The Istanbul municipality is set to raise eyebrows again with a new increase in prices. Notorious for steep surges in transportation fees, the municipality raised museum admission fees by 50% starting on March 1. Visitors will now have to pay TL 15 to enter the Basilica Cistern or Yerebatan Sarnıcı, TL 10 for Miniatürk and TL 10 for Panorama 1453 Museum. Tekfur Sarayı Museum, which was previously free, will now charge TL 10 for admission. Admission fees will be higher for foreign visitors: TL 30 for Basilica Cistern and TL 20 for Miniatürk.
Since Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu took office last summer, ending a lengthy tenure by mayors from the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, Istanbulites saw dramatic hikes in public service prices. İmamoğlu last drew ire for a 35% increase in fares in the city's mass transit network, from its metrobuses to underground metro lines, privately-owned public buses and others. The municipality also raised prices in cafes run by the municipality’s BELTUR company and in bottled water sold by the municipality company Hamidiye.
