Year: 2020

Cairo’s Ben Ezra Synagogue

Egypt has many interesting places to visit, like the Ben Ezra Synagogue. Every city in Egypt is known for something. Egypt’s ancient people lived in most of the cities. Cairo is the most well-known city in Egypt because it is the capital and a place where people from many different cultures live and visit.

There are a lot of churches and mosques in Cairo, but not as many synagogues. After the Jews were kicked out of Spain, they started to move to Egypt. After the Suez Canal opened, there were more business opportunities, so more Jews moved there.

In the 1950s, Egypt began to send Jews away. So, there aren’t many synagogues in Egypt, but the Ben Ezra Synagogue is the most well-known one. This Synagogue is one of the biggest and oldest in Cairo.

How Ben Ezra Synagogue came to be

The Synagogue used to be a Christian church, but when the Muslim rulers in the dynasty of Ahmed Ibn Tulun raised the annual taxes because of it, Abraham Ibn Ezra of Jerusalem bought the church for 20,000 dinars in 882. From that point on, the church became a synagogue for Jews.

In 1012, during the reign of Al-Hakim bi-Amr Al-lah, the Synagogue was destroyed. In 1039 and 1041, not much was changed about how it looked before. In 1890, the Gueniza was found. It is a collection of more than 100,000 manuscripts and biblical and liturgical texts in Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and Persian. It was one of the most important reconstructions because it was true to the original design. People call these manuscripts “the Guernica of El Cario,” and they were later moved to other libraries.

The Synagogue of Ben Ezra Is Called

It used to be called “the Church of El-Shamien” before it became a synagogue. It was called “the Israelite Synagogue or the House of Meeting of the Israelites” before it became a synagogue. After it was fixed up in 1039 and 1041, it became known as the “Synagogue of the Prophet Elijah.”

How the Ben Ezra Synagogue Was Built

It was built in Fustat, which is in Old Cairo. Behind the Hanging Church is where it is. It looks like a Turkish basilica. It has 3 parts, with the largest one in the middle. It has two floors: the one on top is for women, and the one on the bottom is for men. In the middle of the lower floor is a marble bimbo, where the altar for reading the Torah is set up.

There are capitals on the marble pillars that are beautifully carved. This synagogue’s decorations are based on Egyptian art as well as some Byzantine, Islamic, and Christian styles. In the middle of the ceiling is a big Star of David that is surrounded by arabesques from the Ottoman Empire.

About the Ben Ezra Synagogue

The Synagogue site has a long and interesting past. It was said that the box with Baby Moses was found there. It was also said that Prophet Moses chose this spot to pray or that Prophet Jeremiah built a synagogue, which the Romans then destroyed so they could build their Babylonian fortress. So, it was a synagogue, and after it was destroyed, an Archangel Michael-dedicated church was built on the site. Later, it was turned back into a synagogue.

Egypt via travel: Your Dream Vacation

The Ben Ezra Synagogue is one of the most important and well-known places to visit in Cairo. It is also one of the largest attractions there. So, check out our Egypt travel packages or Nile cruises and pick the one that works best for you. Then, you can visit other interesting places in Egypt, which is known as “the cradle of civilization,” like Luxor, Aswan, and Hurghada.

Coptic Cairo’s Church of the Virgin Mary is a must-see.

Egypt is a nation that draws a large number of visitors from all over the globe, including the Church of the Virgin Mary. Throughout history, numerous significant events occurred in Egypt that contributed to the development of its culture. Egypt has a wide range of attractions that you may emphasise. Egypt’s oldest civilisation is the Pharaonic civilization, however there are other Islamic and Coptic civilizations that may be found there as well.

When the Holy Family landed in Egypt, the beginning of Coptic culture was marked. While the Holy Family was travelling through Egypt, churches were constructed in the locations where the Virgin Mary and her son Jesus had resided at the time. The Church of the Virgin Mary is one of the most well-known and visually appealing structures in the world.

The Church of the Virgin Mary has a long and illustrious history.

As a tourist and religious site, it is regarded to be one of the most significant in Egypt as well as the globe. When the Holy Family escaped from the Palestinian ruler to Egypt and reached Cairo, it dwelt in a number of locations, after which churches were erected in each of these locations.. The Church of the Virgin served as the Holy Family’s last residence before beginning on their journey to Memphis, which served as the first capital.

The Holy Family travelled from Memphis to the towns of Upper Egypt on a ship called the Argo. In the nineteenth century, an explosion aboard a ship caused damage to certain areas of the Church, leading some to believe that the whole structure had been demolished and then rebuilt from the ground up.

It was reported in 1976 that an antique bible had been discovered floating in the Nile near the Church. In the book of Isaiah, the chapter that begins, “I blessed Egypt, my people,” was opened and read.

The building of the Church of the Virgin Mary is now underway.

The church was erected on the east bank of the Nile River, close to the city of Aswan. It is located in the Maadi district, 13 kilometres from the city centre. It is comprised of three domes that are affixed to three altars. There are old symbols adorning the walls of the room.

The chapel has four coffins, each of which contains the relics of a saint. Original copy of the old bible discovered floating in the sea is housed in a glass sanctuary dedicated to its preservation. Other historical features include the Baptistery and the corridors and stairwells that were utilised by the Holy Family during their time here.

With regards to The Basilica of the Virgin Mary

Due to the fact that it was here that the Virgin Mary and Jesus slept for a few days before embarking on their trip to Upper Egypt, the Church is known as the Virgin Mary Church.

The name of the location was known by the Church by many different names. In Arabic, it was known by the name “Maniet Al-Sudan,” which is regarded to be the Church’s earliest Arabic name in existence. It was then called as “Bustan Al-Adawya,” and subsequently as “Al-Martuti,” which means “Bustan of Adawya.”

In Cairo, we’re looking for miracles.

In Egypt, particularly in Cairo, there are several churches that are situated near to Islamic and historical sites. Our Egypt vacation packages enable you to learn more about these fascinating destinations while taking a cruise on the Nile, allowing you to have a really memorable experience in Egypt.

Cairo’s St. George church

Church of St. George: Egypt is home to many different cultures, including the Pharaonic, Islamic, and Coptic. There are many places to see and learn about in Egypt, so a trip there is very interesting because it gives you a chance to learn more about this great civilization and its mysteries.

Cairo is a city with many places to go and things to do (historical, Islamic, and Coptic sites). One of the most interesting places in Cairo is the Coptic Quarter. Here live most of the Christians who used to live in Cairo. It is also a place where people go to pray because the Holy Family stayed there when they were running away. St. George’s Church is one of the most interesting places to visit in Coptic Cairo.

How St. George’s Church came to be

The Greek Orthodox St. George’s Church was built on top of the Roman fort’s north tower in the 10th century. It is the place where the Greek Patriarchate of Alexandria is thought to be based. St. George is the name of the church (also known by the name “the great martyr”).

It was said that St. George defended Christianity and was the most popular warrior in the Coptic Quarter of Cairo. This is why there are more than 20 relics of St. George.

The legend says that St. George fought a dragon and killed it. There are pictures of this in the Church. In 303 AD, St. George was killed in a battle against Christianity that was led by a Greek emperor.

Putting together St. George’s Church

This church is the only one in Egypt that is round. On the outside of the building, there is a picture of St. George on a horse with his lasso around a dragon tree. The church stands out because the inside is dark and the light from the sun comes in through the windows. The room smells like incense.

There are 40 pillars that are new. The walls are covered with icons and kitschy pictures of saints from the 11th to 15th centuries. Under the Church, there are dark passages lit up with light that lead to a well where the Holy Family used to get water to drink. From the Roman tower, you can get to stairs.

On top of the Church of St.

The Holy Family of King Herod took shelter in the Church. This is not how the Church looked at first because it burned down many times. It was fixed up in 1904, but some of the glass windows are still there.

King Damien put Saint George in places where he could be tortured. The religious women live in the monastery of St. George, which is close to the church.

Check out the sights in Cairo.

Coptic Cairo is one of Egypt’s most interesting and historic places. There are many beautiful churches that are worth seeing. With our Egypt travel packages, you can enjoy a well-planned, magical trip to Egypt’s sights and a cruise on the Nile.

The Coptic Church in Cairo That’s Hung Up

Hanging Church: Egypt has a lot of interesting places to visit. Many historical, Islamic, Coptic, and Pharaonic sites are popular places for tourists to visit. Cairo is the place where all of these things happen. Cairo, the capital of Egypt, is called “the City of a Thousand Minarets.” You can also point out The Coptic Quarter, where the Holy Family lived when they arrived in Egypt.

The Coptic Quarter is where most of Cairo’s Christians live. The Church of St. George, the Coptic Museum, and the Church of St. Sergius are all things to see in the Coptic Quarter. The Hanging Church is the most well-known place for tourists to visit in Cairo’s Coptic Quarter. It is the Coptic city’s oldest building.

Church on the Wall

The name “Hanging Church” comes from the fact that it was built on the door of a Roman fortress. During the 14th and 15th centuries, it was called the Church of Escalinata because you have to climb 29 steps to get to the door. The Church of the Virgin Mary is another name for it. It means that the Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary is being talked about.

The history of the church that was hung up

At the southern gate of the Roman Babylonian fortress, the church was started in the first century and finished in the third. From the seventh to the twelfth century, the Church was the site of Christian festivals and the first seat of the patriarch. Patriarchs were buried in the Church in the 11th and 12th centuries. In 1047, when the Muslims moved the capital of Egypt from Alexandria to Cairo, this was the first place where the Pope of Alexandria lived.

During the Islamic dynasties, the church was fixed up a lot of times. During the reign of Harun Al-Rashid, the Pope of Alexandria gave the order for the first renovation to be done. The second time was during the reign of El-Moez El-Din Al-lah, who had all the churches in Egypt fixed up. The last time it was fixed up was in 1998. (renovation of lighting and wall paintings).

Putting together the Hanging Church

The Church was built 13 metres above the ground. In front of the church, there is a fountain. There are two iron doors: one to get in and one to get out. After the entrance, there is a hallway with mosaics of scenes from the Bible. A 29-step staircase is at the end of the passage.

At the top of the stairs, you can see the Church’s doors and front. There are three geometrically carved wooden doors. The two towers on the front of the building are modern for the 1800s.

From the inside, the Church is a square with sides of 18 metres and height of 9 metres. It is split into three parts, and each end has a sanctuary: one for the Virgin Mary, one for San Jorge, and one for Juan Baptista (in the south). Each one has an ivory screen on the front. The ceiling is made of wood and looks like the ark that Noah built. There are pictures of both life and death on the walls.

A pulpit made of marble is held up by 13 columns. Jesus and his 12 followers are shown by the 13 white marble pillars. One pillar is made of black basalt to show that Judas betrayed Jesus, and the other is grey to show that Thomas had doubts.

About the Church on the Wall

People said that the Church was built on the spot where the Holy Family hid from the Palestinian ruler. Most of the painted screens were made in the 1800s. During the rule of Al-Hakim, the Church was turned into a mosque. After his death, it was turned back into a Christian Church. The original things were taken away. The most well-known icon in the Hanging Church is the Mona Lisa, which shows the Virgin Mary.

Egypt via travel lets you see Cairo.

Cairo is a big city with many places that tourists like to visit. If you want an organised trip to see the Coptic sites in Cairo, which are close to the famous Islamic sites, check out our Cairo excursions and plan your dream vacation. If you want to see more of Egypt, check out our Egypt travel packages or Nile cruise.