Which one to choose in Cairo
Hanging Church vs St Simon the Tanner Monastery
Two churches in Cairo. Hanging Church has no online ticket listed; St Simon the Tanner Monastery has no online ticket listed. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Cairo, Egypt
The Hanging Church, officially the Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church, stands in Coptic Cairo, the old Christian quarter in the south of Cairo, Egypt, and entry is free, with donations welcome. It is one of the oldest and most famous churches in Egypt, and it is known as the Hanging Church, al-Muallaqa, because it was built on top of the gatehouse of the Roman fortress of Babylon, so its nave seems to hang above the ground. The church is a short walk from the Mar Girgis metro station, which makes it easy to reach from central Cairo.
Read the full guide →
Cairo, Egypt
The Monastery of Saint Simon the Tanner stands in the Mokattam hills on the eastern edge of Cairo, above the district known as Garbage City, where the Zabbaleen, a Coptic Christian community of rubbish collectors, live and recycle much of the city's waste. Entry is free. The monastery includes several churches carved into the rock, the largest of which, the Cave Church, is one of the largest churches in the Middle East.
Read the full guide →