Which Byzantine monastery on Mount Sinai was built around the Church of the Transfiguration under Justinian I?

Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai was built around the Church of the Transfiguration under Justinian I.

The monastery stands at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt, a location associated with Moses and the biblical revelation of the Ten Commandments. Emperor Justinian I ordered the fortified monastery and church complex in the sixth century, helping protect monks from local attacks.

The Church of the Transfiguration is a basilica with a nave, side aisles, and a prominent apse. Its enclosure walls and defensive character reflect the difficult desert setting as well as the religious importance of the site. The monastery later became associated with Saint Catherine of Alexandria, whose relics were believed to have been discovered nearby.

It remains one of the oldest continuously functioning Christian monasteries. Its library and icon collection are also exceptionally important for the study of Byzantine Christianity.