Hagia Sophia incident: Ukrainian tourist pretends to pray to dodge €25 entry fee

Ukrainian visitor Bohdan Mukha posted a video from Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia claiming he waited for prayer time and joined worshippers to enter the mosque without paying the €25 fee imposed on foreign tourists. The clip quickly spread on social media, prompting heated debate over the alleged misuse of religious rites and calls for tighter visitor controls.

Turkish authorities have not issued an official statement, but the current policy, introduced in 2024, allows free entry for those attending prayer while charging a fee for tourists accessing the gallery level. The incident highlights tensions between tourism revenue measures and the site's religious function.