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Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry has implemented an entrance fee at a Unesco World Heritage Site in Istanbul.
Tom Anstey | Planet Attractions | 17 Jan 2024
Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry has implemented an entrance fee at a Unesco World Heritage Site in Istanbul.
Hagia Sophia is an important Byzantine structure dating back to the 6th century. It was first built as an Orthodox Christian church but has subsequently served as both a mosque and a museum. In 2020, it was converted into a mosque by Turkish president Recep Tayipp Erdogan.
As of this week, tourists to the site, which attracts some three million visitors per year, will have to pay a €25 (US$27, £22) admission fee, however, Turkish nationals attending worship will continue to enter for free via a separate entrance.
New ticket booths were installed during a recent restoration. Security cameras, fire alarms and emergency communication systems have also been set up, as well as protective measures along the tourist route.
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