Monastery of St. Simeon

Deir Anba Hadra was founded in the seventh century, rebuilt in the tenth, and abandoned around 1173, and because nothing was built over it afterwards it survives as a remarkably complete plan of a fortified desert monastery. The enclosure walls stand high, with a lower level of stone and an upper of mud brick, and inside are the church with traces of wall painting, a two-storey block of monks' cells with vaulted ceilings, a refectory, kitchens, ovens, stables, and a well. It sits on a rise in bare desert behind the west bank with no cultivation anywhere near, which makes the scale of the water and food logistics obvious. The approach is up a sandy slope from the river, done on foot in about twenty minutes or by camel from the landing.

What you actually see

• Standing enclosure walls - stone below, mud brick above.
• Vaulted monks' cells - a two-storey residential block still roofed.
• Church wall paintings - faded traces in the main church.
• The desert setting - bare sand in every direction from the walls.

When to go

October to April. Half a day including the crossing and the climb. Mornings are cooler for the walk up; late afternoon gives better light on the walls. Camels wait at the landing.

Honest expectations

The climb is through soft sand and harder than it looks; camel drivers push hard for business at the landing. There is no shade on the approach. The site is a ruin with limited interpretation. Boat fares need negotiating in advance.

Nearby

The Aga Khan Mausoleum is along the same bank; Elephantine lies across the water.