Saint Catherine Monastery

Saint Catherine Monastery sits at the foot of Mount Sinai in South Sinai, a fortified Byzantine complex with high stone walls and a central church topped by a dome. Within the walls, several chapels, monk quarters, and a bell tower spread across the terraced inner courtyard.

Emperor Justinian I founded the complex in 548 to shelter Christian pilgrims drawn to the site of the biblical burning bush. Over the centuries, treaties with Muslim rulers protected the community, allowing it to endure as a spiritual center.

Mount Sinai rises directly behind the walls, and many visitors take the steep climb to its summit to experience sunrise over the desert. Monks continue living within the compound following long-established routines, tending gardens and conducting services in the chapels.

Visitors reach the complex through organized tours that typically begin in the morning and involve a drive of roughly two and a half hours through the desert. Those planning to climb the mountain should start well before sunrise to complete the ascent in time.

The library houses over three thousand ancient manuscripts, including texts in Greek, Arabic, Syriac, Georgian, and Slavonic languages. It ranks as the oldest continuously operating library in the world, second only to the Vatican in its collection of religious texts.

Location: South Sinai Governorate

Inception: 548

Founders: Justinian I

Architectural style: Byzantine architecture

Elevation above the sea: 1,570 m

Part of: Saint Catherine Area

Address: HX4G+9CF, Saint Catherine, South Sinai Governorate 8730070, Egypt

Opening Hours: Monday-Thursday 09:00-23:30; Saturday 09:00-23:30

Phone: +20693470353

Website: http://sinaimonastery.com

GPS coordinates: 28.55583,33.97556

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:25