CAIRO, 28 August 2021: US Ambassador to Cairo, Jonathan R. Cohen, visited on Saturday the White Monastery in Sohag, a striking example of Egypt’s pluralism and cultural past.
The official Twitter account of the Embassy posted a tweet, saying, "Ambassador Jonathan R. Cohen visits the White Monastery in #Sohag, a striking example of Egypt’s pluralism and cultural past! The United States is an enduring partner in preserving #Egypt’s antiquities and cultural heritage."
The Ambassador admired the restoration work of the iconic Red Monastery.
The monastery is considered one of the oldest Coptic monuments in Egypt built on the ruins of a Pharaonic city.
Only a limestone church built in the shape of a basilica is left of the monastery, which is a structure, a bowl and two wings, measuring 91 x 01 m with limestone facades rising to approximately 29 meters.
On the southern, western and northern sides, an industrial zone of handicrafts is located. Al-Maqrizi mentioned that the area is about five acres, only a quarter remains for the church.
The Supreme Council of Antiquities carried out a project of architectural restoration of the church, which included the whole church and the walls of the northeast corner. The church plate, halls and the well chamber were re-tiled using limestone of the Maasranic type.
The northeast corner of the church was dismantled and the stone staircase was re-installed. An iron corridor was rehabilitated and the walls were reinstalled again after numbering the bricks.
The American Research Center has also carried out meticulous architectural restoration to the monastery where the mission strengthened the separation wall between the courtyard and the Western Hall with limestone, in addition to the restoration of the southwestern corner.
Sat, Aug. 28, 2021
