Mosque of Sultans in Hagia Sophia
Where Ottoman Rulers Prayed Beneath the Great Dome
For nearly five centuries, Hagia Sophia was not only the grand mosque of Istanbul but also the ceremonial mosque of the Ottoman sultans. Prayer here connected the dynasty to the city, the empire, and the long sacred history of the monument.
Atmosphere of the Sultan’s Mosque
On Fridays and religious festivals, the presence of the sultan in Hagia Sophia turned regular communal prayers into state ceremonies. Processions, guards, scholars, and officials filled the space, while the sultan observed from his lodge yet remained part of the same prayer rows facing the mihrab.
Community and Court Together
Unlike a palace mosque, Hagia Sophia brought ordinary worshippers and the imperial household into the same monumental space. This shared setting made the building a powerful symbol of unity between ruler and community.
Today’s Prayer Experience
Since 2020, Hagia Sophia once again functions as an active mosque. While the Ottoman court has vanished, the sense of continuity with the past remains strong: worshippers today still pray under the same dome that echoed with the voices of sultans, imams, and congregations over the centuries.
Explore the Sultan’s Lodge and Royal Tombs