Attraction Details
Overview
Church of Saint George
The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George in Old Cairo is one of the most distinctive religious buildings in the Coptic Quarter — a circular church, unusually built on top of one of the two round towers of the ancient Roman fortress of Babylon, giving it a unique circular floor plan that follows the curve of the Roman fortification below. The current building dates to 1909, rebuilt after a devastating fire destroyed the previous medieval church structure. Despite its relatively recent construction, the site has been a place of Christian worship since at least the 10th century CE, making it one of the oldest continuously sacred Christian sites in Cairo.
The church is dedicated to Saint George — the dragon-slaying warrior saint venerated across multiple Christian traditions — and is one of the very few Greek Orthodox churches in Egypt, maintained by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria rather than the Coptic Orthodox Church that governs most Old Cairo churches. The distinction is visible in the liturgical language (Greek rather than Coptic) and the iconographic style, which follows the Byzantine tradition more closely than the distinctive Coptic style of the adjacent Coptic churches.
Beneath the church, a medieval hall belonging to the earlier structure survived the 1909 fire and can be visited — it contains a striking chain and manacle display representing Saint George’s imprisonment, used in traditional healing rituals by both Christian and Muslim visitors who wrap themselves in chains while praying for cures, a practice that reflects the syncretic popular religious culture of Egypt.
History & Significance
The site occupied by Saint George’s Church has been a place of worship since the Roman period. The round tower of Babylon’s fortress, on which the church is built, was part of the fortification constructed by Emperor Trajan around 100 CE. The association with Saint George began in the early medieval period, when the site was developed as a Greek Orthodox foundation — reflecting Alexandria’s historic role as a Greek city and the presence of a Greek Christian community in Cairo.
The medieval church that stood here was reportedly one of the most impressive in Cairo before the fire of 1904 (some sources give different dates) that destroyed most of the original structure. Only the medieval undercroft — the lower hall with its chain tradition — survived. The current circular church building was completed in 1909 on the ruins of the medieval structure, its architecture deliberately following the curve of the Roman tower beneath.
The chain ritual associated with the church has been practiced for centuries and is noted in traveler accounts from the medieval period. Its syncretic character — attracting both Christian and Muslim worshippers seeking healing — reflects the longstanding pattern of shared sacred sites in Egyptian popular religion.
What to See
Circular Church Interior
The circular floor plan following the curve of the Roman tower below is unique among Cairo's churches — the curved nave and apse create a distinctive spatial experience unlike any conventional basilica plan.
Medieval Undercroft with Chains
The surviving medieval hall beneath the church contains original chains and manacles used in a traditional healing ritual where worshippers wrap themselves while praying — one of Egypt's most unusual active religious practices.
Byzantine Icon Screen
The iconostasis in the Greek Orthodox Byzantine tradition, with icons in a style distinct from the Coptic churches immediately adjacent — a visible expression of the difference between the two Christian traditions.
Photo Gallery
Visitor Information
Daily 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
⛔ Closed: NeverModest dress required
Photography is free
Partially accessible
💡 Visitor Tips
Location & Map
🚕 How to Get There
Located at Mar Girgis metro station in Old Cairo — the church tower is visible directly from the station; exit the station and the church entrance is within the Coptic compound.
