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Originally
built about 3.30 A.D. as a small chapel on the traditional
site of the Burning Bush . The monastery is situated at the
foot of Mount Horeb, where the most sanctified is
the Church with its priceless Icons , lamps and chapel of
Burning Bush.
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Fortress of Qa’lat el Guindi
Built by Saladin during the Crusades , these
impressive remains occupy a commanding mountain-top position
overlooking the junction of three major passes . Still visible
are the commander’s quarters , a mosque , an underground
cistern and huge vaulted storerooms.
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Wadi Gharandel
Believed to be Elim , the Israelites’ second
stopping place after crossing the Red Sea . Visited by
numerous pilgrims over the countries , this fertile oasis is
now carefully cultivated by members of the Aleigat tribe of
Bedouins.
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Temple of Hathour at Serabit El
Khadim
The neighboring copper and turquoise mines were
first exploited by the pharaohs more than 5,000 years ago .
The temple , which began as a simple cowe – shrine , was
transformed into a major temple complex during the 18th
dynasty , the golden age of pharaonic architecture , by Queen
Hatshepsut and Tut moses III.
- Tomb of Sheikh Habus
The isolated tomb of a Bedouin Sheikh stands on
a mound in the heart of the desert . Bedouin women pay their
respects by leaving scraps of clothing at the
tomb.
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Forest of Pillars
More
like a grove than a forest , this dense grouping of ancient
petrified tree-stumps , twisted and blackened by the sun , is
said to be of an extremely unusual formation. Only one other
example of it is known to exist in the world (in Russia)
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Ferian Oasis
The largest oasis in Sinai , thought by many to
be Rephidim , where the Israelites defeated the Amalekties.
During the first centuries A.D. hundreds of Christian hermits
lived in huts and caves at Feiran , which later developed into
a small monastic city , boasting a cathedral – the remains of
which , along with other stone buildings and hermit – caves ,
are still
visible. |