Saint Catherine’s Monastery

Overview

During the period of seventh century, the prophet Mohammad dictated a long document granting protection to the monastery and exempting it from taxes. A copy of it can be seen hanging in the Icon Gallery, next to Napoleon’s letter of protection written in 1798. Ottoman armies was built mosque inside the Monastery’s walls in 1381.that the complex was partly Muslim, saving it from destruction. Since the eleventh century the Monastery has been known as St Catherine’s Monastery. Its library contains a collection of 5000 books and over 3000 manuscripts (most of which are in Greek), including some of the most ancient and important in the world, and is considered second only to that of the Vatican. Throughout its history, also the monastery has received gifts from popes, Christian princes.