Hagia Sophia Tickets

Istanbul's 1,500-year-old wonder, Hagia Sophia, continues to be one of the world's most important cultural symbols. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Hagia Sophia is the country's most popular tourist destination, and a religious heartland of both Christian and Muslim empires. However, it can be said with absolute certainty that the visual grandeur of the structure is what draws millions of tourists each year. Know about all your Hagia Sophia ticket & tour options, along with other essential visitor information here.

Hagia Sophia is a premier tourist destination in the world. Its silhouette against the Istanbul sky stands as a representative of the entire nation of Turkey. Its fame is derived from its ever-changing history and long-standing architecture.

The Hagia Sophia has been a revered church since its construction during the Byzantine era. The Ottoman invasion of Constantinople in 1453 resulted in the city's collapse. For the first time under Ottoman rule, the church was transformed into a mosque. The Hagia Sophia Mosque retained its religious designation for the next 482 years. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk declared in 1935 that the legendary Hagia Sophia Mosque would be designated as a museum. The climactic chapter of its illustrious history was rewritten in July 2020, when the museum was officially reverted to a mosque.

One of the best exponents of Byzantine architecture, the Hagia Sophia is often regarded as a foremost scientific achievement of humanity. Hagia Sophia was the world's largest church for nearly a millennium. The structure is rectangular, with a central dome topped by a 31-meter-long square nave supported by four pendentives. The dome remains unbroken thanks to 40 arched windows that enable light to enter the arcade. Its design has been heavily influenced by a melting pot of regimes and cultures, visible today in the sharp traces of Byzantine & Ottoman architecture.

The city of Istanbul is home to a myriad of iconic structures and institutions, including the Hagia Sophia. If you’re looking to explore more, here are the other top attractions in the city that should definitely be in your visit list.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, was built during the Ottoman rule in Turkey. It is a working mosque that also draws a significant number of tourists owing to its grand structure and stunning architecture. It was built between 1609 and 1616, under the reign of Ahmed I. Explore its beauty on a Blue Mosque tour.

The Topkapi Palace can narrate more colorful tales than a majority of the world's museums combined. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, when it was the Ottoman empire's court, royal characters akin to the ones in fictional stories lived and worked here. The opulent pavilions and expansive Harem of the palace provide a fascinating look into their lives. You can book Topkapi Palace tickets independently, or visit it while on a combo tour.

Relax after a long day of sightseeing and watch the sunset on a Bosphorus cruise. The Dolmabahçe, Raan, Beylerbeyi palaces, the Amica, Ortaköy mosques, the Maiden's Tower, and the Bosphorus bridges will all be before your eyes as you take it all in while snacking on baklava and seasonal fruits.

The Grand Bazaar is one of the world's biggest and oldest covered bazaars, spread over 30,700 sq. m. with more than 60 streets and 4,000 stores. Mehmet the Conqueror completed the original historical core of the bazaar, Iç Bedesten, in 1461. Enter the Grand Bazaar through one of its 22 entrances and discover a world of wholesale spices, textiles, merchandise, lamps, jewelry and Turkish tea.