Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
St Simon "The Tanner" Cavern Church

Saint Simon Cavern Church is a masterpiece of architecture engraved deep in the Mokattam mountain and located in Zabbaleen Neighborhood or the "Garbage Neighborhood" in ancient Cairo. This Huge Cavern was discovered in 1974 filled with tons of stones even up to the ceiling of the cave (17 meters from the ground) but with the help of the garbage collectors of Cairo who live just around the church, it was prepared in 1991 to accommodate more than 2,000 people. Sunlight breaks through the rocks of the cavern lighting the altar while also highlighting the engraved walls with scenarios from the Bible.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2023
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Cairo, Mokattam mountain, Zabbaleen Neighborhood, Egypt
Camera: SM-C5000
Copyright: © Bishoy Romani Amin Habib