Saint Catherine City
Saint Catherine city is a magical gem located on a mountain top under the shadow of the holy giant rocky pillars of Sinia
History of Saint Catherine City
The history of Saint Catherine city goes back to the times of the 16th century BC where it was a province to the Egyptian empire providing turquoise, copper, and gold as shown by the well-preserved remains of mines and temple, one of which are temples dedicated to Hathor the goddess of love and beauty. During the Roman and Byzantine era between 527 and 565 BC, the Saint Catherine monastery was constructed. It became a UNESCO world heritage area due to its natural and cultural importance.
. It one of the only remaining active worship sites since biblical times. Many travelers from all over the world come to witness the beautiful sun rays reflecting through the top of the city in a heavenly fashion and explore the finest examples of biblical wonders between the gates of the immortal monastery of Saint Catherine city in the same site where it is believed Moses talked to God and received the ten commandments.
Geography & Climate of Saint Catherine City
The city of Saint Catherine is located on the edges of the El Tur Mountains at the altitude of 1,586 m (5,203 ft), at the footing of Mount Sinia and Saint Catherine’s Monastery. The city is surrounded by the highest mountain ranges in Egypt. it has very low humidity and the coldest nights in all of Egypt during winter due to the high altitude but it also offers a delightful pleasant climate during the summer
Modern Township
The city is one of the newest townships in Egypt containing every typical number of facilities like a high school, police a hospital, and fire brigade, a range of hotels, telephone centers, banks, post offices, and more. The oldest settlement in the town is the Wadi el Sybaiya located on the east of the monastery. There are many nomad Bedouins living around the monastery which lies in the Wadi el Deir which offers a path all the way to Mount Sinai.
Religion in Saint Catherine City
Saint Catherine city is a place of holy importance to the world’s three major Abrahamic religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. It is the site where Moses is believed to have been given the Ten Commandments from the all mighty; a place where early Christianity flourished and the Orthodox monastic traditions still exist. It is a place that the prophet Mohammed put under his protection. Many events recorded in the Holy Bible & Quran took place in the area with hundreds of places of religious importance in the city. The city holds two ancient churches and the Monastery of St Katherine and the Rock of Moses.
