Religious Complex (Coptic Cairo)

Introduction

This small area of Old Cairo holds churches, mosques and a Jewish synagogue, and the Quran, the Bible and the Torah are all recited here. It was one of the Egyptian stops on the Journey of the Holy Family. In 642 AD, with the arrival of Islam, Amr Ibn El Aas built the first mosque in Egypt on the same spot, so the complex brings together all three Abrahamic religions.

The Babylonian Fort

The oldest known structure in the complex is the Babylonian Fort, built during the early Roman occupation of Egypt and enlarged under the Emperor Trajan. It is considered one of the best-preserved Byzantine military structures. On its western side the original fort had two round towers joined by a drawbridge, and the modern Coptic Museum now encloses one of them.

Church of St. George

The Roman Orthodox Monastery and Church of St. George stands on top of the southern tower. The church holds the relics of Saint George who, according to Christian belief, was martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ during the reign of the Persian king Dadianos. He was tortured to death, and among the instruments used was a chain to which he was tied. Local tradition holds that the chain brings blessing, because it lay on the martyr’s body where his blood ran.

Saint Sergius and Saint Bacchus Church

The nearby Church of Saint Sergius and Saint Bacchus is one of the main stops on the Journey of the Holy Family. The basilica was built over the cave where the Holy Family rested for about three months. It has a central nave with north and south aisles and an internal narthex. The cave contains a natural well from which the Holy Family drank, and traces of the place where Jesus slept.

The Hanging Church

A little to the south is the Hanging Church, one of the oldest churches in Egypt, although its exact date of origin is unclear. Many scholars think the present basilica was built in the fourth or fifth century. The church is not officially mentioned until the time of the Coptic Patriarch Joseph I (831-849 AD).

The church was built on top of one of the walls of the Babylon fortress, which is how it got its name. In 1047 AD Pope Christodolos of Alexandria moved the official residence of the Coptic Patriarch here.

Three sanctuaries stand at the eastern end of the church. The central one is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the one on the left to St. George and the one on the right to John the Baptist.

The sanctuaries are closed off by a fine wooden screen decorated with geometric patterns and crosses in ivory and ebony. Along its top runs a row of icons with Jesus enthroned in the middle. To the right are John the Baptist, the Archangel Michael and Saint Paul; to the left are the Virgin Mary, the Archangel Gabriel and Saint Peter.

Ben Azra Synagogue

The complex also includes Ben Azra Synagogue, one of the important synagogues of Egypt. According to Jewish tradition, Moses was raised here, and it was from this spot that he spread his message.

The Mosque of Amr Ibn El Aas

At the northern edge of the complex, the Mosque of Amr Ibn El Aas was built in 642 AD as the centre of El-Fustat, the first Muslim capital of Egypt. The first mosque was built of palm trunks and mudbrick and roofed with palm leaves, and it has been rebuilt over time. The present building is rectangular, with an open central ablution court surrounded by four riwaqs; the largest is the Qibla riwaq on the east side.