St Anthony's Monastery is the oldest Coptic monastery in Egypt. According to Legend has it that St Anthony, orphaned at the age of 18, retired to the mountains to become a hermit and serve God. After his death in the 4th century, this monastery was founded on his tomb. on his tomb. The monastery has been repeatedly attacked by Bedouins and Muslims.
The monastery includes not only a temple and cells to house 25 monks, but also several chapels, a bakery, a mill, a library, a refectory and outbuildings. outbuildings. The church of St Anthony itself is decorated with magnificent frescoes from the 13th century.
Eighty kilometres from the monastery of St. Anthony is the monastery of St. Paul. According to According to legend, Paul was born into a wealthy Alexandrian family, but at the age of 16 he went into the desert and became a hermit. For several decades he lived in a cave, like St Anthony, around which he later lived. Anthony, around which the monastery subsequently grew.
The main church of the monastery of St Paul is decorated with frescoes depicting the Virgin Mary with the Child and the archangels. A high Tower, where water from a hidden spring was stored, which saved the monks from death from death during Bedouin attacks.
