Erdoğan visits Hagia Sophia for first time after reconversion to mosque

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid a surprise visit to Hagia Sofia on Sunday just days before the first Muslim prayers are due to be held at the Istanbul landmark after it was reconverted to a mosque last week.

In a lightning visit billed as an inspection, Erdoğan took stock of the conversion work, the president's office said, providing pictures showing scaffolding inside the building.