Silent witness of 1500 years of empires. Byzantine cathedral, Ottoman mosque, museum, mosque again — history under one dome.
Hours
Except Mondays 09:00–19:00
Entry
Foreign: €25 · TR citizens: free
Region
Sultanahmet
Address
Sultan Ahmet, 34122 Fatih, Istanbul
Taxi routes
Hagia Sophia'a how to get there?
Estimated fixed-price fares from common starting points.
Attraction guide
Hagia Sophia about what you should know.
Hagia Sophia is Istanbul's most visited historical landmark. Built in 537 by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, it was the world's largest cathedral for nearly 1,000 years.
Its central position in Sultanahmet puts Topkapı Palace and the Blue Mosque within walking distance. Allow at least 1.5 hours for the visit; the upper-gallery mosaics are not to be missed.
By taxi: about 50 min from the airport, 15–20 min from Taksim. Sultanahmet's narrow streets mean drivers usually drop you near Cağaloğlu or the edge of Sultanahmet Square.