The Red Monastery

This monastery is thought to have been built in the 4th century and dedicated to St Bishoi (not to be confused with the Bishoi of Wadi Natrun). Officially it is known as the Monastery of Saints Bishoi and Bigol. It was so named by the locals because of the red bricks used in the construction. It is a smaller version of the White Monastery.

We came to see the frescoes on the wall of the church

The antique paintings here has made this church the most important historical church in Egypt.

It can only be found here and no where else in Egypt

Conservation works began sometime in 1999

After nearly a decade of painstaking conservation works, the frescoes were brought back to life

A priest of the monastery

The White Monastery

This Coptic monastery was built in 400 AD by St Shenouda. White limestones from local Pharaonic temples were used to built this monastery and hence its name. The monastery was once home to 2,000 monks. Today little remains within its high fortress walls apart from a church dedicated to its founder.

Officially known as The Monastery of St Shenouda

Some  remaining columns of the church

Christ in Majesty

Cloth draped Cross

representing the resurrected Christ

Steps to the Chapel of Archangel Michael

Breakfast at the hotel

Today we will visit the White Monastery and the Red Monastery in Sohag. Then we will travel further south to Abydos and Dendera

Diamond Azur Hotel

We spent the night in Sohag at this hotel.

Our balcony in front of River Nile

We watched the sun rise in the morning

Wanas Cafe

We had dinner here before going to the hotel.

Aish as usual

Grilled chicken

It was cold in here

Sohag

We continued our drive south towards Sohag.

The car that took us from Cairo to Luxor

Pit stop

Tomb of Ay

Luckily our driver came to pick us and send us back to the Tomb of Ay. This is the finest tomb in Amarna in terms of preservation and workmanship. Ay was a vizier of Akhenaten. He became pharoah upon the death of Tutankhamun and was buried in the Valley of the Kings in Thebes.

The tomb is behind her

Cartouches on the pillar

Unfinished pillars

Ay and his wife Tiye

A fine carving of Ay's hair

Akhenaten and Nefertiti worshipping Aten