The church dedicated to the Virgin Mary is commonly called "The suspended" or "The Hanged" (AI-Muallaqa in Arabic) because it was built on top of the towers in the ancient Roman fortress of Babylon. Know more about the history of this incredible place here!
The hanging church is a Coptic Orthodox Church and one of the most visited and most interesting things to do in Cairo located in the Old Cairo neighborhood, in the important ancient Coptic Cairo area, close to the Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque, the Jewish Temple, the Synagogue of Ben Ezra, the Marmina Church next to the Fort of Babylon, the Church of the Martyr Mercurius (Abu Seifin), and a second synagogue. The hanging was characterized because it was raised upon the tower of the ancient towers of the Roman fortress of Babylon, which was built by Emperor Trajan in the second century AD, and is considered the oldest synagogue in Egypt of the most important religious shrines that represent the Coptic heritage in the Egyptian capital Cairo and Paul was adopted for the first time in the following century.
The original construction was built perhaps in the 4th century A.D but was destroyed and rebuilt in the 11th century. Expansions and reconstructions have continued since then, making the precise dating of each church a bit difficult.
If you are decided to have a trip to Egypt you must combine a visit to The Hanging Church (Church of the Holy Virgin Mary) is the most famous site in Coptic Cairo, known by The Hanging Church. Its name comes from the fact that it was built on top of the walls of the 4th century B.C Roman fortress of Babylon, the remains of which are still visible about Coptic Cairo.
The Hanging Church dates back from the 9th century and is regularly toured within any of Cairo Day Tours, but the site is held to have first been occupied by the church as early as the 3rd century A.D, presenting it one of the oldest religious sites in the history of Christianity in Egypt. It is deemed to be the most beautiful of the old churches in the area.
The Coptic Museum which has the largest collection of Coptic Christian artwork and artifacts in the world. Founded in 1910, the museum registers Coptic history from the appearance of Christianity in Egypt to the Ottoman era, representing a mixture of artwork inspired by Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman traditions.
The church is considered an archaeological entity, as it was described as the most ancient and most sacred religious monument in the world, as it is located at the top of the trench, which is one of the most important safe stations that hidden the Holy Family from the eyes of the men of the Roman dictator, Herod, the ruler of Palestine, when it was chosen by the Virgin Mary and her child, Christ. And their companion, Saint Joseph the carpenter.
There are six other churches here that date back to the early Christian Era. The Hanging Church Deeper into Coptic Cairo there are several other older churches, including the Church of St. Sergius, which dates from the 5th century and was built upon the site of a crypt where the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph) to shelter during their time in Egypt. Ben Ezra Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in Cairo, founded in the 9th century on the site of the Temple of Jeremiah.
Planning any tours to Egypt? or from our varieties of tours from Cairo, you can surely have a Coptic Cairo tour with Cairo Top Tours.
Egypt Travel Packages and Egypt Day Tours Including the Hanging Church and more historical sites and amazing places:
- Pyramids, Nile Cruise & Sharm El Sheikh - Tour to Giza pyramids, the Egyptian Museum, Old Cairo and Khan El Khalili