The World Heritage Organisation (WHO) has offered the antiquities ministry a grant of $100,000 to help restore the Abu Mina monastery in Alexandria.
The monastery is one of the oldest Christian sites in Egypt, and was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (WHL) in 1979.
It includes a baptistery, basilicas, public buildings, streets, houses and workshops.
The monastery was built to commemorate Menas (d. 296 AD), an officer in Diocletian’s army who refused to kill Christians and publicly declared his Christianity.
Abu Mena city complex grew rapidly during the 5th and 6th century and became a pilgrimage centre.
Few remains of the original city are standing but the foundations of most major buildings, such as its great basilica, are still visible.
Located in an agricultural area, several monastery buildings collapsed because the clay soil underneath became unstable due to underground water. The authorities placed sand in the bases of endangered buildings at the site.
In 2001, Abu Mena monastery was added to the WHO list of endangered sites.
Antiquities ministry official Shadia Mohamed said the grant was provided to finance a project to protect and restore the wall surrounding Abu Mena.
The project also aims to provide a complete study of the tomb of St Mena and protect it from further leakage of underground water.
Tourist information signs in Arabic and English will also be installed to encourage visitors.
Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/97878.aspx
Heritage grant to restore Alexandria monastery
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- LovelyLadyLux
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Re: Heritage grant to restore Alexandria monastery
Maybe it is me but while I'm glad there is interest in the restoration of Alexandria Monastery it doesn't seem to me that $100,000 is going to go very far. Better than nothing but seems a pittance (especially when one considers what the Powers that BE will invest into armaments). When one consider the huge $$ amounts spent on some things the amounts spent on history and keeping our past alive are typically very scant and small.
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Re: Heritage grant to restore Alexandria monastery
And don't forget it was only last week that some loony Egyptian guy wanted to get rid of the monks in St Catherines Monastery because they were Greek The mind boggles
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