Hawzah News Agency (Istanbul - Turkey) - Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived at Istanbul's Hagia Sophia mosque to attend the Friday prayers that will be conducted for the first time in 86 years.

Hagia Sophia is among Turkey’s top tourism destinations for domestic and foreign visitors.

In 1985, during its time as a museum, Hagia Sophia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It served as a church for 916 years until the conquest of Istanbul, and a mosque from 1453 to 1934 -- nearly 500 years -- and most recently as a museum for 86 years.

A Turkish court annulled a 1934 Cabinet decree July 19 that turned Hagia Sophia into a museum, paving the way for its use as a mosque.

In the new era for Hagia Sophia, Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate will oversee religious services at the mosque, while the Culture and Tourism Ministry will supervise restoration and conservation work.

The architectural treasure will also be open to domestic and foreign tourists free of charge.