Coptic heritage · Sohag
White Monastery
The Coptic monastery of Saint Shenoute near Sohag, named for its white limestone walls and once home to one of the largest Coptic libraries known.
The story
The White Monastery is a Coptic Orthodox monastery named after Saint Shenoute and also known as the Monastery of Abba Shenouda. It lies near the Upper Egyptian cities of Tahta and Sohag, about 4 km south-east of the Red Monastery. Its name comes from the colour of the white limestone of its outer walls, and its architecture is similar to that of the Red Monastery. Its library held over 1,000 codices, of which only about a tenth survive, and the site today includes several churches and ancillary buildings. According to Wikivoyage it was established in or around 442 AD.
Good to know
- The monastery lies about 4 km south-east of the Red Monastery and is architecturally similar to it.
- Its library held over 1,000 codices, of which about 10% survive.