The Hanging Church, Cairo (must see)
The Hanging Church gets its name from being located above an old Roman Gatehouse in Cairo. Its nave hangs over a passage. The real name of the Church is Sitt Mariam or Saint Mary鈥檚 Church.
The Hanging Church is the best-known Coptic Church in Cairo. The Coptic church is one of the early Eastern Orthodox Churches which once had its seat in Alexandria. Today, the Hanging Church is the official residence of the Coptic Pope. It was built in the 7th century and it is believed that there were churches on the site from the 3rd or 4th centuries. It has been rebuilt several times in particular in the 10th century by the Patriarch Abraham.
The Hanging Church has a beautiful courtyard flanked by religious mosaics. The marble pulpit has thirteen pillars representing Jesus and the 12 apostles. It is famous for its icons and the oldest one is from the 8th century. The eastern end has three sanctuaries dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Saint George and Saint John the Baptist. The sanctuary screen dates back to the 12th or 13th centuries and is made of ebony inlaid with ivory. It has a row of seven large icons. The left screen has 17 icons and the right screen has 7 small icons on the top. The church is a thriving place of worship and important celebrations like the enthronement of patriarchs take place here.
Tip:
Go through the door in the wall on the right to enter a half-round part of the church built directly over one of the Roman gate's defensive towers, and from which a window allows you to look down sideways at the gate itself (which is fairly impressive). You can also catch another outside glimpse of the gate and the church on top of it if you walk past the street entrance to the south-west corner of the compound.
The Hanging Church is the best-known Coptic Church in Cairo. The Coptic church is one of the early Eastern Orthodox Churches which once had its seat in Alexandria. Today, the Hanging Church is the official residence of the Coptic Pope. It was built in the 7th century and it is believed that there were churches on the site from the 3rd or 4th centuries. It has been rebuilt several times in particular in the 10th century by the Patriarch Abraham.
The Hanging Church has a beautiful courtyard flanked by religious mosaics. The marble pulpit has thirteen pillars representing Jesus and the 12 apostles. It is famous for its icons and the oldest one is from the 8th century. The eastern end has three sanctuaries dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Saint George and Saint John the Baptist. The sanctuary screen dates back to the 12th or 13th centuries and is made of ebony inlaid with ivory. It has a row of seven large icons. The left screen has 17 icons and the right screen has 7 small icons on the top. The church is a thriving place of worship and important celebrations like the enthronement of patriarchs take place here.
Tip:
Go through the door in the wall on the right to enter a half-round part of the church built directly over one of the Roman gate's defensive towers, and from which a window allows you to look down sideways at the gate itself (which is fairly impressive). You can also catch another outside glimpse of the gate and the church on top of it if you walk past the street entrance to the south-west corner of the compound.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Cairo. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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The Hanging Church on Map
Sight Name: The Hanging Church
Sight Location: Cairo, Egypt (See walking tours in Cairo)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Cairo, Egypt (See walking tours in Cairo)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Cairo, Egypt
Create Your Own Walk in Cairo
Creating your own self-guided walk in Cairo is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Cairo Downtown Walking Tour
Egyptians often refer to Cairo as Ma峁, which is the Arabic name for Egypt. This is due to the city's importance for the country, in part manifested by its closeness to the ancient pyramids. Indeed, the area of present-day Cairo has been the center of Egypt since the days of the pharaohs. The strategic territory at the base of the Nile Delta first hosted the town of Memphis.
By the 4th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
By the 4th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Old Cairo Walking Tour
Old Cairo, otherwise known as Coptic Cairo or Masr al-Qadima, largely predates the city of Cairo as we know it. Some Egyptologists think that a settlement here existed as far back as the 6th century BC. Later, the Romans built on the site a fortress named Babylon. Today, this ancient threshold of history is still in place, its weathered ramparts and sturdy bastions bearing witness to the ebb and... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
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