Elephants crossing the Zambezi river in Mana Pools National Park world heritage site, Zimbabwe

The great mosque in the Old Towns of Djenne world heritage site, Mali

Black and white ruffed lemur, Rainforests of the Atsinanana world heritage site, Madagascar

Natural Places

Deserts

Earth's Crust

Forests

Great Rift

Mountains

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Cultural Places

Human Origins

Rock-art Pre-history

Ancient Civilization of Nile

Frontiers of Roman empire

Egypt after the Pharoahs

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(clockwise from top left: Grauer's gorilla (Kahuzi-Biega); Rock-hewn church (Lalibela); Hominid skull (Ethiopia); Protea flower (Cape Floral Region)

Saint Catherine Area - Egypt

Map showing the location of Saint Catherine Area UNESCO world heritage site, on the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt)

Website Category: Egypt after the Pharaohs

Area: 601 km²

Inscribed: 2002

Criteria: (i) a creative masterpiece (iii) cultural tradition (iv) icon of an era
(vi) association with belief system

Location and Values: The Saint Catherine Area is centred on the Orthodox Christian monastery of Saint Catherine, and includes Mount Sinai. It is situated at the southern end of the Sinai Peninsula, less than 100 km (in a direct line) from Sharm el-Sheikh. The area is sacred to three world religions – Christianity, Islam and Judaism, being the place where, according to the Old Testament, God handed down the Tablets of the Law (i.e. Ten Commandments) to Moses. The monastery, founded in the 6^th century, is the oldest Christian monastery still in use as a monastery.

Slideshow of the Saint Catherine Area:

Google Earth View: To view satellite imagery of the monastery and its immediate area on Google Earth, click here. This opens a new window, so when you are finished, just close the Google Earth page and you will be straight back here to continue browsing. It is worth taking a few minutes to explore the surroundings by panning in and out, and exploring Mount Sinai and the wider desert landscape.

Links to other places featuring Egypt after the Pharaohs: Abu Mena I Cairo

Other Links: Official UNESCO Site Details

Roadside sign on entering the Saint Catherine Protectorate from Sharm el-Sheikh and the Red Sea resorts when visiting the monastery and UNESCO world heritage site, on the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt) The imposing walls of the Saint Catherine monastery which lies at the core of the UNESCO world heritage site, in the deserts of the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt) Mount Sinai (also known as Jebel Musa, or Mount Moses) is the site where Moses received from God the Ten Commandments (now part of the Saint Catherine Area UNESCO world heritage site, Sinai, Egypt) The Saint Catherine monastery lies at the core of the UNESCO world heritage site, in the deserts of the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt)