Hanging Church (El Muallaqa, Sitt Mariam, St Mary)

Hanging Church (El Muallaqa, Sitt Mariam, St Mary)

Hanging Church (El Muallaqa, Sitt Mariam, St Mary)
4.5
Architectural BuildingsReligious Sites
About
This church, originally built in the ancient fortress of Babylon in Old Cairo around 4th century AD, derives its name from its location suspended above two Roman gate towers.
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  • goodguyjas
    London, United Kingdom1,202 contributions
    Lovely little church in an unexpected setting
    Fascinating small church that is part of a series of religious sites that are dotted over this area. Mainly mosques but here you have in an area that has a church and a synagogue. The closed off street is welcome peace from the beeping horns of cars too. This little church is quite a treasure and the dark wood and the exposed period brick look beautiful. The perspex floor slots allow you to see the church without its foundations and also remains of original supports. The courtyard with the wall paintings and shrubs make for a picturesque entrance leading up to the grand staircase. Obviously when busy it gets a bit cramped visiting but still very worthwhile while to make the effort.
    Visited December 2022
    Travelled solo
    Written December 3, 2022
  • fozjon
    Jaipur, India1,745 contributions
    tough to find but glad we got there
    the area around this is beautiful, but we found the church difficult to find. When we asked people where to go, we got many different responses. And, for the record, the church isn't hanging from anything. "El Muallaqa" in Arabic, apparently, means "hanging" hence this name.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 16, 2023
  • Jeff K
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania1,897 contributions
    Impressive Church
    We stopped here on a recent tour of Cairo. The church is very impressive and has a lot of historical importance for Coptic Christians. If you visit you should also consider stopping at the nearby Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus. It’s also worth seeing.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written April 9, 2023
  • Astrobeemer
    Vancouver, Canada638 contributions
    One of the oldest churches in Egypt
    One of the oldest churches in Egypt which dates back to the 3 rd century . The Saint Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Church is known as the Hanging Church because it is built over the gatehouse of the Babylon fortress . It might seem small an unassuming but it is a very important and historic church.
    Visited December 2022
    Travelled as a couple
    Written May 29, 2023
  • LolaGo1
    Washington DC, District of Columbia6,407 contributions
    One of the Christian Churches in Coptic Cairo
    It is a small Christian Church located at the Coptic Cairo. At the center of this church is a red banner with the picture of Mary. Behind it is an altar with the Holy Eucharist. There was line going to the Crypt, did not visit this part due to time constraints.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written October 21, 2023
  • Razorfish
    Little Rock, Arkansas3,780 contributions
    Very interesting church in Cairo
    My wife and I visited this church during our tour of Cairo this past December. It was raining that day, which was one of the few days each year that it rains in Cairo. The legend of the church is that Joseph and Mary lived in a cave in what is now the lower part of the church while they were hiding out in Egypt. It was very interesting to visit this church.
    Visited December 2022
    Travelled as a couple
    Written November 10, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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Lella Erludóttir
44 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Couples
Beautiful church, stunning architecture, and fascinating engineering. The fact that the church is built on top of a Byzantine fortress is so intriguing.
Written November 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Razorfish
Little Rock, AR3,780 contributions
Dec. 2022 • Couples
My wife and I visited this church during our tour of Cairo this past December. It was raining that day, which was one of the few days each year that it rains in Cairo. The legend of the church is that Joseph and Mary lived in a cave in what is now the lower part of the church while they were hiding out in Egypt. It was very interesting to visit this church.
Written November 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LolaGo1
Washington DC, DC6,407 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Solo
It is a small Christian Church located at the Coptic Cairo. At the center of this church is a red banner with the picture of Mary. Behind it is an altar with the Holy Eucharist.

There was line going to the Crypt, did not visit this part due to time constraints.
Written October 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SonomaNut
Sonoma, CA1,143 contributions
Sep. 2023 • Couples
Well worth Guide time as it’s out of expected place in religion. If you’re interested in Christian religion in Egypt, come here.
Written September 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NA- Australia
Dandenong, Australia692 contributions
Jun. 2023 • Couples
If you have the time, this Coptic church is well worth the visit. The iconography and the relics are very impressive. Although the crowd was very garrulous and noisy, sitting quietly is possible.
Written June 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Astrobeemer
Vancouver, Canada638 contributions
Dec. 2022 • Couples
One of the oldest churches in Egypt which dates back to the 3 rd century . The Saint Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Church is known as the Hanging Church because it is built over the gatehouse of the Babylon fortress . It might seem small an unassuming but it is a very important and historic church.
Written May 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ogi0
Sofia, Bulgaria20,943 contributions
May 2023
Perhaps the most famous Coptic church in Cairo, built on top of a fortress (that's why it's called hanging). It's not very big, but it's interesting to see.
Written May 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jadranka P
London, UK717 contributions
Mar. 2023 • Couples
The "Hanging Church", the oldest Coptic monument in Egypt, is located in the Old Cairo area. It is built over the ruins of two antique Roman gate towers which can be seen through a small window in the church’s floor. The interior is beautiful, dark wood and exposed period brick, pulpit featuring 15 Islamic columns mounted on a white marble slab and stunning wooden ceiling designed to mimic Noah's Arc. It is mix of Greek, Arabic, and Roman architecture, religious symbols, and art. Definitely worth a visit.
Written April 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

stevenenhilde
Antwerp, Belgium1,030 contributions
Apr. 2023 • Couples
El Muallaqa or the hanging church is interesting, but not very special. The well, and the view 'hanging' ... good for a quick look.
Written April 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeff K
Pittsburgh, PA1,897 contributions
Apr. 2023 • Couples
We stopped here on a recent tour of Cairo. The church is very impressive and has a lot of historical importance for Coptic Christians. If you visit you should also consider stopping at the nearby Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus. It’s also worth seeing.
Written April 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Hanging Church (El Muallaqa, Sitt Mariam, St Mary) (Cairo, Egypt): Address, Phone Number, Attraction Reviews - Tripadvisor

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