As part of the "Digital Istanbul" project, QR code panels were hung in the city's historic mosques and shrines.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque regarding the project, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül said that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, especially in the last 20 years, the heirloom works of our ancestors have been revived jointly by the General Directorate of Foundations, the Ministry of Culture, the governor's office, and other institutions and organizations.

Gül stated that it is their historical responsibility as the governor's office to provide accurate information to citizens and foreign visitors about these works. He said, "As of today, these QR codes have been installed in 603 of our mosques and 225 tombs. What does this mean? All of the works visited by our citizens and foreign visitors have been equipped with this technology. Hopefully, in the next phase, we have over 200 schools and madrasahs, and when we complete them, we will be able to provide our citizens and visitors with accurate information and technological advancements while they explore Istanbul."

Governor Gül noted that they see more than ten thousand visitors a day taking advantage of this opportunity.

Ziraat Participation General Manager Metin Özdemir stated that they are proud to take a second step for Istanbul, the crossroads of civilizations and the capital of the world.

Özdemir stated that Istanbul has been a source of admiration in the mouths of travelers, inspiration in the pens of poets, and prayer in the hearts of the nation for centuries, and that this city is not only the key to the past but also the key to the future.

Özdemir noted that the "Digital Istanbul" project is a pioneering initiative that brings together history and technology, saying, "This journey, which began with our mosques as our first step, is now expanding to a much broader horizon. We are now incorporating Istanbul's other places of worship and examples of civil architecture into this scope, aiming to make the city's richness more visible in a more holistic way."

With the contributions of Ziraat Participation Bank and the city's stakeholders, including the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, General Directorate of Foundations, Presidency of National Palaces and Provincial Mufti's Office, the project prepared with the QR codes allows both local and foreign visitors to access detailed information about historical mosques and tombs in written and audio format.

Compatible with all smart devices and prepared in Turkish, English, German, Russian and Arabic, "Digital Istanbul" serves as a guide for those who want to know and share historical, cultural and architectural details as a smart city project.

Thanks to the project, it is now possible to access accurate, fast and understandable information such as the year of construction, benefactor, architect and prominent features of registered cultural assets in Istanbul, a meeting point of civilizations with its thousands of years of historical and cultural heritage.

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