Travel Guide
Hagia Sophia
Everything you need to know — hours, tickets, tips, and how to make the most of your visit.
Overview
About Hagia Sophia
Built as a Byzantine cathedral in 537 AD, converted to a mosque under the Ottomans, briefly a museum, and now an active mosque again, Hagia Sophia's vast dome and surviving Byzantine mosaics make it one of the most architecturally significant buildings in the world.
Istanbul
Insider Knowledge
Travel Tips
Now an active mosque - visiting hours pause during the five daily prayers.
Women should bring a headscarf; modest dress is required for all visitors.
Entry is free, but expect security screening and queues at peak times.
The upper gallery (when open) offers the best view of the Byzantine mosaics.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
It functions as an active mosque today; visitors can still enter outside prayer times.
Opening Hours
DailyOpen outside of the five daily prayer times
As an active mosque, exact visiting windows shift with the prayer schedule.
Ticket Prices
EntryFree
A small fee may apply for the upper gallery when accessible.
AI Powered
Plan a Trip to Istanbul
Lizza, our AI travel assistant, can build you a full Istanbul itinerary — free, in seconds.
Looking for more? Browse travel guides & tips →
Nearby
Must See Attractions
istanbulBlue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)
Named for the blue İznik tiles lining its interior, this 17th-century mosque with six minarets sits directly across from Hagia Sophia. It remains an active place of worship, closed to visitors briefly during the five daily prayers.
View Details
istanbulBosphorus Cruise
A boat trip along the strait separating Europe and Asia passes Ottoman palaces, waterfront mansions (yalıs), and the bridges linking the two continents, offering the clearest sense of Istanbul's geography and history from the water.
View Details
istanbulGrand Bazaar
One of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, with roughly 4,000 shops across sixty-plus streets selling carpets, ceramics, jewellery, and spices — a working marketplace since the 15th century, not just a tourist attraction.
View Details
istanbulHagia Sophia
Built as a Byzantine cathedral in 537 AD, converted to a mosque under the Ottomans, briefly a museum, and now an active mosque again, Hagia Sophia's vast dome and surviving Byzantine mosaics make it one of the most architecturally significant buildings in the world.
View Details