A change is coming to Hagia Sophia, which has endured since the 6th century, outlasting the Byzantine empire and the Ottoman era. Now, once again, it will be a mosque. But Turkish officials say ...

Visiting a mosque is not unlike visiting a cathedral, a synagogue, or any other place of worship. As long as you’re ...

The World Council of Churches has called on Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to reverse his decision to turn the celebrated Hagia Sophia museum back into a mosque. In a letter to Mr Erdogan ...

the Turkish leader promised: “We will preserve Hagia Sophia's status as a cultural heritage the same as our ancestors did.” “I want to stress that Hagia Sophia turned into a mosque from a ...

Istanbul, Turkey - The mosque will retain its Christian icons but these will be curtained off, the religious authority Diyanet says. Turkey's Hagia Sophia will open to visitors outside prayer ...

In 2020, the building once again became a working mosque. Once the biggest cathedral in the world, the Hagia Sophia is considered the magnum opus of Byzantine architecture. Visitors say it is a ...

Driving the news: Turkish Airlines' chairman said this week that a new route between MSP and Istanbul could begin as early as ...

Pope Francis on Sunday joined an international chorus of condemnation of Turkey's decision to convert Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia landmark back into a mosque. “I think of Hagia Sophia ...

Al-Monitor is an award-winning media outlet covering the Middle East, valued for its independence, diversity and analysis. It is read widely by US, international and Middle East decision makers at the ...

Museum admission fees can add up quickly (and most attractions actually charge tourists in Euros rather than Turkish lira).

Al-Monitor is an award-winning media outlet covering the Middle East, valued for its independence, diversity and analysis. It is read widely by US, international and Middle East decision makers at the ...

Sultan Ahmed I was determined to build a mosque that rivaled the nearby Hagia Sophia, and most would agree that he accomplished this task or, at least, came close. Since the early 1600s ...