Turkey implements €25 entrance fee for tourists visiting Hagia Sofia

Foreign tourists entering the former Orthodox Christian cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will have to pay an entrance fee from Monday, as announced by Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry. 

The 1,500-year-old Byzantine cathedral, which was converted from a museum into a mosque by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2020, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and receives over 3.5 million visitors a year.

Tourists entering the historic site will pay 25 euros, while Turkish nationals visiting for religious worship will continue to enter for free from a separate entrance. 

The ministry stated that ticket booths have been installed as part of restoration efforts, ensuring visitor preparedness by Monday. 

Security cameras, fire detection and emergency communication systems have been set up, with protective measures along the touring route at the...