The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 has been a highly controversial issue, with many critics viewing it as a challenge to global trusteeship and a blow to religious tolerance and freedom.

The decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque was made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been accused of using the reconversion of museums into mosques to shore up the ranks of his Islamo-nationalist base.

Many observers believe that President Erdogan is erasing part of the country's multiculturalism to shore up the ranks of his Islamo-nationalist base, amid internal weakness due to a bad economy and lack of political perspective.

The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque has been criticized by the Greek Orthodox Church, which views it as an 'ill-advised decision' that undermines Turkey's commitment to religious tolerance and freedom.

The Turkish government's decision to reimpose an entrance fee on tourists visiting Hagia Sophia and to relegate them to the upper level, while the main floor is exclusive to Muslim worshippers, has also been criticized.

The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque has sparked international criticism and concern from countries including Greece, the United States, and Russia, as well as UNESCO and Pope Francis.

As a tour guide in Istanbul, it is essential to be aware of the sensitive nature of the Hagia Sophia conversion and to approach the topic with respect and sensitivity.

Tour guides can provide historical context and information about the transformation of Hagia Sophia from a Christian cathedral into a mosque, into a museum, and again into a mosque, to help tourists understand the complex history of the site.

Guides can focus on the architectural and artistic features of the site, such as the blue-tiled interior and Byzantine mosaics, to highlight its cultural and historical value.

When discussing the conversion, guides can use phrases such as "the Turkish government decided to change its status" to remain neutral and avoid taking a biased or confrontational tone.

The Turkish government has announced plans to implement a visitor management policy at Hagia Sophia, including charging foreign tourists an entrance fee, to enhance the quality and safety of visits while preserving the historical significance of the site.

The visitor management policy is based on UNESCO's recommendations and aims to regulate density by distributing visitors along different routes and protect the 'Common Heritage of Humanity'.

Tour guides can play a crucial role in helping tourists navigate the complexities of the Hagia Sophia conversion and its impact on tourism in Istanbul, by providing accurate and respectful information about the site's history and significance.

However, there are no specific resources or training programs mentioned in the document for tour guides to help them navigate the complexities of the Hagia Sophia conversion and its impact on tourism in Istanbul.

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has a training program called 'Tourism Ambassadors' to upgrade the human element of the tourism and archaeological sector workers, which may provide opportunities for tour guides to receive training or updates on how to manage visitor flows and provide accurate information about the site's history and significance.

Overall, the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque is a complex and sensitive issue that requires careful consideration and respect for different perspectives and beliefs.

As a tour guide, it is essential to approach the topic with sensitivity and respect, and to provide accurate and respectful information about the site's history and significance.

By doing so, tour guides can help promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of the site's cultural and historical value, and contribute to a more positive and respectful tourist experience.

The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 2020 has been a highly controversial issue, with many critics viewing it as a challenge to global trusteeship and a blow to religious tolerance and freedom.

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?

The decision to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque was made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been accused of using the reconversion of museums into mosques to shore up the ranks of his Islamo-nationalist base.

Title:

Content: >
December 9, 2021

Christian leaders look forward to Turkey's new law on religious foundations

This is an issue of vital importance for local Christian communities whose places of worship are entrusted to and managed by their governing bodies

Religious minorities in Turkey are looking forward to the increasingly Islamo-nationalist government making good its promise of outreach to non-Muslims by giving them freedom to establish and run their religious and social institutions.

The Turkish government is preparing to issue a new regulation on the administrative management of foundations linked to non-Muslim faith communities, which have been paralyzed for years by a legislative impasse that blocks the renewal of their governing bodies.

This is an issue of vital importance for local Christian communities such as Armenians and Assyrians, whose places of worship – many of them historic --, other real estate and public institutions are entrusted to and managed by foundations.

Burhan Ersoy, head of the state-run Directorate of the Foundations, has confirmed that the plan for the drafting of a new regulation concerning the elections for the assignment of offices within the foundations has come into being, Fides reported.

The draft of the text has been drawn up, taking into account requests and proposals from the various minority communities, and it is expected that the new rules, after obtaining government approval, would be implemented by April 2022.

The previous electoral regulation for the top management of foundations had been suspended in 2013, after the government chose to establish new procedures to make the management of real estate more functional and transparent.

This led to some confusion with representatives of the various minority communities unable to come to a consensus to either accept or reject the new electoral rules, Ersoy said.

The Syrian Orthodox Christian Süleyman Can Ustabaşı, current representative of the non-Muslim Foundations within the Assembly of Foundations, has said that the structure of foundations and their membership profiles had changed over time.

The Turkish government already had consultations with the representatives of religious minorities to resolve the dispute over board elections for their foundations.

But Ustabaşı now urges Turkish authorities to carry out another consultation with representatives of minority communities before the new text is to be implemented in 2022.

The legal status of the Foundations is still based on the Peace Treaty of Lausanne, signed in 1923 by Turkey and the Entente powers (British Empire, France and Russian Empire) victorious from the First World War.

The treaty guaranteed equality before the laws and the freedom to promote and manage "religious and social institutions" for non-Muslim communities in Turkey.

However, the state had seized properties run by these foundations and had to contend with litigation as these foundations claimed the rights guaranteed by the Treaty of Lausanne.

Also, starting from 1936, legislative provisions had allowed foundations of non-Muslim communities to acquire new properties. But in 1974, this guarantee was canceled and the state begun seizing assets acquired by these foundations.

Between 2013 and 2018 about 1,084 properties were returned to the foundations linked to non-Muslim communities, and 20 places of worship restored and given back to the foundations, according to official data.

Greek Orthodox Laki Vingas, in a speech published by the Armenian-Turkish newspaper Agos, said that the legislative deadlock on the question of the regulation of the foundations has had a negative effect on the life of the different ecclesial communities.

The block in the processes of renewal of the governing bodies of foundations had led to the expulsion of young people from the institutions linked to their communities, and also that many voluntary activities were "unfortunately interrupted".

Non-Muslim places of worship

Within the general Assembly of the Turkish Foundations are some 167 minority foundations. The Turkish Greek community has 77, the highest number of foundations. The Armenian community has 54 and the Jewish community has 19 foundations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a cabinet meeting held on October 25 announced that authorities had put on the agenda the question of the elections of the directorates of the foundations linked to religious minorities.

He also spoke of fundamental tools for the management of assets and resources destined for non-Muslim places of worship.

The issue of the foundations come at a time when Turkish authorities have expelled more and more Protestant Christians -- foreigners and Turkish converts-- on grounds they constitute a "threat to national security".

Turkey had also recently transformed museums into mosques, such as the Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora.

Both churches had been turned into museums after the end of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of modern Turkey.

The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora was built by the Byzantines in the 5th century. The Ottomans then turned it into a mosque after they captured Constantinople in 1453. And it remained a Muslim worship space until the end of the Second World War when it was transformed into a museum.

The same happened to the Hagia Sophia Museum in Iznik, and the high-profile reconversion of the Hagia Sophia Museum, Istanbul's most identifiable monument.

Many observers believe that President Erdogan, weakened internally by a bad economy and a lack of political perspective, is compensating with erasing part of the country's multiculturalism, aimed at shoring up the ranks of his Islamo-nationalist base.

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

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

Many observers believe that President Erdogan is erasing part of the country's multiculturalism to shore up the ranks of his Islamo-nationalist base, amid internal weakness due to a bad economy and lack of political perspective.

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

The decision aimed to rally anti-Kemalist voters.

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

The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque has been criticized by the Greek Orthodox Church, which views it as an 'ill-advised decision' that undermines Turkey's commitment to religious tolerance and freedom.

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 Turkish government's decision to reimpose an entrance fee on tourists visiting Hagia Sophia and to relegate them to the upper level, while the main floor is exclusive to Muslim worshippers, has also been criticized.

The conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque has sparked international criticism and concern from countries including Greece, the United States, and Russia, as well as UNESCO and Pope Francis.

Title:

Content: Erdogan invited the leaders of Muslim states to the first prayer in Hagia Sophia
13: 26 22 July Kiev, Ukraine
According to the plan, on July 24, the first prayer will be held in Hagia Sophia in Turkey, after it was decided to convert the building of the Orthodox church into a mosque.
The leaders of many Muslim countries are invited to take part in it.
Erdogan ’ s invitation came from Qatar and Azerbaijan.
The remaining heads of state have not yet responded to the Turkish president.
Remind me!
The Turkish government decided to change the status of the architectural monument and the Orthodox Church of St. Sophia and convert the room into a mosque.
The Pope said that this situation causes him grief.
The Patriarch of Ecumenical and Constantinople, who recently received a great number of churches on the territory of Ukraine, and did not demand the transfer of the museum to the Diocese of Constantinople in a timely manner, said that the creation of a mosque in the museum building can be negatively met in the Orthodox world.
It is expected that the first prayer in the new mosque will be attended by about 1000-1500 people.
All quarantine conditions will be met, participants in prayer will be given masks, and disinfectants will be placed everywhere in the cathedral so that people can treat their hands and their prayer mats.
During the prayer, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also be present in the cathedral, along with Turkish ministers, leaders of the ruling Justice and Development Party.
As previously reported, all the frescoes and mosaics at the time of prayer will be covered with curtains.
On July 10, a Turkish court ruled that the decision to convert the mosque into a museum in 1934 was illegal.
Erdogan immediately signed a decree on assigning Hagia Sophia the status of a mosque.
The move has sparked international criticism and concern, including from Greece, the United States and Russia, as well as UNESCO and Pope Francis.
Turkey insists that the status of the architectural monument is its internal affair.

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 sensitive nature of the Hagia Sophia conversion and to approach the topic with respect and sensitivity.

Tour guides can provide historical context and information about the transformation of Hagia Sophia from a Christian cathedral into a mosque, into a museum, and again into a mosque, to help tourists understand the complex history of the site.

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
5
2
4
3
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
read more
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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How did the role of Hagia Sophia change following the Ottoman conquest?

Hagia Sophia became a central Islamic religious site for centuries

Sultan Mehmed II converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque,

Guides can focus on the architectural and artistic features of the site, such as the blue-tiled interior and Byzantine mosaics, to highlight its cultural and historical value.

Title:

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

Published: Updated:
Read Mode
100% Font Size

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.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

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)

Read more:

Ramadan prayers return to Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia mosque after 88 years

Turkey says UNESCO criticism of Hagia Sophia conversion ‘biased and political’

Erdogan names ex-environment minister as his party’s Istanbul mayor candidate

Top Content Trending

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

repositioned Hagia Sophia as a global cultural landmark.

Why is Hagia Sophia considered an architectural milestone in world history?

It became a landmark of architectural innovation

When discussing the conversion, guides can use phrases such as "the Turkish government decided to change its status" to remain neutral and avoid taking a biased or confrontational tone.

The Turkish government has announced plans to implement a visitor management policy at Hagia Sophia, including charging foreign tourists an entrance fee, to enhance the quality and safety of visits while preserving the historical significance of 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.

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

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The visitor management policy is based on UNESCO's recommendations and aims to regulate density by distributing visitors along different routes and protect the 'Common Heritage of Humanity'.

Tour guides can play a crucial role in helping tourists navigate the complexities of the Hagia Sophia conversion and its impact on tourism in Istanbul, by providing accurate and respectful information about the site's history and significance.

However, there are no specific resources or training programs mentioned in the document for tour guides to help them navigate the complexities of the Hagia Sophia conversion and its impact on tourism in Istanbul.

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has a training program called 'Tourism Ambassadors' to upgrade the human element of the tourism and archaeological sector workers, which may provide opportunities for tour guides to receive training or updates on how to manage visitor flows and provide accurate information about the site's history and significance.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
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Elham Aboul Fath
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A training course for a number of tourism workers at Mohammed Ali Palace in Manial
The Ministry of Tourism organized a training course for civil security personnel and ticket office workers at Mohamed Ali Palace in Manial to complement the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' plan to upgrade the human element of the tourism and archaeological sector workers at the level of the Republic, within the framework of the "Tourism Ambassadors" program.
Dr. Suha Bahgat, Advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Training Affairs, pointed out that the course lasted for two days, where the trainees were introduced to how to apply tourism services in archaeological sites and museums, how to communicate with visitors and deal with them properly, in addition to managing crises and problems.
She added that at the end of this training course, the trainees were handed certificates accredited by the internationally accredited School of London.
It is worth mentioning that this program is funded by ALEXBANK and implemented by the Rythm Training Foundation accredited by the Institute of Hospitality in the United Kingdom, and aims to raise tourism awareness among the tourism and antiquities sector and introduce them to the correct behaviors that must be followed with tourists and visitors to be ambassadors of the country while dealing with visitors to tourist and archaeological sites.

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