul, Turkey
Posted at 29.10.2022 10: 23
Hagia Sophia Mosque (Getty Images)
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that the fact that Turkey has returned the Hagia Sophia museum from a museum to a mosque represents a major challenge to the global trusteeship.
Speaking at a ceremony announcing the vision of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) “Turkey ’ s Century ” in Ankara, Erdogan said his country was challenging global tutelage and thanked citizens for their support for the decision to return Hagia Sophia.
He noted that his party has always sought to eliminate any vestiges of guardianship and promote democracy in the country over the past 20 years.
Turkey has lived through a remarkable period in its history in general and the history of Istanbul, especially when Hagia Sophia was transformed from its status as a museum and restored to its former glory as the Grand Mosque of Hagia Sophia on July 24, 2020.
The historic building remained a church for 916 years until the conquest of Istanbul.
It was then used as a mosque between 1453 and 1934, nearly 500 years before becoming a museum for 86 years.
It is one of the most visited historical buildings in Turkey by domestic and international tourists, and Hagia Sophia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.
On July 10, 2020, a Turkish court overturned a 1934 ministerial decision that turned Hagia Sophia into a museum, paving the way for it to be used again as a mosque after an 86-year hiatus.

What was the significance of Hagia Sophia's conversion into a museum in 1934?

repositioned Hagia Sophia as a global cultural landmark.

Overall, the most effective strategies for tour guides to address tourist concerns and questions about the Hagia Sophia conversion involve providing accurate and respectful information, being sensitive to the cultural and historical context, and emphasizing the importance of preserving the site's cultural heritage.