Red Sea Riviera EGYPTIAN STATE TOURIST OFFICE
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17379 Gst red sea:gst932840-red seax1 19/05/2011 18:18 Page 1 THE RED SEA RIVIERA Within the monastery’s towering walls, one of the world’s finest and THE RED SEA COAST Part quarry, part prison, Roman prisoners were brought there to Coptic Christians and consisted of some 200 buildings. Excursions The Red Sea Riviera is divided into two areas. The first is a stretch most unique collections of Christian artifacts has been made more extract its top-quality grey granite used for buildings such as the can be arranged from Safaga and EL Quseir. of land overlooking the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea from Ain accessible to the public. A small, yet extraordinary, nine-room The Red Sea is one of the northernmost coral seas, offering an ideal Pantheon and Hadrian’s Villa. Among its attractive ruins are a Sukhna in the north to Marsa Alam in the south. The second region museum referred to as “The Sacred Sacristy” has now been opened recreational area to Europeans in particular because of the short fortress, a small temple, cells, baths and a gigantic cracked pillar. WADI is made up of Southern Sinai, from Taba in the north to Ras to display many masterpieces. flying distance. In winter, as in summer, visitors can take part in Excursions can be organised from Hurghada, Safaga and El Quseir. HAMMAMAT Mohamed in the south. diverse watersports, as well as enjoying excursions to classical Wadi Hammamat monuments on the Nile or to the mysterious Eastern Desert. BIR UMM FAWAKHIR is a fascinating This Byzantine gold quarry community was once inhabited by quarry settlement THE COAST OF situated south east ATTRACTIONS ON THE RED SEA of El Quseir in the SOUTHERN SINAI Eastern Desert , This attractive peninsula has a magic quality and is noted as a land MONASTERY OF ST PAUL which was once of history and sanctity. It is located east of the Suez Canal and St Paul is considered the very first Christian hermit and his remains celebrated for its borders the Red Sea, between the gulfs of Aqaba and Suez. are buried in the Church of St Paul built around the cave where he production of bekheny, a green, semi-precious rock that was used for decoration. Overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba, the Egyptian Riviera in Sinai offers a lived for 85 years, and that is one of the three monuments that Its appeal lies in the many inscriptions to be found there from variety of tourist attractions from a dramatic mountain backdrop to comprise the monastery. St Paul’s is considered, (together with St Pharaonic times to the last century. In fact, the collection of stretches of golden beaches on Lazarus Waters. It is a paradise, not Anthony’s) one of the oldest Christian monasteries. It houses a fine Pharaonic graffiti is definitely a highlight of this most unusual site, only for divers and sun-worshipers, but for anyone looking for collection of manuscripts, altars and wall paintings, and is situated which is easily reached from El Quseir and Safaga. (More on Bir beautiful weather all year around, state-of-the-art tourist facilities, 90 km south of Ain Sukhna, in the cliffs of Gebel Al Galala Al Umm Fawakhir and Wadi Hammamat under the heading “El white sandy beaches and the most amazing and unmatched Qibliya. The monastery has two guesthouses and visitors are more Quseir”). underwater scenery in the world, with 250 different corals and than welcome to spend the night there (pre-arrangements are 1,000 species of fish as well as some world-famous wrecks. It also recommended). offers a unique opportunity to experience the colourful and hospitable Bedouin culture and visit a number of spectacular MONASTERY OF ST ANTHONY (Pictured) Among the tastefully-displayed exhibits are exquisite 6th century THE BLUE DESERT National Parks. Built at the foot of Gebel Al Galala Al Qibliya, the monastery is Byzantine icons, delicate 9th century manuscripts written in Syriac, About 10 kilometres from the Monastery of St. Katherine is a unique separated from St Paul’s by some 85 km. It dates back to the 4th rare Slavonic prayer books, and splendid objects of silver, gold, ivory place in Sinai - the remarkable Blue Desert or Blue Valley. It can be For the adventurous, there are diverse activities from desert safaris century AD and it is the largest Coptic monastery in Egypt. Legend and precious stones. Perhaps the most valued items on exhibit, reached by car (a four-wheel-drive is not necessary) along a track to mountaineering and the chance to go off-the-beaten-track to visit says that St Anthony lived in retreat in a nearby cave and died at the presented in a special glass case, are pages from the Codex starting at the tomb of Sheikh Nabi Saleh (a Muslim cleric) near the a number of key historical sites. grand age of 105. Today, the monastery is inhabited by some 70 Sinaiticus, a 4th century version of the Bible that now rests in the crossing between the road leading to the monastery and that monks and it is open to visitors. The monastery has several British Museum. leading to the Wadi Feiran. churches, chapels, a vegetable garden, a spring, and a small ST KATHERINE’S MONASTERY museum that houses its fine collection of manuscripts and crosses. In 330 AD, the mother of Emperor Constantine, Empress Helena, The Blue Desert owes its name to the numerous rocks scattered It also has splendid wall paintings in the Church of St Anthony’s, ordered the construction of a small church near Moses’ Burning MOUNT SINAI across an area of nearly 15 square kilometres. A good 10 tons of which contains the saint’s tomb. Travellers can stay for the night at Bush. It was called the Church of the Transfiguration. The fortified Mount Sinai, just south of the Monastery of St Katherine, is of great paint were needed to complete the work. the monastery’s guesthouse (pre-arrangements are recommended). Monastery of St Katherine seen today was built around the church religious importance to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. during the reign of Emperor Justinian (527-565 AD). In the 11th According to the Old Testament, this is where Moses received the The asphalt road that goes down into the Wadi Feiran which is the century, the monastery was dedicated to St Katherine of Alexandria, Ten Commandments. Throughout the centuries, the mountain has largest and most magnificent wadi (“valley”) in the Sinai Peninsula. MONS PORPHYRITIS who died in 310 AD. Her remains, reportedly found by monks on a drawn thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. Visitors can After a long stretch, it opens out onto the coast of the Gulf of Suez, This was once an important mine during Roman times because of mountain peak next to Mount Sinai, are buried in the monastery’s ascend to the summit (7497 ft) either by climbing the “ancient and was the ancient route covered by pilgrims on their way to Saint its porphyry, a beautiful purple and crystal gemstone not found Basilica. route” - some 4000 steps built by monks - or by following an easier Katherine. anywhere else. It was used mainly in decorative work and became but longer path. Both lead to an open area known as Elija’s Basin, a symbol of royalty. There are remains at the site of buildings that Fronted by gardens and cypress tress, the monastery is owned and where it is necessary to walk up the remaining 750 steps to the top. The Wadi Feiran is home to the largest palm grove in the Sinai used to comprise a complex of temples, shrines and fortresses. run by the Greek Orthodox Church. Its rich library houses the world’s At the summit, is the Chapel of the Holy Trinity built in 1934 on the Peninsula. And excavations in the area have revealed the ruins of MYOS HORMOS second largest collection of illuminated manuscripts after the site of a much earlier chapel built in 363 AD. The climb takes about several churches, which date back to the 4th-7th centuries AD, MONS CLAUDIANUS This ancient port lies just a few km north of El Quseir, and was once Vatican, and also contains invaluable icons, beautifully-carved doors, three hours but the view from the top is truly breathtaking, and which demonstrate the importance of the Wadi in ancient Located deep in the Eastern Desert, between Safaga and the Nile, a thriving haven for trading ships departing to India. Remains of the exquisite wall paintings and other fine religious ornaments. especially at sunrise. times. this amazing Roman settlement was the largest of its kind in Egypt. old port can still be seen today. Currency The unit of currency is the Egyptian pound Health Regulations A vaccination document is not Practical Hints (LE) divided into 100 piasters (PT). required unless someone is arriving from infected areas in which case they will require a certificate proving that they Foreign Exchange Regulations You are allowed to have been vaccinated against yellow fever or cholera. enter Egypt with a maximum of 5,000 LE. There are no There is no special insurance agreement with Egypt. restrictions or limitations for foreign currencies. However, Physicians’ bills must be paid immediately. from US$10,000 onwards, the amount should be declared. Photography Ideal exposure conditions. In some cases, it is prohibited to take photographs of places such as Travellers’ cheques, Visacards Euro cheques and bridges, military installations and ports. travellers’ cheques can be cashed in banks and hotels.