Mideast in Pictures: Türkiye starts restoration work on dome of Hagia Sophia

ISTANBUL, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye has started a comprehensive restoration work on the main dome of Hagia Sophia, one of the most important historical sites in Istanbul.

Without changing or damaging its original structure and decorations, the dome will be reinforced to better withstand earthquakes, Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said on social media platform X.

The building, which initially served as a cathedral and later as an Ottoman imperial mosque, reopened as a museum in 1935, unveiling some unique features of Ottoman and Byzantine art. It was turned into a mosque again in 2020.

Enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, Hagia Sophia is one of the most popular tourist spots in Türkiye.