The Hanging Churchالكنيسة المعلقة

The church's Arabic name, Al-Mu'allaqa, means "the Suspended" or "the Hanging," and it is wonderfully apt. The church was built on top of the southern gatehouse of the Roman Fortress of Babylon, with its nave suspended over the old passage between the gate's two towers. Visitors climb a flight of steps to reach it, and a glass panel inside lets you peer down to the space below. One of the oldest churches in Egypt, its origins reach back to the early centuries of Christianity.

The interior is exquisite. A beautiful wooden roof, shaped like the hull of an ark, covers the nave, recalling Noah's ark. A delicate marble pulpit rests on slender columns, and the church holds a renowned collection of ancient icons, many of great age and beauty. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the church has long been one of the most important in the Coptic Orthodox tradition, and at times served as the seat of the Coptic Pope.

The Hanging Church stands at the very heart of Old Cairo's Coptic quarter, a short walk from the Coptic Museum, the Church of Abu Serga, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. A place of living worship and deep devotion, it draws both pilgrims and visitors. Modest dress is appreciated, as in any place of worship. Beautiful, ancient, and serene, it is the essential highlight of Coptic Cairo.

• What it is: a historic Coptic Orthodox church in Old Cairo.
• Arabic name: الكنيسة المعلقة (the Hanging Church / Al-Mu'allaqa).
• Famous for: being built atop a Roman gatehouse, suspended above the passage.
• Dedicated to: the Virgin Mary; among Egypt's oldest churches.
• Inside: an ark-shaped wooden roof, a marble pulpit, and ancient icons.
• Where: the heart of Coptic Old Cairo.

Sources include standard histories of Coptic Cairo. Some traditions are religious in nature.