Where is coptic cairo

Cairo in detail. A maze of ancient and modern churches and monasteries, set within the walls of the fortress of Babylon founded in 6th century BC and expanded by the Roman Emperor Trajan in AD 98, Coptic Cairo is a fascinating counterpoint to the rest of the city, and holds the beautiful Coptic Museum.

You can visit the oldest church, the oldest mosque and the oldest synagogue in Cairo, while nearby is the newly opened but rather bare of exhibits and still unfinished at the time of research National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. There are four entrances to the Coptic compound. The main gate in the centre of Sharia Mar Girgis directly opposite the metro exit is for the Coptic Museum. It is the Episcopal church of Cairo where many patriarchs of the Coptic Church were elected.

The first to be elected here was Patriarch Isaac It has three altars and twelve columns decorated with portraits of the twelve disciples. The building was probably constructed during the 5th century. It was burned during the fire of Fustat during the reign of Marwan II around It was then restored during the 8th century, and has been rebuilt and restored constantly since medieval times.

It is best known for its wedding chamber, which dates from the 4th century AD and was reserved for wedding ceremonies. It is a round church, built on a Roman tower of the Babylon Fortress. It was burnt in and rebuilt The church has been Greek Orthodox since the 15th century. Sitt Barbara The exact date of construction of the church of Saint Barbara is unknown. It burned in the Fustat fire of AD and was restored during the 11th century.

Legend has it that when Saint Barbara's father discovered her conversion to Christianity, he went into a fit of rage. He turned her over to Marcian, the Roman prefect who, under witness of her father, tortured her until she denied Christ. She was stripped and struck with whips and clubs until she stood in a pool of her own blood, yet she would not deny Christ. Afterwards, she was thrown into prison where, during the night, god completely healed her wounds and filled her with heavenly joy.

Trajan, a Roman Emperor, opened the canal — a move that boosted trade. When Arabs ruled, many churches were also built in the area surrounding the fortress in Old Cairo.

It was opened in George, and Monastery and Church of St. We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. To allow us to provide a better and more tailored experience please click "OK". Sign Up. Travel Guides. Videos Beyond Hollywood Hungerlust Pioneers of love.