Ancient temple undergoes renovations to prevent earthquake damage

Many travelers to Istanbul, Turkey, whitethorn find themselves astatine 1 of the astir beauteous ineffable places successful the world: the Hagia Sophia.

The past temple attracts scores of visitors from the West. It's known for its past arsenic a Christian basilica for astir 1,000 years earlier becoming a mosque during the Ottoman Empire.

Officials are present moving to preserve the historical domes of the monument — built betwixt 532 and 537 AD — from the menace of earthquakes.

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The renovation volition reenforce the Hagia Sophia’s main dome and fractional domes, replacing the worn pb coverings and upgrading the alloy framework, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

In 1935, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, laminitis of the modern Republic of Turkey, transformed Hagia Sophia into a museum. 

The Hagia Sophia successful Istanbul, Turkey, is undergoing renovations to sphere the historical mosque and erstwhile religion from imaginable earthquake damage. (Danuta Hamlin/Fox News)

Mehmet Selim Okten, operation technologist and subordinate of the technological assembly overseeing the renovations, told AP a "new phase" of operation is astir to begin.

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"At the extremity of these 3 years, we person focused connected the seismic information of Hagia Sophia, the minarets, the main dome and the main arches, particularly owed to the expected Istanbul earthquake," said Okten.

The Hagia Sophia is simply a celebrated mosque, depository and erstwhile religion featuring uncommon Christian mosaics. (Danuta Hamlin/Fox News)

The renovation comes aft a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck confederate Turkey successful 2023, destroying hundreds of buildings. 

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Orkten said operation workers volition beryllium capable to renovate much safely and "examine the building’s layers academically, including harm it suffered from fires and earthquakes successful the 10th and 14th centuries," according to AP.

The Hagia Sophia receives an mean of immoderate 50,000 visitors daily. (Danuta Hamlin/Fox News)

"A operation crane volition beryllium installed connected the eastbound facade, and past we volition screen the apical of this unsocial operation with a protective framework system," helium said. 

The Hagia Sophia receives an mean of astir 50,000 visitors regular and astir 6-7 cardinal annually, according to Istanbul Deputy Akturkoglu.

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The Associated Press and Danuta Hamlin of Fox News contributed to this report.