Turkey’s Minister of Culture made a provocative post on social media to mark the sixth anniversary of Hagia Sophia’s reopening as a mosque.
Specifically, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that another anniversary is being observed since the “historic day” on which, with the signature of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Hagia Sophia was reopened for worship.
“At Hagia Sophia, the symbol of the conquest and the unique legacy of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, we are carrying out, with the utmost care, the most extensive restoration works in the history of the Republic of Turkey,” Ersoy wrote, among other remarks.
Full statement by the Turkish Minister of Culture
Today marks the anniversary of the historic day when a long-awaited aspiration came to an end with the reopening of the Grand Hagia Sophia Mosque for worship, thanks to the signature of our President, Mr. @RTErdogan.
At Hagia Sophia, the symbol of the conquest and the unique legacy of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, we are carrying out, with the greatest care, the most comprehensive restoration project in the history of the Republic of Turkey, preserving this sacred heritage for future generations in accordance with its original form.
I would like to express my gratitude to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who took the lead in reopening Hagia Sophia for worship.
Cumhurbaşkanımız Sayın @RTErdogan’ın imzasıyla hasretin sona erdiği, Ayasofya-i Kebir Cami-i Şerifi’nin yeniden ibadete açıldığı tarihi günün yıl dönümündeyiz.
Fethin sembolü, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Han’ın eşsiz emaneti Ayasofya’da; Cumhuriyet tarihinin en kapsamlı restorasyon… pic.twitter.com/V3gliqFJ8B
— Mehmet Nuri Ersoy (@MehmetNuriErsoy) July 10, 2026
