Churches to Visit in Egypt

Egypt was one of the cradles of Christian monasticism, and its desert monasteries are among the oldest in the world. This chapter begins with the most famous of them: St Catherine’s Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai, built for the emperor Justinian in the sixth century around the bush where, by tradition, God spoke to Moses.

St Catherine's Monastery among gardens and cypress trees below the granite mountains of Sinai — St Catherine’s Monastery, Sinai — where this guide to Egypt begins. Photograph by Сокіл Sokil on Pexels.

St Catherine’s is in South Sinai, a long drive from Sharm el-Sheikh or Dahab, and most visitors come on a night climb of Mount Sinai. Read the travel advice before you plan, and get a full Egyptian visa: the free entry stamp for the Red Sea resorts does not cover the trip.

Where to start

St Catherine’s Monastery

The Burning Bush, a sixth-century mosaic and Mount Sinai above. Free; open mornings only, usually closed Fridays and Sundays.

Saint Catherine, South Sinai

Practical notes

At a glance
Before you travel	Read your government’s travel advice: parts of Sinai are advised against, and the advice changes
Visas	A full visa or e-visa is needed for St Catherine; the free Sharm resort stamp does not cover it
Dress code	Covered shoulders, upper arms and knees at churches and monasteries
Opening hours	Monasteries keep short hours and close for their own feast days; check the day before

Coming next

The churches of Coptic Cairo, among them the Hanging Church, are the obvious next additions, built the same way as the rest of this guide: one place finished properly at a time.