Fri 24 July 2020:
People started to gather around the Hagia Sophia ahead of the its opening as a mosque with mass Friday Prayer on July 24 in Istanbul, Turkey.
Hagia Sophia is among Turkey’s top tourism destinations for domestic and foreign visitors.
In 1985, during its time as a museum, Hagia Sophia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Yakınına gelebilmek için geceden gitmek gerekir #AyasofyaCamiindeİlkNamaz #GenclikAyasofyada #HagiaSophia #Αγια_Σοφια #Ayasofya #AyasofyaCami # pic.twitter.com/61k4B5SyRO
— Gökmen Dülgeroğlu (@gkmendulgeroglu) July 24, 2020
Dünya uzay,virüsler,teknolojik altyapılar,insan hakları ile uğraşıyor.
Biz de Ayasofya’yı açıyoruz.
Olsun,biz de onları cennete almayız.#HagiaSophia https://t.co/l9BJBXv240— Clerc (@gaul_chieftain) July 24, 2020
Dengan takbir dan sorak-sorai, kerumunan besar Turki bersiap sejak semalam untuk memasuki masjid Hagia Sophia untuk melakukan shalat Jumat pertama dalam 86 tahun. pic.twitter.com/U3ppXNMOy3
— daeng_Rahinggg (@AbdRachim12) July 24, 2020
Huge crowds are lining up to get to Hagia Sophia.
Dozens of busses also from other cities arrived in the city last night pic.twitter.com/7DHmy740O7
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) July 24, 2020
It served as a church for 916 years until the conquest of Istanbul, and a mosque from 1453 to 1934 — nearly 500 years — and most recently as a museum for 86 years.
A Turkish court annulled a 1934 Cabinet decree July 19 that turned Hagia Sophia into a museum, paving the way for its use as a mosque.
In the new era for Hagia Sophia, Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate will oversee religious services at the mosque, while the Culture and Tourism Ministry will supervise restoration and conservation work.
The architectural treasure will also be open to domestic and foreign tourists free of charge.
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