The abandoned monastery of St Simeon the Pillar-bearer is one of the largest and best preserved Coptic monasteries in Egypt. The abode was given the name Simeon by archaeologists and travellers, earlier Arab and Coptic sources called it "Anba Moskou" Hatre (Khidry, Hadri, Hadra).
According to legend, Anba Khatre married at the age of eighteen, but immediately after his wedding he met a funeral procession that greatly impressed him. He decided to maintain his chastity and later became a disciple of a local ascetic. After eight years of asceticism, he retired to the desert and devoted himself to studying the life of St Anthony.
Construction of the monastery-fortress began in the 6th century, but it is believed that it was not completed until the 7th century, the age of the structure being determined thanks to paintings in the rock caves. The original structure had walls ten metres high and towers that were used as observation posts. From a platform on the peak of the hill, the monks could see for several kilometres in all directions. The monastery was rebuilt in the 10th century, but was destroyed in 1173 by Saladin out of concern that it might serve as a refuge for Nubian Christians who were raiding southern Egypt. By the end of the 13th century, the complex, which was once one of the largest monasteries in Egypt and housed over 1,000 monks, was abandoned. The reason for this was the drying up of the nearby reservoirs and frequent raids by marauders from the desert.
Although much of the monastery lies in ruins, much is well preserved. Of considerable architectural interest is the church, being an example of the construction of oblong convex Christian structures in Egypt. The tower, which served as a residential complex, is also unique. In addition, the large number of tombstones in the monastery cemetery are invaluable sources for the study of early Christian tombstones in the Nile Valley, and the monastery's kilns are invaluable for the study of archaic Aswan pottery.
The monastery is divided by a cliff into two natural terraces. The terraces are surrounded by a relatively thin, six-metre high trapezoidal wall with two gates to access each terrace. The lower part of this wall is made of rough stone, while the upper part was made of raw brick, and sentries were on duty in the tower. It is assumed that in ancient times the walls were much higher than ten metres, today you can see a small stone section of the wall, the bricks have long been destroyed. On the lower terrace are the original rock caves of the saints, a church with a baptistery, as well as accommodation for pilgrims, an eastern entrance gate and a defence tower. This is followed by an inner courtyard and a vestibule leading to the vaulted monastery.
The inner temple was built no later than the first half of the eleventh century and is the oldest of its kind in Egypt. Only its lower part has survived to our days. According to documents, the temple had a nave and two side aisles, the domes were octagonal, different in size. A separate room at the eastern end of the southern aisle served as a baptistery. A rock grotto (an ancient Egyptian tomb, as it was later discovered) at the western end of the north aisle of the church was used by the monks as a dwelling. It may have been the dwelling of Anbal Khatre himself. Behind the eastern wall of the church are several monks' cells, each with three stone beds.
A number of frescoes from the 11th-12th centuries have survived, but most of them are badly damaged or even destroyed. One can distinguish an image of Christ on a throne with a book on one knee, his right hand raised in blessing, next to it is a human figure with a square halo in a prayer pose, below this scene the walls are decorated with arches and sails. The floor of the temple is paved with burnt brick, on which there are traces of seven earthen rings, which were the bases of the seats.
A massive three-storey building survives on the upper terrace, which towers above the ruins. Inside there were separate cells for monks, a refectory, a kitchen and several halls. Also found were an oil press, granite millstones, a mill and bakery, a wine press, warehouses, stables, tanks for collecting water, and a dryer for extracting salt.
The cemetery of the monastery contains about two hundred tombstones, many of which date from the 6th to 9th centuries.
