SHOTLIST ISTANBUL, TÜRKİYE (APR.14, 2025) (ANADOLU-ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF HAGIA SOPHIA GRAND MOSQUE SURROUNDED WITH CONSTRUCTION SCAFFOLDING 2. VARIOUS INTERIOR SHOTS OF HAGIA SOPHIA ISTANBUL, TÜRKİYE (JULY 24, 2024) (ANADOLU-ACCESS ALL) (FILE FOOTAGE) 3. DRONE SHOT OF HAGIA SOPHIA 4. VARIOUS INTERIOR SHOTS OF HAGIA SOPHIA WITH WORSHIPPERSISTANBUL, TÜRKİYE - APR.14: Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced Monday, April 14, that the iconic main dome of the 1,486-year-old Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque will undergo the most comprehensive restoration in its history. The project aims to reinforce the structure against potential earthquakes while preserving its architectural authenticity. Restoration and structural enhancements will be carried out without interrupting daily prayers, the ministry confirmed. To protect the dome and its historic mosaics from weather conditions during the process, a temporary steel framework and specialized sheeting will be installed. A steel platform, supported by four main columns at a height of 43.5 meters, will allow worship and restoration to proceed simultaneously. The restoration includes repairing or replacing the dome’s lead covering, and a 41-meter-high tower crane with a 60-meter boom will be set up on the eastern side to support the work. A digital twin of the Hagia Sophia complex has also been created. All structures have been 3D scanned and transferred into a digital environment for thorough analysis and earthquake scenario simulations. Measures have been designed based on these findings to ensure structural safety. Past restoration efforts at the site included conserving the mausoleums of Mehmed II, Selim II, and Murad III, as well as the restoration of the elementary school and the timekeeping room. The gallery level, previously closed, has been reopened to visitors following cleaning and maintenance. Upon completion of the restoration, including reinforcement, mosaic conservation, and facade and minaret repairs, all temporary structures will be removed. The mosque regained its status as a mosque in 2020, when it was opened for worship on July 24 of that year. The venerable building was inherited from Fatih Sultan Mehmed, an Ottoman sultan, and is the most important symbol of the conquest of Istanbul. Mehmed the Conqueror, as he is also known, performed his first Friday prayers after conquering Istanbul in 1453.