First Friday prayers at Hagia Sophia for 86 years

Crowds gathered in Istanbul as the historic Hagia Sophia site opened for Friday prayers for the first time since Turkish authorities ruled it could be converted into a mosque.

Clerics in white robes sang from the Koran. Mosaics and frescoes of Jesus and Mary were draped with curtains.

The 1,500-year-old Unesco World Heritage site became a museum in 1934.

This month a Turkish court annulled its status, saying any use other than as a mosque was "not possible legally".

The decision to turn it back into a mosque was criticised by religious and political leaders worldwide.

But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded quickly to the ruling, vowing that the world-famous site would be ready for Friday prayers from 24 July, and he was seen joining worshippers at around midday (09:00 GMT).

About 1,000 people were allowed in through security checkpoints, while others laid out prayer mats outside. An opening ceremony was followed by a formal prayer service and proceedings were relayed outside on a big screen. Four muezzin recited the call to prayer from each of the four minarets.