The Hanging Church in Cairo, Egypt | Facts, History, Map, Design Coptic Church Of St. Virgin Mary from inside and more…
The history of building the Coptic Orthodox Church and facts about the most important historical archaeological churches in Egypt, why it was called by that name, why the hanging church occupies a great position among Christians and more.
The Hanging Church or the Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the monuments located in the Old Cairo district. The importance of the Hanging Church is due to a number of factors, including its proximity to a group of archaeological sites such as the Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque and the Babylon Fortress. Learn more information below.
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Description of The Hanging Church
• The Hanging Church comes on two ancient Roman towers, so it was called the Hanging Church.
• The towers, which date back to the Roman fortress, were built by Emperor Trajan in the second century AD.
• The Roman castle or the hanging church comes from 29 steps, so it was called the Church of the Stairs by some travelers in Cairo.
• The church rises about 6 meters from the surface of the ground, but at the present time the Roman tower is mostly buried underground, so it does not appear in its previous form.
• The entrance to the church comes from an iron gate under an arch made of stone, and then double towers appear before you outside a narrow biblical courtyard.
• After going up the stairs you will find a small patio leading to the outside terrace, which dates back to the 11th century.
A Glimpse into the History of the Hanging Church
• The castle was built on the ruins of the Baqal site, the site where the Virgin Mary and Jesus took shelter.
• It is also said that the church was built on a site that was one of the places where monks abandoned women.
• Since the church is one of the famous archaeological sites, it has been cared for in various forms throughout the ages.
• In the Islamic era, the church was renovated during the reign of Caliph Harun al-Rashid, who asked Patriarch Anba Morcos to renew the church.
• The second time for the renewal of the church in the Islamic era was during the reign of Al-Aziz Billah the Fatimid, who allowed Patriarch Ephrem to renew the churches of Egypt, including the Hanging Church.
• During the reign of Al-Zahir Izzaz Li Deen Allah, it was the third time to renovate the castle in the Islamic era.
• A number of patriarchs are buried in the church, dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries.
• The Patriarch of Christodlos took the church as the seat of the Pope of Alexandria.
• There are still pictures of the Patriarchs inside the church and candles are lit for them to this day.
• In the past, trials were held in the Hanging Church to punish sinful priests and try heretics as well.
hanging church design
• Mary Gerges Street is the western side of the church facade.
• The church has two floors and a fountain in its front yard.
• The church was built in the basilica style, which consists of three wings and a front courtyard. The church also comes with a
structure divided into three parts.
• The church is rectangular in shape.
• The dimensions of the church are 23.5 meters long, 18.5 meters wide, 9.5 meters high.
• The church consists of a nave, which is the main one, in addition to two small wings. There are 8 columns in the two wings.
• There are 3 columns in the middle of the courtyard and the northern wing.
• There are also columns separating each wing and another, and there are black basalt on them.
• In the church there are three temples, the middle temple is called the Virgin Mary, the right temple is called John the Baptist, while the third temple is called Mary Gerges.
• In front of these structures there are veils made of wood, and the veil in the middle is made of transparent ivory, which dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries.
• There are icons of the Lord Christ on the throne, as well as an icon of the Virgin Mary and the Angel Gabriel, in addition to the icon of St. Peter.
• Above the altar there is a wooden canopy placed on 4 pillars, and behind the canopy there is a council of priests.
What is the importance of the historic Hanging Church
• The church is considered one of the most famous Coptic churches in Cairo, and it is considered one of the first churches built in the basilica style.
• The location of the church is one of the most important advantages, because it is located in the middle of a group of monuments dating back to different eras.
• There is a group of original components of the church, including the three altars, which were replaced by panels made of marble.
• Mosaics were found in prominent crosses, which is an amazing thing, because the primitive church contained this material.
• The church contains nearly 100 icons dating back to the 8th century, as well as the Barati Bey Palm, which dates back to 1898.
• Inside the church there is the seat of the Coptic Pope, which was the seat of the church in the year 1047.
The entrance to the Hanging Church
Daily from 9:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the evening.
Dates of Mass in the Hanging Church
On Sundays from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m., there is another mass at 11:00 a.m.
Wednesdays from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Friday from 8:00 am to 11:00 am.
