#Hagia Sophia-I Kebir Mosque-I Şerifi

Hagia Sophia, opened 3 years ago, hosted 21 million visitors

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that after the Hagia Sophia-i Kebir Mosque-i Şerifi reopened for worship, 21 million visitors were hosted in 3 years. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy made a written statement on the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of the reopening of Hagia Sophia-i Kebir Mosque-i Şerifi. Minister Ersoy stated that after the Hagia Sophia-i Kebir Mosque-i Şerifi was opened to worship, 21 million visitors were hosted in the last 3 years, and that he will give information about the ongoing restoration project, which is one of the most comprehensive works in its history, in the coming days. Ersoy continued by underlining that Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han left a legacy and trust by stipulating the continuity of the mosque identity of the Hagia Sophia-i Kebir Mosque-i Şerifi, symbolized as the herald of a new age at one of the most important turning points in Turkish and world history: “Praise be to the will of our president, the determination and great support of our beloved nation, the heir regained his legacy on July 24, 2020, after 86 years, the trust was duly protected, and the weight of a great plague was lifted from the shoulders of our beloved nation. In the last 3 years, the whole world has witnessed once again that we have embraced this unique temple not only as a mosque entrusted to Fatih Sultan Mehmet Khan, but also as a common heritage of humanity, in line with our civilizational values." 21 million visitors hosted in 3 years Stating that the Hagia Sophia-i Kebir Mosque-i Şerifi has hosted 21 million visitors since its opening, Ersoy said, “Hagia Sophia-i Kebir Mosque-i Şerifi continues to embrace all humanity, like the world state that carried it to the present day, with the call to prayer on its five-time minaret and the prayers echoing on its dome.” Minister Ersoy also stated that he will provide information about the ongoing restoration project, which is one of the most comprehensive works in its history, in the coming days and said, “We will deliver this blessed relic of our ancestors to the future, in accordance with his will and in a manner befitting our civilization, with the respect we show to history, cultures and beliefs. It will serve Islam and Muslims forever, and its doors will always be open to the heirs of every civilization that has left a mark on its foundations and stones.