Nestled amid lushing greenery, the historical and touristic spots of Türkiye's northern Trabzon province, including the centuries-old Hagia Sophia Mosque, hold a captivating allure for tourists, remaining a popular destination, particularly for Arabs and Georgians.
Renowned for its splendid Byzantine architecture, the medieval Hagia Sophia Mosque had served as a museum for 52 years before it was once again reopened for worship in 2013.
After nearly three years of meticulous restoration and landscaping work, the Hagia Sophia Mosque sharing the name with the landmark Grand Haghia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul, was reopened in a video ceremony officiated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on July 28, 2020.
According to the Ihlas News Agency (IHA) reports, the historic structure in Trabzon's Fatih neighborhood has been receiving a steady stream of domestic and international visitors ever since.
Visitors from neighboring Georgia, in particular, have been increasingly making their way to Trabzon to marvel at the architectural splendor of the mosque.
One such traveler, Tarvan Gurbanova from Georgia, expressed delight and said, "We came from Tbilisi, Georgia. We were curious about Hagia Sophia; we came for the first time and liked it very much; it is extremely beautiful. Our friends who had visited before spoke highly of it, and we liked it too."
"We came from Tbilisi with a group of 13 people. Trabzon is very beautiful, Hagia Sophia is very beautiful, we liked it very much, Türkiye is already magnificent. We even visited Uzungöl and we're already planning to return," Gurbanova added.
Emir Osman, another visitor from Bursa, was impressed by the historical significance of the mosque, remarking, "I came from Bursa, and it was my first time here. The experience was truly awe-inspiring, given its rich historical past as both a church and a mosque. This place deserves to be visited. I encountered more Arab tourists around me."
