Deir Al Baramus (Monastery of the Romans)
Location:
Cairo, Egypt
How to get there:
From outside Egypt
International flights direct to Cairo, then either an internal flight (see below) or overland by bus or by car.
Description
This monastery is the northernmost of the four monasteries in the Valley, and is probably the earliest. According to tradition it was founded after two Roman princes retreated to the area in the late 4C. The monastery has five churches, the oldest of which is the Church of Al Adra (The Virgin). The church possesses three haykals of various architectural periods, the earliest perhaps dating to 9C, and in the feretory are the relics of SS. Moses the Black and Theodosius. A second church lies to the west and is called the Church of Anba Tadrus (Theodore the Commander) and is no longer used. Also to the west is the Chapel of Mari Girgis (St. George) and the Church of St. John the Baptist (19C) is to the north east. The three storey qasr, parts of which may date as early as 7C, has the Church of the Angel Michael on its second storey.