Saint Catherine Monastery

Saint Catherine Monastery contains thick defensive walls, a central church with a dome, and numerous chapels spread across its fortified grounds at 1570 meters elevation.

Emperor Justinian I established this religious complex in 548 CE to protect Christian pilgrims visiting the sacred site of the biblical burning bush.

The monastery library holds over 3000 ancient manuscripts, including the Codex Sinaiticus, making it second only to the Vatican collection in religious texts.

Visitors can access the monastery daily from 9:00 AM through organized tours departing from Sharm el Sheikh, with a journey time of approximately 2.5 hours.

The monastery maintains the oldest continuously operating library in existence, featuring texts in Greek, Arabic, Syriac, Georgian, and Slavonic languages.

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

Website: http://sinaimonastery.com

GPS coordinates: 28.55583,33.97556

Latest update: May 27, 2025 20:23