Hagia Sophia’s Hidden Underground Chambers Set to Open to Visitors

Previously inaccessible underground sections of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia are being uncovered as Turkey advances an extensive restoration project aimed at eventually opening the spaces to the public for the first time.

Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced the plans while presenting the progress of restoration and conservation works at the historic monument.

Speaking following the launch of the Antalya Cultural Route Festival, Ersoy said the underground areas of Hagia Sophia were potentially just as significant and fascinating as the monument’s famous above-ground structures.

Read more: 1,600-Year-Old Mystery Beneath Hagia Sophia as Turkey Confirms 9km of Tunnels

He described the current restoration programme as one of the most extensive interventions in Hagia Sophia’s history, involving conservation, structural reinforcement and engineering works under the supervision of a scientific committee.

” We are carrying out the most comprehensive restoration, conservation and reinforcement projects in the history of the Republic in Hagia Sophia,” Ersoy said.

He added that members of the scientific committee had compared the scale of the interventions with some of the most significant works undertaken since the time of renowned Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan.

According to the minister, the underground sections will initially be presented to journalists before authorities consider opening them to the general public.

However, public access will depend on ensuring appropriate safety conditions and protecting the monument’s historical fabric.

Ersoy stressed that all restoration activities are subject to scientific oversight, with engineers working to preserve the structure while allowing Hagia Sophia to remain open for religious worship and visitors.

The planned opening could offer a rare opportunity to explore previously inaccessible parts of one of the world’s most historically significant religious and architectural landmarks.

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