St. Simon's Monastery

St. Simon's Monastery is a monastic complex built into the Mokattam cliffs in Cairo, containing three rock-carved churches that open directly from the mountainside. These churches feature central preaching areas and can hold numerous worshippers at the same time.

The monastery was founded in the 1970s when a relocated community settled in this mountain area and began carving churches from the rock. Since then it has grown as an important religious site for the people living in the surrounding neighborhoods.

The Coptic Christian community gathers here for worship and celebrations, making it an active spiritual center rather than a historical relic. The carved walls and decorated spaces reflect how religious faith shapes the daily life of those who maintain this place.

The site is accessed through the Zabbaleen neighborhood where locals can help guide visitors, as mapping applications often show inaccurate directions. Starting early gives you time to navigate at a comfortable pace and explore the different carved spaces inside.

The interior walls feature intricately carved religious figures and scenes chiseled directly from the mountain stone, including representations of holy figures that took significant time and skill to create. These artistic details represent decades of work by members of the community.