A Macedonian couple (C) takes souvenir pictures as they visit the Byzantine monument of Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya, now a museum, in Istanbul May 25, 2011. The number of foreign visitors to Turkey rose 31.3 percent year-on-year in April to 2.29 million people, the Tourism Ministry said on Wednesday, after climbing 14.36 percent in March. Last year, the number of visitor arrivals rose 5.74 percent to 28.6 million. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: TRAVEL SOCIETY) - RTR2MVLK

Latest chapter in battle over Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia

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A Macedonian couple (C) takes souvenir pictures as they visit the Byzantine monument of Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya, now a museum, in Istanbul May 25, 2011. The number of foreign visitors to Turkey rose 31.3 percent year-on-year in April to 2.29 million people, the Tourism Ministry said on Wednesday, after climbing 14.36 percent in March. Last year, the number of visitor arrivals rose 5.74 percent to 28.6 million. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: TRAVEL SOCIETY) - RTR2MVLK

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