Quick answer
St Catherine's Monastery is a Greek Orthodox monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai, built under Emperor Justinian in the 6th century around the bush venerated as the Burning Bush. It holds one of the world's finest collections of early icons and a library second only to the Vatican's for early manuscripts, but it opens to visitors only on limited mornings.
A short history of the monastery
Monks have lived at this spot since at least the 4th century, and the fortress-like monastery you see today was built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian between about 548 and 565 to protect them. Tradition says Empress Helena, mother of Constantine, first marked the site of the Burning Bush with a chapel in the 4th century. Justinian's granite walls, up to about 20 metres high on one side, still enclose the whole community.
The monastery later took the name of St Catherine of Alexandria, a 4th-century martyr whose relics, by tradition, were found by monks on the summit of nearby Mount Catherine. It has never been sacked, which is why so much survived inside: icons that escaped Byzantine iconoclasm, manuscripts in a dozen languages, and a small Fatimid-era mosque built within the walls in the early 12th century. A copy of the Ashtiname, a charter of protection attributed to the Prophet Muhammad, is displayed inside.
The Burning Bush and the Basilica of the Transfiguration
The bush venerated as the Burning Bush is a bramble growing against the outside wall of the Chapel of the Burning Bush, behind the basilica's apse, and visitors see it from the courtyard. Monks have tended it for centuries, and it is said that cuttings planted elsewhere have never taken. The chapel itself, built over its original roots, is usually closed to visitors.
The Basilica of the Transfiguration is Justinian's original 6th-century church, with its carved wooden doors, granite columns and dozens of silver lamps. Its glory is the apse mosaic of the Transfiguration, one of the finest early Byzantine mosaics anywhere, though you will usually glimpse it only from the nave. Nearby is the Well of Moses, where tradition says Moses met his wife Zipporah.
Icons and the Sacred Sacristy
St Catherine's holds one of the most important collections of icons in the world, including some of the very few to survive from before the iconoclasm of the 8th and 9th centuries. The best known is a 6th-century Christ Pantocrator painted in encaustic (pigment in hot wax), its two sides of the face subtly different.
A selection of icons, manuscripts, vestments and liturgical silver is shown in the monastery museum, the Sacred Sacristy, which may have separate hours and an entry fee. If icons are a priority, ask us to check that it will be open on your day. Photography inside the basilica is not usually permitted.
The library and the Codex Sinaiticus
The library holds thousands of ancient manuscripts, in Greek, Arabic, Syriac, Georgian and other languages, making it one of the oldest working libraries in the world. Its best-known treasure is no longer here: the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th-century handwritten Greek Bible, was taken to Russia by the scholar Konstantin von Tischendorf in 1859, and most of it was sold by the Soviet government to the British Museum in 1933. It now lives in the British Library.
In 1975 monks found a sealed room containing further leaves of the codex and many other manuscripts, which remain at the monastery. The library was restored and reopened in 2017. It is a working research library rather than a sight, so ordinary visitors do not go in.
When is St Catherine's open?
At the time of writing the monastery opens to visitors only for a few hours on limited mornings, and closes on some days of the week and on Orthodox religious holidays. Hours have changed several times in recent years, and the monastery can close at short notice for church events, so confirm before you travel and plan your Mount Sinai climb so you are back at the gate when it opens.
Entry to the monastery itself has traditionally been free, with donations welcome; the museum may charge. Arrive early: groups from Sharm and Dahab coming down off the mountain create a queue at the narrow gate.
Planning your visit
Base yourself in St Catherine village for a night, climb Mount Sinai before dawn and visit the monastery as it opens. The village is about 3 hours by road from Sharm el-Sheikh and about 2–2.5 hours from Dahab. Our Mount Sinai guide covers the climb.
- Dress: shoulders and knees covered for everyone; women may like a scarf. See what to wear in Egypt.
- Behaviour: this is a working monastery; keep voices low, and do not photograph monks without asking.
- Pilgrims: our Christian Egypt tour and the guide to Christian sites in Egypt place St Catherine's in the wider story.
- Travel advice: check Smartraveller or SafeTravel for South Sinai, and read UNESCO's listing for background.
St Catherine's Monastery: FAQs
Is St Catherine's Monastery open every day?
No. At the time of writing it opens only on limited mornings and closes on some days of the week and on religious holidays. Check the current schedule before you go.
Can you see the Burning Bush?
Yes. The bush grows against the outside of the Chapel of the Burning Bush and can be seen from the courtyard when the monastery is open.
Is the Codex Sinaiticus at St Catherine's?
Most of it is in the British Library in London. Leaves found in a sealed room in 1975 remain at the monastery, but the library is not open to ordinary visitors.
Do I have to climb Mount Sinai to visit the monastery?
No. The monastery is at the foot of the mountain beside the car park, and many travellers visit it without climbing.
What should I wear?
Covered shoulders and knees for men and women, and comfortable shoes. A scarf is useful for women but not usually required.
