Wadi El Natrun Monasteries

What is Wadi El Natrun?

Wadi El Natrun is the Scetis of early Christian writings, one of the birthplaces of Christian monasticism, where thousands of hermits once lived in cells around a few central churches. St Macarius the Great settled here in the 4th century, and the sayings of the 'Desert Fathers' of Scetis shaped monastic life from Ireland to Russia. Raids by desert tribes led the communities to build high walls and keeps (towers of refuge), which still define the monasteries today.

The valley takes its name from natron, the natural salt collected from its lakes since pharaonic times and used in mummification. Of dozens of early monasteries, four survive, all belonging to the Coptic Orthodox Church and all still home to working communities of monks, several of them revived and much enlarged since the mid-20th century.

Which monasteries can you visit, and what will you see?

St Bishoy and the Syrian Monastery, which sit close together, are the easiest to visit and the most rewarding for a first trip; Baramus is a short drive north, and St Macarius has generally restricted visits.

• Monastery of St Bishoy (Deir Anba Bishoy): the largest, with a 4th-century foundation, an old church holding the relics of St Bishoy, a keep reached by a drawbridge, and the tomb of Pope Shenouda III, who died in 2012 and is visited by many Coptic pilgrims.
• The Syrian Monastery (Deir el-Suryan): named for the Syrian monks who lived here from the 8th century. Its Church of the Virgin has wall paintings of the Annunciation, Nativity and Dormition uncovered by restorers, and a carved and inlaid ebony screen. The monastery was famous for its library of Syriac manuscripts, many now in European collections. Monks show visitors the tamarind tree said to have grown from the staff of St Ephrem.
• Monastery of Baramus: traditionally the oldest of the four, rebuilt and expanded, with a quieter atmosphere.
• Monastery of St Macarius (Deir Abu Maqar): the spiritual heart of the valley, but visits have often been limited to pilgrims or by arrangement; ask in advance.

When can you visit?

The monasteries generally receive visitors in the daytime, but they may close to visitors during the major fasts, especially the weeks before Easter and Christmas, so check before you go. Opening patterns are not published centrally and change with the Coptic calendar. Fridays, Saturdays and Coptic feast days bring crowds of Egyptian families and church groups; a weekday morning is quieter. Coptic Christmas falls on 7 January and Easter follows the Orthodox calendar, often a week or more after Western Easter.

What etiquette should you follow?

Dress as for church, follow the monk who guides you, and remember these are places of prayer rather than museums.

• Clothing: long trousers or skirts, covered shoulders; a scarf is useful for women and some churches ask for it.
• Shoes: you may be asked to remove them before entering a sanctuary area.
• Photography: ask first, especially inside churches and of monks.
• Quiet: do not wander into areas marked for monks only or interrupt a service.
• Donation: tours by monks are not usually charged, but a donation in the church box is appropriate. The bookshops sell icons, honey and other produce made by the communities.

What is monastic life like there today?

Far from being museums, the monasteries are thriving: the 20th-century revival of Coptic monasticism filled them with new monks, many of them graduates who left professional careers. Under Pope Shenouda III, himself a monk of the Syrian Monastery, and through figures such as Father Matta el-Meskeen, who led a community that revived St Macarius from 1969, the old walled cores were surrounded by new cells, guesthouses, churches and farms.

Today the monasteries cultivate large areas of reclaimed desert, growing olives, dates and vegetables and keeping bees and livestock. Monks still keep the ancient rhythm of night prayers and the liturgy, and many visitors find the calm of the old churches the most memorable part of the day. If you would like to attend part of a service, ask your guide to arrange it with the monastery beforehand.

How do you combine Wadi El Natrun with Alexandria?

Visit the monasteries on the drive from Cairo to Alexandria: Wadi El Natrun is roughly halfway, about 1.5 hours from Giza and another 1.5 hours to Alexandria, and two monasteries add around three hours to the journey. Leave Cairo early, see St Bishoy and the Syrian Monastery in the morning, have lunch at a rest stop on the desert road and reach Alexandria by late afternoon.

Our Christian Egypt and the Holy Family journey follows this route, alongside Coptic Cairo and the Cave Church. For a quick look at the coastal city on its own, see the Alexandria day trip from Cairo.