Istanbul’s Ayasofya Grand Mosque Celebrates Five Years Since Reconversion
July 10, 2025 – Istanbul
This week marks five years since the Ayasofya Grand Mosque—formerly known as the Hagia Sophia Museum—was officially reopened for Muslim worship, following a historic decision in July 2020 that ended its 86-year status as a museum.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan commemorated the anniversary on Thursday with a post on social media platform X, sharing the presidential decree that authorized the mosque’s return to religious service.
“Five years ago today, we lifted the chains and rejoined Ayasofya with the call to prayer. May it remain free forever,” Erdoğan wrote.
The official order had transferred administration of Ayasofya to Türkiye’s Presidency of Religious Affairs, paving the way for the resumption of prayers in the iconic structure.
A Monument of Faith and History
Ayasofya has served many roles throughout its long and complex history. Originally constructed as a church, it functioned as a center of Christianity for 916 years until the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul in 1453, after which it served as a mosque for nearly five centuries.
In 1934, a Cabinet decision under the early Turkish Republic transformed it into a museum, a status it held for 86 years—until the Turkish Council of State annulled that ruling in July 2020.
The first Friday prayer after the reconversion took place on July 24, 2020, marking the return of Islamic worship in the monument for the first time in almost nine decades.
Open to Visitors
While it is now an active mosque, Ayasofya remains open to both Turkish and international visitors, continuing to be one of Türkiye’s most visited cultural and religious landmarks.
In 1985, the site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, recognizing its architectural and historical significance to both Eastern and Western civilizations.
