The urban legend about the existence of an extensive underground passage beneath Hagia Sophia in Istanbul has been confirmed by Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, who spoke of tunnel sections with a total length of approximately 9 kilometers.
The Turkish minister, speaking at a press conference in Kahramanmaraş, stated that cleaning and restoration work on the accessible sections is already underway, noting that access to several points is blocked by collapses. “Once the work is completed, we can assess opening the appropriate and safe sections to visitors,” he emphasized.
The minister’s reference to the underground passages follows a statement he had made in February 2026, when he announced the documentation of tunnels dating back approximately 1,600 years.
Mehmet Nuri Ersoy also referred to the restoration, maintenance, and structural reinforcement work being carried out at Hagia Sophia, arguing that this represents the most comprehensive intervention in the history of the Turkish Republic, “with the aim,” as he put it, “of safely passing on this nearly 1,500-year-old structure to future generations.” According to him, as part of the works, restoration has been completed on the tombs, the Children’s School, the Clock Tower, and the floor of the portico, while structural reinforcement of the northeastern minaret has also been completed.
The Turkish Minister of Culture also noted that structural reinforcement and mosaic conservation work is continuing on the main dome. “The temporary metal roof and protective covering system for the main dome have been completed. Thanks to a special platform built inside, documentation, cleaning, and conservation work on the mosaics in the dome is being carried out, while worship services and visits continue. Structural analyses have also identified the need for reinforcement in the eastern semi-dome. In this section, alongside reinforcement of the support system, a new phase is beginning for the conservation of the mosaics, painted decorations, and marble surfaces,” Mehmet Nuri Ersoy explained.
