When Did Hagia Sophia Become a Mosque?
Hagia Sophia first became a mosque in 1453, when Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople. It served as a mosque until 1935, became a museum, and was re-designated a mosque again in 2020.
29 May 1453
The Conquest of Constantinople
After a 53-day siege, Sultan Mehmed II (Mehmed the Conqueror) captured Constantinople, ending the Byzantine Empire. He entered Hagia Sophia and ordered that it be preserved and converted into a mosque.
1453 onward
Becoming an Imperial Mosque
Minarets were added, a mihrab and minbar installed, and the Christian mosaics gradually covered. For nearly 500 years Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) was the principal imperial mosque of the Ottoman Empire.
1935
Turned into a Museum
Under the new Republic of Türkiye, Atatürk's government secularised Hagia Sophia and opened it as a museum in 1935, uncovering many of the Byzantine mosaics.
2020
A Mosque Once Again
In July 2020 Hagia Sophia was re-designated as a working mosque. It remains open to visitors of all faiths outside prayer times.
So the short answer is that Hagia Sophia was turned into a mosque in 1453, converted to a museum in 1935, and became a mosque again in 2020. Before all of this it was, for almost nine centuries, a Christian cathedral.
Learn more about Hagia Sophia as a mosque today, its complete history, or who originally built it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Hagia Sophia become a mosque?+
Hagia Sophia first became a mosque in 1453, immediately after Sultan Mehmed II conquered Constantinople and ended the Byzantine Empire.
Who converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque?+
Sultan Mehmed II (Mehmed the Conqueror) converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 1453 after capturing Constantinople.
Was Hagia Sophia ever not a mosque?+
Yes. It was a Christian church from 537 to 1453, and a secular museum from 1935 to 2020. It was re-designated as a mosque in July 2020.
What was Hagia Sophia turned into in 1453?+
In 1453 Hagia Sophia was turned into an imperial Ottoman mosque, with minarets, a mihrab and a minbar added.
Is Hagia Sophia a mosque now?+
Yes. Since 2020 Hagia Sophia has functioned as a working mosque, while remaining open to visitors of all faiths outside of prayer times.