Abu Mena
Sign in to savetown, monastery complex and Christian pilgrimage center in Late Antique Egypt. WHS#90
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Abu Mena was an important Christian pilgrimage site and monastery complex located in Late Antique Egypt, where pilgrims came to visit religious shrines and worship. Today it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its archaeological significance in understanding early Christian religious practices and communities.
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Abu Mena (also spelled Abu Mina; Coptic: ⲁⲃⲃⲁ ⲙⲏⲛⲁ; Arabic: أبو مينا, romanized: Abū Mīnā pronounced [æbuˈmæyːnæ]) was a town, monastery complex and Christian pilgrimage centre in Late Antique Egypt, about 50 km (31 mi) southwest of Alexandria, near New Borg El Arab city. Its remains were designated a World Heritage Site in 1979 for the site's importance in early Christianity. There are very few standing remains, but the foundations of most major buildings, such as the great basilica, are easily discernible.
Recent agricultural efforts in the area have led to a significant rise in the water table, which has caused a number of the site's buildings to collapse or become unstable. The site was added to the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2001, and was finally removed from the list in 2025. Authorities were forced to place sand in the bases of buildings that are most endangered in the site.
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1905 archaeological discoveries4th-century establishments in EgyptAlexandriaArchaeological sites in EgyptChristian monasteries established in the 4th centuryCoptic Orthodox monasteriesCoptic settlementsFormer populated places in EgyptPopulated places established in the 4th centuryWorld Heritage Sites in DangerWorld Heritage Sites in Egypt