Spiritual · South Sinai
Saint Catherine's Monastery
One of the world's oldest Christian monasteries still serving its original purpose, set at the foot of Mount Sinai in South Sinai and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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The story
The monastery was raised between 548 and 565 by order of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, on the spot tradition links to Moses and the burning bush. Roughly three centuries later, tradition says the monks found the body of Catherine of Alexandria on a nearby mountain, and the monastery became a pilgrimage destination that took her name. It shelters rare manuscripts and some of the earliest surviving icons, and joined the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002.
Good to know
- In 1106 a mosque was built inside the walls, during the Fatimid era, just steps from the church, with its minaret standing beside the church's bell tower.
- The Saint Catherine Area was inscribed by UNESCO in 2002 and covers about 60,100 hectares, sacred to Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
- The German scholar Constantin von Tischendorf found parts of the Codex Sinaiticus here in 1844 and 1859; most of it is now in the British Library in London.
- The monastery keeps a 6th-century icon of Christ Pantocrator, among the earliest surviving of its kind, painted in encaustic (hot wax).
- The massive Byzantine walls protected the monastery for centuries; until the 20th century, entry was through a door set high in the wall.
Visiting tips
Visiting hours are short and morning-only (roughly 8:45 to 12:45 per the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities site); days and times can change, so please check before visiting. We can plan your transfer around them.