The Monastery

Dating back to the 6^th century, the St Catherine Monastery is one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world, and it is named after Catherine of Alexandria, a Christian saint martyred in the early 4^th century. Through the ages, this monastery has acted as a pilgrimage site attracting visitors from around the world. The Byzantine structure, which appears to rise out of the surrounding mountains, has maintained much of its authentic features since the 6^th century, with its original walls still standing.

The monastery also houses the world's oldest operating library, home to rare texts and manuscripts, outnumbered only by the Vatican Library. Among the library’s treasures are ancient Greek, Aramaic, Syriac, Georgian, Latin, Armenian, Hebrew, Coptic, and Arabic books and manuscripts. Within the walled compound of the monastery, you will also find a mosque that was built during the Fatimid era standing next to the Orthodox church.