A new visitor management policy, where a separation practice will take place between those coming for worship and foreigners visiting the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque for cultural purposes, is set to take effect from Jan. 15.
According to a recent statement from the Culture and Tourism Ministry, as part of the restoration and preservation efforts initiated by Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy in Hagia Sophia, a new arrangement will be implemented for visitors to the mosque.
Accordingly, a ticket sales booth for those visiting the gallery floor will be established, and the booth, which will be in service from Jan. 15, will be situated across from the Fountain of Ahmed III.
Along the route of the tour, historical measures have been taken in the protected Hagia Sophia Mosque, including the placement of security cameras and fire detection and emergency announcement systems, the ministry's statement said.
Cleaning and preservation work have been carried out on the marble coverings and wooden railings on the gallery floor of the mosque by restorers and conservators under the approval and consultancy of the Science Board.
With the visitor management plan Minister Ersoy announced earlier for the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, long queues in the historical mosque are anticipated to be avoided.
At the landmark mosque, entrances will be controlled through the tunnel and entrance ramp under the Bayezid II Minaret on the south facade, and visitors will be transported to the gallery floor and exited via the ramp in the northeast direction.
Tourists arriving in the gallery section will be able to see the sanctuary floor of the mosque and the Ottoman-era annexes, pass through the door of Heaven and Hell (Marble Door), and examine the Byzantine-era mosaics in this section.
With the new implementation starting on Jan. 15, using the QR code system implemented at the mosque, visitors can obtain information in 23 languages without disturbing those praying by using their mobile phones with headphones or disposable headphones provided.
Moreover, per the ministry's statement, it was announced that the entrance fee for foreigners visiting the historic mosque for tourist purposes would be 25 euros ($27.40).