A unique place. The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is an outstanding monument of Byzantine and world architecture, a symbol of the "golden age" of Byzantium, which is sometimes called the "eighth wonder of the world". In 2020, by decision of the State Council of Turkey, it has the status of a mosque, while the second floor is still a museum. The entrance to the cathedral costs 25 euros. A truly historical architectural monument that united Muslims and Orthodox under its arches. I definitely recommend that you familiarize yourself with the history of this amazing place before visiting, then you will not need a guide. Thank you for your time!
A place that is definitely worth visiting in Istanbul is to pay tribute to history and antiquity. The temple is more than 15 centuries old, the basilica-mosque-museum-mosque/museum has been rebuilt several times. It is located in the Sultanahmet district in the center opposite the Blue Mosque. There is a long queue constantly crowding the square in front of the main entrance - this is a queue for free admission for believers (and masquerading as believers). The ticket offices and the entrance for tourists are on the right side of the mosque from the side of the Bosphorus. Believers enter the lower part of the building, and tourists enter the upper galleries around the perimeter. It seemed to me more interesting to look at the beauty from above - more general plans, closer you can see mosaics, angels (only one of them has a face open), a general panorama of the cathedral, chandeliers, inscriptions, etc. Quite an adequate audio guide (included in the ticket price), but it is better, of course, to read in advance about the history of this miracle of Constantinople and already absorb the spirit of the times here. Together with the mosque itself, it is offered to visit the St. Peter's Museum for an additional fee.Sofia, which is located in the park opposite the Blue Mosque (walk 300 meters from Hagia Sophia). It is more interesting for children to move from hall to hall in small groups, accompanied by an audio guide and interactive paintings on the walls of the halls telling about the history of St. Sophia from the beginning of time to the present day.
We were impressed. The landmark was built 3 times. In Byzantine times it was a church, now it is a mosque. For full understanding, I recommend visiting the Hagia Sophia Museum as well. It's beautiful, interesting, and informative. You can pay in euros or in lira. The mosque has a dress code: women's heads must be covered, a long skirt or dress. I recommend.
The Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul is a unique architectural structure that impresses with its beauty and grandeur. Built in the sixth century, it was for a long time the main temple of the Byzantine Empire, and then became the mosque of the Ottoman Empire.Today, the mosque is open to both Muslims and tourists. Admission is free, but certain rules must be followed: clothes must be closed, and shoes are left at the entrance.Inside the mosque you can see magnificent mosaics, frescoes and stained glass windows that have survived to the present day. Especially impressive is the huge dome, which seems weightless and floating in the air.The Hagia Sophia Mosque is not just a religious building, it is a symbol of Istanbul's cultural and historical heritage. Visiting this mosque leaves an indelible impression and allows you to better understand the history and culture of Turkey.
The Hagia Sophia Mosque is an absolute cultural must-have! In June 2024, it was just soulful inside: stunning architecture, the spirit of history at every step. The mosaics and the colossal dome structure were especially impressive. Definitely worth a visit if you are planning a tour of Istanbul — an incomparable experience!
My favorite place in Istanbul. A beautiful historical monument. Both as a mosque and as a temple, this is a very sacred place. There is always a feeling of peace and love in the heart, regardless of religion
a beautiful mosque combining elements of the Byzantine Empire and elements of a Muslim mosque. A wonderful world and historical monument, truly legendary. The museum is also striking (a truly spectacular story about historical events related to the mosque), the entrance to which is attached when buying a pass to the mosque itself
The entrance to the museum is expensive, but worth a visit. The mosque itself is gorgeous, the history is in every centimeter, I did not like the museum: it is small, the tour is for fifth graders, but there are interesting exhibits of ancient Kapan, ancient icons. It is convenient that there is an audio guide in both the mosque and the museum.
To visit Istanbul and not see AveSofia is not to see the heart of the city. It is very unusual: the first floor is a mosque, the second is a Christian temple. Very unusual. It is necessary to get to the second floor and look at it. There is an audio guide inside, you can listen to everything.
Well, how can you be in Istanbul and not visit St. Sophia! Living history! Yes, they are allowed only on the 2nd floor; yes, many mosaics are curtained. But what amazing sensations arise when you feel the spirit of the centuries! Ideally, it is better to come to the opening, then the queue is smaller. Or buy a ticket in advance (via Satellite, for example) - then you will pass without queuing at all. Yes, it's not cheap, but how can you not visit it?!
I have long dreamed of visiting Hagia Sophia. Back when it was a museum. But, as they say, I did not have time. On my visit to Istanbul this year in May, I was lucky and there was practically no queue (I arrived at 10 o'clock in the morning). The sight is certainly exciting. The power and grandeur of the structure are felt. And the idea that Prince Vladimir visited this place before the baptism of Russia and now you are also involved with this place simply does not fit into your head. Although now you can only visit the upper galleries, undoubtedly this place is worth a visit. Byzantine mosaics and Christian images are side by side with surahs from the Koran. All Byzantine mosaics, except those on the ground floor, are available for inspection. The mosaic depicting the Virgin Mary with the infant Christ is more difficult to see, it is now covered. But it is quite realistic to consider. Despite the high cost of the ticket, it is necessary to visit this place.
The Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul is an amazing historical structure, striking in its beauty and grandeur. Inside the temple, you can see stunning mosaics and murals preserved from the time of the Byzantine Empire. The building is surrounded by interesting historical buildings such as an openwork fountain and tombs of the Ottoman rulers. A visit to the Hagia Sophia Mosque leaves an unforgettable impression and allows you to plunge into history.
The world-famous St. Sophia. In ancient times, it was a Christian temple, and now it is a functioning mosque and museum. Every tourist who visits Istanbul dreams of visiting there. St. Sophia is located in the center of old Istanbul and is well visible from the central square with dancing fountains. Behind him is the equally famous Blue Mosque. It is also worth visiting (especially after the recent restoration). As a rule, during the high tourist season, there is a long queue for St. Sophia, but it moves quickly and after some 30 minutes you will enjoy the beauty and scope of the structure. The only drawback of waiting in line is the scorching sun (the queue runs through an open area). Therefore, be sure to stock up on umbrellas, so as not to get sunstroke. As a rule, you can take a free umbrella at the exit of the hotels, if you do not have your own. So don't be afraid of queues and enjoy the beauty of Istanbul at any time of the year
Be sure to visit this mosque, it is very beautiful and admires with its size, history and decoration. The tour takes place on the 2nd floor, the ticket price is not cheap, there is an interactive guide.
Of course, the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is an architectural monument that deserves all the stars of the World rating! BUT now tourists cannot enjoy the World Masterpiece to the fullest. The Turkish government has no right to deprive Humanity of this! Therefore, in order to somehow express this feeling of annoyance, I minus the asterisk. Alas...
The mosque is gorgeous. It is better to enter it early in the morning, there will be fewer people.
I didn't like the fact that there are security guards at the entrance and they ask you to buy a special robe and a handkerchief, since you are wearing a T-shirt or too beautifully dressed. They make a remark selectively, let someone in shorts and a T-shirt, and buy someone a bathrobe.
I also didn't like the fact that due to the huge flow of people and the fact that it is necessary to take off shoes, the mosque stinks of sweaty smelly socks. Mosque attendants go specially and spray aromatic water, but unfortunately this does not help.
The symbol of the Byzantine Empire is the magnificent architecture, the monument of Constantinople.
For many centuries it has been an Orthodox cathedral, which has now become a mosque.
Magnificent murals preserved on the second floor of this architectural monument.
Be sure to visit- giving me the most vivid and unforgettable impression of my life in Istanbul!
The Hagia Sophia Mosque is a beautiful and majestic landmark that is worth a visit. Inside the mosque, you can see ancient mosaics and frescoes, as well as enjoy the atmosphere of tranquility and tranquility. Entrance to the mosque is free, but it is necessary to follow certain rules of conduct and dress appropriately.
A wonderful place, it looks very beautiful and majestic from the outside, even more beautiful in the evening. The interior is even more beautiful, goosebumps, A magnificent mosque
Very beautiful! At the entrance you need a developed one, there are shelves for shoes inside. Stunning frescoes, chandeliers, carpets. There is an opportunity to sit and pray. There are quiet corners on the side
I love historical monuments, past this is an architectural miracle created in ancient times, magnificent frescoes, a huge amount of marble and granite, polished by the feet and hands of ancient believers, you can find interesting artifacts
The cathedral is certainly impressive, but standing in line for an hour and paying 25-50 euros for a ticket just to see the big mosque doesn't make much sense (the rest of the mosques are free and not very different)
If the Turkish government had not decided to cover Christian symbols with Islamic banners, maybe there would have been some sense in visiting, but outwardly it makes a much greater impression
A masterpiece of Byzantine culture! This beauty is worth a look. Those who visited it were lucky back in the days when everyone was allowed into the lower, main hall. After St. Sophia is declared not only a historical landmark but also a mosque, tourists are allowed only to the upper tier. Well, thank God, it will remain a place for prayer now! Thank you for preserving the Greatest Orthodox Shrine and treating It with care!
It's beautiful outside, beautiful inside, no more. According to the Istanbul museum map, you can squeeze through without queuing, the card costs about 10 thousand rubles and gives you the opportunity to visit 12 places, including Sofia. But there is nothing to do here more than once, we looked at the achievements of past people and moved on.
If we talk about Istanbul itself, it just didn't go in, it's very dirty, a lot of people, the food is terrible, cleanliness in restaurants is rare. But about the sights there is a separate story that is definitely worth a look, and do not skimp, it is more interesting with a guide and you will not stand in queues at the entrance, sometimes they are just huge. The mosque is unique in preserving the history of different centuries.
An iconic place. It's worth a visit. But if you visit on your own, it's better to come for tickets by 9 o'clock, while there is no queue and groups. It's already 10 o'clock.There's a big queue in the morning. They only allow access to the 2nd floor for Christians, the first one was closed. Men are better off in trousers, so as not to buy a cape below the waist, and the female sex in headscarves, you can buy them at the box office.
It delights with its huge size and, of course, history! There was a queue, it was big, but it was pretty fast. The interior is beautiful, but restoration is required in some places. It is mandatory to visit!
The ancient, majestic bulk of the Orthodox church is the cradle of Russian Orthodoxy. It is worth visiting Istanbul for this very reason. The Turks, although they made the temple a mosque, did not touch the frescoes. There is something native about this place.
I have dreamed of visiting St. Sophia for a very long time, and finally I have! The size of the space is really amazing, and traces of previous eras are displayed on the walls. Fragments of ancient Byzantine frescoes are strikingly beautiful. I can imagine how majestic the cathedral was when the whole space was decorated with them!
It is a large building, but only the second floor is available for guests of the country.
Women are not allowed without a headscarf. Men in shorts were allowed in, but it was 30 degrees, maybe they didn't find fault with that. To the left of the cash registers, you can buy synthetic disposable shawls and stoles to cover your head and legs. It's very hot in them, and the room itself is stuffy.
The cathedral (mosque) looks tired, but it is interesting that it became the architectural progenitor of subsequent mosques built nearby - I think it's cool.
Morning and afternoon queues and jostling. In the evening, somewhere after 17 hours, it was quieter, we were almost alone on the second tourist floor before closing, the first floor is only for Muslim Turks. Amazing and a must-visit! Christian churches and mosques were subsequently built on this model. The next day we watched it from Galata hill - it's impressive if it also gets its original red color back...
There were both when there was a museum and when there was a mosque. The mosque needs special clothes for women. It is very inconvenient that you can enter only when there is no service in the mosque. And so of course it is very impressive!!!
For 30 euros, you need to stand in a huge queue in the heat to get inside. And you will agree to this . It may happen that a speculator wakes up who will sell you a ticket for 35 euros immediately, instantly, and you can safely go to the entrance if your knees and head are blocked. If not, you will be offered to buy disposable scarves and rafts. There is a police at the entrance, not to shut you down, but in cases if you are a tourist, then you just won't be allowed anywhere. You will be allowed to enter because you have bought a ticket. There is even a kind of audio guide, 30 - second recordings on YouTube of 6 or 8 pieces. The palace looks huge, but it will take you 15-20 minutes to get around the area that you will be allowed to enter and the signs will very quickly take you back to the street. You will not be able to get to the 1st floor, since there is a mosque for Turks, you will not be allowed to walk in the garden, since you are a tourist and not a Turk . You will be able to go up to the 2nd floor to see that everything is fenced off , you cannot approach the edge of the balcony , and there is nowhere to sit down . All events will take no more than 15 minutes. Even though the castle looks huge .
An unusual place, but now the ground floor is closed to tourists, open only to their own. But Hagia Sophia is still a museum in my understanding, not a mosque. It used to have a special atmosphere, but with innovations it seemed to have lost it. Well, the entrance is very expensive now 1750 lira
The magnificent historical building of Hagia Sophia. It's a huge mosque, and it's amazing how many centuries ago it was built. Definitely ready to visit. And by the way, the passages to the main hall are "thresholds", they are trampled by feet and have irregularities from friction over the centuries. 10/10
The interesting history of this temple is how it turned from a cathedral into a mosque. Located in the heart of historic Istanbul. Attracts a lot of tourists.
This is Istanbul. I recommend everyone to go to the Hagia Sophia Museum and learn more about the history of the temple, which is closely related to the history of the city, Constantinople and Istanbul.
An incredible historical building, breathtaking. We were a little disappointed that only Muslims were allowed on the ground floor, but we still had to leave it as a museum. The frescoes on the ceiling are incredible, it's a pity that they are almost covered with canvases (
We were on a weekday, we stood in line for about 15 minutes. The price of an entrance ticket is 25 euros, it is not worth that much money to visit only 2 floors.
It's a must-visit, it's amazing, but you can go to the mosque for free at the time of the service, 900 lira, if you go to the 2nd floor and see the frescoes
It is a great pity that non-Turkish citizens are allowed to Sofia only on the second floor, the tier around the main hall. To understand all the greatness of the temple, you need to enter from the main entrance and then all the power will open up in front of you. And since the theater is on the 3rd tier, everything is somewhere far away and below. Yes, of course, there is something to see here, but very little. Frescoes, paintings of arches and columns, in some places remaining. The price of the issue is 1500 liras and the same amount in a separate interactive museum of Sofia treasures. There is also practically nothing there, but the Byzantine Sofia was heavily looted, it was clear at the time) Thank you for something.
Anyway, I'm glad that I got to this very ambiguous place.. There is a queue for 20-30 minutes for tickets, but this is in February, my friends.
Sofia, must-visit. It's good that the museum is here again now. We must take advantage of this opportunity, otherwise they will close again. Only inside, walking on giant slabs worn by centuries of worshippers literally to the pits, do you realize how important this place is in history and for how many people. You can literally feel it.
A must-visit place if you are interested in the history of Byzantium. There is a functioning mosque there now, but something can be seen. I recommend local guides who can guide you along the "secret paths" of Hagia Sophia
This is a legend, a place equally valuable for different religions. The largest Christian church before the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. The building is almost fifteen hundred years old. This is something grandiose both architecturally and historically.
It's a fantastic building. In which, apart from the monumentality of the building itself, every brick, every fresco responds to history. A must-visit in Istanbul. A piece of the history of the Byzantine Kingdom that has come down to us after a millennium.
Be sure to visit, an amazing experience, both outside and inside, stock up on thick wool socks, otherwise your feet will freeze. It is better to have a guided tour or miss a lot of interesting things.
I advise everyone to visit. We were in September 2024, the cost is 50 euros per person. Moreover, at the cash desks you can pay either in lira or by card. They are not allowed on the ground floor. But even the second floor of the Cathedral is worth a walk. It is a pity that they have now restricted the entrance down. This place is extraordinary.
There are a lot of reviews, there is where to understand the main thing about the place, so I will add only one detail at the entrance and near the ticket office you can meet Russian-speaking guides offering their services. Their prices are high, we did not take them and did not regret it, since the temple has Wi-Fi, at each point there is a QR code, pointing your smartphone at which you can listen to a brief information about the fresco, the empress's bed, the gate or even the inscription left by the Viking. There is more than enough information!
Of course, it is mandatory to visit, BUT it has become paid since January 15, 2024 (25 euros per person)!!! I think this is a robbery of tourists. There are no benefits for the elderly and children. In 1935, the first President of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, signed a government decree on the establishment of the Hagia Sophia Museum. With the arrival of Erdogan, this Law was repealed and now the museum has again become a place for Muslims (prayers). The frescoes of the Byzantine period are smeared or have fallen into disrepair. To buy a ticket, you need to stand in line at the ticket office (moving fast). Separate entrance for tourists.