Historical Ayasofya Book 'Fethin Mührü' Published Featuring Never‑Seen Photographs

The 332‑page volume "Fethin Mührü: Ayasofya‑i Kebîr Câmi‑i Şerîfi" was released on the sixth anniversary of Hagia Sophia’s re‑opening for worship. Published by Demirören Yayınları in Turkish, English and Arabic, the book opens with a dedication by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and presents a visual chronicle of the monument’s 17‑century history.

It combines previously unpublished images from the 19th‑century Yıldız Albums commissioned by Sultan II Abdülhamid, early‑20th‑century photographs by Ali Enis Oza, and a range of drawings, engravings and maps. The collection documents Ayasofya’s evolution from a 4th‑century church, through its Byzantine and Ottoman phases, its museum status, and its 2020 conversion back to a mosque. The volume also features the imperial seal of Fatih Sultan Mehmed and his motto, offering readers a comprehensive visual narrative of the site’s cultural heritage.