UNESCO CLUB
Spolek nezávislých cestovatelů

Egypt

Saint Catherine Area

Místo

Governorship of South Sinai

Kritéria

C (i) (iii) (iv) (vi)

Datum zařazení mezi památky UNESCO

2002

Popis

The Orthodox Monastery of St Catherine stands at the foot of Mount Horeb where, the Old Testament records, Moses received the Tablets of the Law. The mountain is known and revered by Muslims as Jebel Musa. The entire area is sacred to three world religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. The Monastery, founded in the 6th century, is the oldest Christian monastery still in use for its initial function. Its walls and buildings of great significace to studies of Byzantine architecture and the Monastery houses outstanding collections of early Christian manuscripts and icons. The rugged mountainous landscape, containing numerous archaeological and religious sites and monuments, forms a perfect backdrop to the Monastery.

Důvody pro zařazení mezi památky UNESCO

Criterion (i): The architecture of St Catherine's Monastery, the artistic treasures that it houses, and its domestic integration into a rugged landscape combine to make it an outstanding example of human creative genius.<P>Criterion (iii): St Catherine's Monastery is one of the very early outstanding examples in Eastern tradition of a Christian monastic settlement located in a remote area. It demonstrates an intimate relationship between natural grandeur and spiritual commitment.<P>Criterion (iv): Ascetic monasticism in remote areasprevailed in the early Christian church and resulted in theestablishment of monastic communities in remote places.St Catherine's Monastery is one of the earliest of theseand the oldest to have survived intact, being used for itsinitial function without interruption since the 6thcentury.<P>Criterion (vi): The St Catherine’s area, centred on theholy mountain of Mount Sinaï (Jebel Musa, MountHoreb), like the Old City of Jerusalem, is sacred to threeworld religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

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