Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia to open its doors to visitors outside Muslim prayers

Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia will open its doors to visitors outside Muslim prayers, and Christian symbols and mosaics can remain in the building, Turkey's religious authority Diyanet said on Tuesday. Turkey's top religious body said the frescoes in Hagia Sophia will not hinder prayer. In a statement, the directorate said: 'Opening of Hagia Sophia as a mosque was met with great pleasure by our people, and the whole Muslim world. Muslims will always cherish those who made it happen. 'Paintings, frescoes in Hagia Sophia are no obstacle to praying in there. In order for Muslims to pray with serenity, these frescoes should be covered with curtains or darkened with the help of black lights,' the statement read. Hagia Sophia will be open for visitors except times for prayer for it has immense historical and cultural value for the whole world, the statement added. It will be made sure that the visitors enter Hagia Sophia appropriately dressed, considering it will be a place of worship. 'In Islam, physical and spiritual wellbeing of mosques are a responsibility for all Muslims (Holy Qur'an, Surat al-Tawbah, 9/18). They should be kept clean, taken care of, and used as a place to worship Allah only, and to be filled with worshippers all the time (Holy Qur'an, Surat Jinn, 72/18). For that reason, it is upon all Muslims to ensure the physical and spiritual wellbeing of Hagia Sophia, a gift to us from our forefathers,' the statement concluded. Prayers take place five times a day, each one lasting for 15 minutes on average. They currently start at around 5 am (0200 GMT) and conclude at around 11 pm. In winter, the day's final prayer is held much earlier. Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that the sixth-century building would reopen as a mosque, shortly after a court decision annulled a 1934 decision converting it into a museum. Erdoğan set the first prayers on June 24, citing preparations to make the domed compound, home to a world-famous mosaic depicting the face of an angel, compatible with Islamic prayers. Icons, animal and depictions of human figures are prohibited in Muslim places of worship. Erdoğan also said admission would be free of charge for visitors of all faiths, calling on foreign observers to 'respect' the decision. The iconic monument was first built as a church in the Byzantine period. It has Christian mosaics, including one of Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus in its main hall. It became a mosque after Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II conquered Istanbul in 1453. On Friday, a Turkish court annulled a 1934 Cabinet decree that had turned the Hagia Sophia into a museum, paving the way for its use again as a mosque after 85 years. The administration of the mosque was given to Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate.