Erdoğan: We not only reopened Hagia Sophia but restored it to Islamic world
The Turkish president said that while Hagia Sophia has been restored as a mosque, it remains open to people of all faiths.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has commented on the sixth anniversary of the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, describing the restoration of the ancient monument's Islamic status as an honor and the fulfillment of a historic promise to the Muslim world. The remarks were reported by Parapolitika.gr.
Speaking in an official address on July 24, 2026, the Turkish leader said the occasion had filled the hearts of believers with joy.
"It is our honor to reopen the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque for worship on its 6th anniversary. We are very, very happy about this," Erdoğan said.
He recalled the words of his mentor, Necip Fazıl Kısakürek, who had predicted that Hagia Sophia would one day be reopened for Islamic worship, and stressed that his administration had fulfilled those aspirations.
According to the president, Turkey did not merely reopen the building but "was given the honor of restoring it to the Islamic world." At the same time, Erdoğan emphasized that Hagia Sophia remains open to all humanity, including Christians, describing it as a "unique place of worship" with unparalleled architectural features. Extensive restoration work is currently underway throughout the complex.
However, Erdoğan's claim that Hagia Sophia's "doors are open to all of humanity" contrasts with incidents involving Christian visitors. Earlier, a group of Russian tourists was detained inside Hagia Sophia after reading the Bible, and was accused of "inciting hatred or hostility among the population or humiliating others."
