Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, at a glance
Hagia Sophia stands on the Sultanahmet Square on the historic peninsula of Istanbul, at Ayasofya Meydanı No:1 in the Fatih district. It has been used as a mosque again since 2020. Visitors from abroad use a separate, ticketed route that has run since 15 January 2024. The building is part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul, which were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.
The easiest way in is the tram. Line T1 (Kabataş to Bağcılar) stops at Sultanahmet. From Taksim, take the F1 funicular down to Kabataş and change to the T1 there. In Sirkeci you can change to Marmaray, in Eminönü to the ferries. Prices below are the ones listed in 2026 and they change.
What this guide covers
An independent site, not run by the mosque administration, the Diyanet, the ministry or any tour company.
You will find the entry price and how the ticket works, opening hours with the Friday break, what to wear, how guided visits differ, what you see inside and why the dome is partly covered by scaffolding. There are also pages on the architecture and history, on visiting during prayers and Ramadan, and on the museum next door. The rest of the guide covers the Old City: Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, Bosphorus cruises, the Istanbul Museum Pass and where to stay. The Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar are only mentioned briefly here.
Our picks: Hagia Sophia tours
A ticket with audio guides, a small-group tour with the Cistern and an evening on the Bosphorus.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern with a guide
Pre-booked entry to Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern, a licensed guide and headsets in a small group. Getting to the meeting point is not included.
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Hagia Sophia ticket with audio guides
Entry is included, plus audio guides for Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. There is no personal guide, and the Basilica Cistern only comes with the matching option.
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Bosphorus dinner cruise with show
Dinner, unlimited soft drinks, live music and a show at a private table. Hotel transfer and unlimited alcohol come only with the matching option, and a window seat costs extra.
Check availability →Hagia Sophia and Istanbul Old City tours
Guided visits, walking tours and day trips around Sultanahmet, with live prices and availability.
Plan your visit
Start with tickets and hours, then pick the pages you need.
Ticket price and entry rules
The €25 visitor area, who is free and how to buy.
Opening hours and prayer breaks
Daily hours as published, the Friday break and prayer times.
Guided visits compared
What to check before you book a tour or use the digital content.
Dress code
Head covering, shoulders, knees and shoes.
Mosaics, dome and upper gallery
What the visitor route shows and what is covered during restoration.
Architecture
The dome, the builders and how the structure holds.
History, the mosque and the surroundings
The story of the building and the sights close to it.
Church, mosque, museum, mosque
From the churches of 360 and 415 to 2020.
Visiting during prayers
Prayer times, Fridays and Ramadan for visitors.
The museum next door
The History and Experience Museum is in a different building.
Topkapi Palace
Combined ticket, Harem and the closing day.
Basilica Cistern
Medusa heads, tickets and the change of operator.
Sultanahmet
Tram, orientation and the sights around the square.
Boats, passes and where to stay
Planning pages for the rest of the trip.
Good to know before you go
Where older guides and some websites are out of date.
The mosque and the visitor route are separate
Worship and sightseeing are kept apart. Since 15 January 2024 foreign tourists use a separate route with a ticket that leads to the upper gallery. Do not count on access to the ground-floor prayer space as a sightseer.
Visiting during prayers →The museum is not the same as the building
The Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum is in another building on At Meydanı Sokak. Its ticket is not an entry to the mosque interior.
About the museum →Restoration affects the view
Work on the dome and the eastern half-dome was documented in September 2026. Do not expect an unobstructed view of the dome or the prayer hall.
What you can see →Topkapı: do not pay for the Harem twice
The combined ticket already covers the palace, the Harem and Hagia Irene. The Museum Pass costs €105 in 2026, and the Hagia Sophia gallery is not part of it.
Topkapi Palace →Hagia Sophia: frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Hagia Sophia?
The visitor area costs €25 in 2026, at the same rate for Turkish and foreign nationals. Children under 8 enter free and show ID at the turnstiles. See the ticket page for how to buy.
Is Hagia Sophia a mosque or a museum?
It has been a mosque since 2020. The museum phase ran from 1935 to 2020. Visitors from abroad use a separate ticketed route, and the separate History and Experience Museum stands in a different building. The history page has the full timeline.
When is Hagia Sophia open?
Published hours run from 09:00 to 19:00 daily, with a break around midday on Fridays, and one listing gives 08:00 to 19:30 in summer. Check the current timetable before you go. See opening hours.
What should I wear?
Women should cover their heads. Everyone should cover shoulders and knees, and clothing should not be sleeveless or transparent. The dress code page explains the details.
When is the best time to visit Istanbul?
Average daily highs are 22.3 °C in May and 29.7 °C in July and August. April and May and September and October are milder than midsummer, but autumn is wetter: 66.3 mm of rain in October and 99.2 mm in December. These are long-term averages for 1950 to 2025, not a forecast.
Is hagia-sofia.org the official site?
No. This is an independent travel guide with no link to the mosque administration, the Diyanet, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the museum or any tour operator.