The reopening, coinciding with the start of the island’s tourism season, transforms the museum into a modern cultural hub, showcasing Santorini’s rich heritage to a global audience.
For nearly 1,500 years, Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia has stood as a testament to resilience, surviving empires, earthquakes, and shifting roles as a cathedral, mosque, museum, and mosque again.
Both the Ministry of Shipping and senior executives within the industry confirm that ferry passenger numbers are down for the first time since the pandemic. According to the Secretary General for Ports, Port Policy, and Maritime Investment, data collected by the Ministry show a drop of at least 3% compared to the same period last year.
This event follows a series of earthquakes in February that prompted Santorini to declare a state of emergency due to unusual seismic activity.
No major damage has been reported, but Crete, one of Europe’s most earthquake-prone regions, remains on high alert for potential aftershocks. In September 2021, a 6.3 magnitude quake near Heraklion devastated villages, damaged hundreds of homes, and displaced families, while another tremor in October 2021 claimed one life and injured over a dozen people.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency at an energy summit in Bursa, Ayyıldız announced that offshore operations near the KKTC and Libya will commence soon, aligning with Turkey’s strategy to reduce reliance on imported energy.
