AFP news agency provided insights into the ongoing restoration at Hagia Sophia. Architects stated that the primary goal of the restoration is to reinforce the building for a potential major earthquake in Istanbul.

The France-based AFP news agency, together with architects, detailed the ongoing restoration at Hagia Sophia by stating, “Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia is no stranger to change, transitioning from the city’s architectural gem as a church to a mosque, museum, and back to a mosque over centuries.” The expected Istanbul earthquake was evaluated in the news article.

The latest renovation aims not only to restore the wonders of the “1488-year-old gem” but also to ensure its survival in the next earthquake that will hit the ancient city.

The news article mentioned, “From a distance, its dome, shining rock, and delicate minarets seem to overlook Istanbul as they have for centuries. However, as visitors draw closer, they see the scaffold covering the eastern facade and one of the minarets.”

Tour guide Abdullah Yılmaz, interviewed by AFP, said, “While the renovation somewhat disrupts the exterior beauty and removes the aesthetic of the scaffold on the monument, it is necessary.” PURPOSE IS TO STRENGTHEN FOR MAJOR EARTHQUAKE Architecture professor Hasan Fırat Diker, involved in the restoration, stated that Hagia Sophia, a symbol of Turkey’s most visited sites and a UNESCO World Heritage List member, has “ongoing issues” that led to various reconstructions throughout the centuries. Ahmet Güleç, a member of the scientific committee overseeing the restoration, emphasized that the main goal of the restoration is to “strengthen the building for the next major earthquake” and ensure that the ancient structure “survives the event with minimal damage.” Diker explained that experts are currently examining the best way to reinforce and restore the dome.

TOURISTS’ RESPONSE: A WONDROUS SIGHT Currently, there is no scaffold inside. However, in the end, four large columns will be erected to support a platform where experts will restore the paintings and mosaics on the dome.

As laughter, conversation, and movement fill the building after the noon prayer, Mexican tourist Ana Delgado, 49, expressed how impressed she was with the structure by saying, “Once you go inside… it’s perfect.” Her friend Elias Erduran from the Dominican Republic described it as “a wondrous sight.” “ONE DAY MY CHILDREN WILL ALSO BE IN AWE” Last year, Hagia Sophia welcomed 7.7 million visitors within its spacious interior, with approximately 2.1 million being foreign tourists. Officials hope that the ongoing works, expected to last several years, will not deter visitors from admiring the columns inside. Güleç stated, “The aim is for visits and prayers to continue during the works.” A 35-year-old visitor from Russia, Yana Galitskaya, mentioned that even though some visitors might have been disappointed not seeing the building in all its splendor, what matters most is that “one day my children may also be in awe of Hagia Sophia.”