Turkey’s culture ministry said the presence of a crane truck inside the 6th century structure was due to “works as part of restoring the monument” and for “quake protection”

Momentum for reopening the institution appeared to strengthen after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Sept.

A man attempted to set fire inside Istanbul's Hagia Sophia after evening prayers on July 11, 2025. Caught on CCTV, he was quickly identified and arrested. The fire was swiftly contained, causing no serious damage. The suspect had a history of mental illness

The project uses Dolby Atmos systems to produce a three-dimensional auditory experience that envelops the listener, making it possible to hear what ancient worshippers might have heard over 1,400 years ago.

The cadets were on holiday leave for the Christmas season but had failed to inform their superiors

The quintessence of late Eastern Roman or Byzantine architecture, the Hagia Sofia was reconverted into a mosque by the Islamist Erdogan government in July 2020

'Istanbul (as Constantinople was called in 1453) is Muslim, and with the Grace of God will remain so forever,' the Turkish president said

"The decision of the Turkish authorities to start the operation of the Monastery of Chora as a Muslim Mosque constitutes a provocation to the international community", the Greek Foreign Ministry stated