Tour Garbage City and Saint Samaan Cave church

Egypt is a world famous destination. Impressive Egyptian History – check; colossal monuments – check; impressive landscapes – check; extreme poverty – check that one too. But, most travelers who visit Egypt seem to skip that one last check. Nothing wrong with skipping it, but it is important to know that Egypt is not just the grandeur of its imperial past.Garbage City is a slum settlement at the base of Mokattam Hill on the outskirts of Cairo, and inhabited by the Coptic Christians. This was the first place I got to experience out of all Cairo.community of garbage collectors who make their living collecting and recycling 17, 000 tons of garbage produced by Cairo's 20 million residents.seven beautiful cave churches unexpectedly rise against the backdrop of Mokattam hills. Located in southeast Cairo, these Coptic Christian churches were created by the garbage collectors. To reach the monastery, visitors must traverse winding pathways past heaps of collected trash within the Garbage City Seven churches and chapels are hidden within a series of caves inside the Monastery; the Virgin Mary and St. Simon Cathedral is the largest church. Inside the spacious caverns, beautiful engravings cover the walls, While walking the chaotic streets of Garbage City, you will understand in a small degree how their economy moves. Families specialize in a particular type of garbage .

Garbage City might not have the glory of Egypt’s past and of its monuments, but it is a place I recommend everyone to visit as it shows a face no one cares to see, but that is very ever present not only in Cairo, but in many parts of the world.

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Tomb of Pabasa (TT279)

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