Title: Turkey Announces Paid Entry for Foreigners to Hagia Sophia

Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mohammed Nuri Ersoy, announced that entry for foreign tourists to Hagia Sophia in Istanbul will be paid starting January 15, 2024. The Turkish minister stated in a press conference broadcasted by Turkish media: "Visiting Hagia Sophia will become paid for foreign tourists starting January 15, 2024, while entry for Turkish citizens visiting the mosque for worship will remain free." According to Ersoy, the decision was based on a recommendation from UNESCO, which requested a "visitor management plan" for the mosque. He noted that starting from the mentioned date, tourists and worshippers will enter the mosque from different entrances to avoid confusion.