The church, baptistry, basilicas, public buildings, streets, monasteries, houses and workshops in this early Christian holy city were built over the tomb of the martyr Menas of Alexandria, who died in A.D. 296.

Brief synthesis Abu Mena is located south of Alexandria, between Wadi el-Natrun and Alexandria itself. It represents the development of an early Christian pilgrimage Centre from the 5th to the 7th centuries AD. Growing up around the tomb of the martyred Saint Mena, which was thought to cause miracles, the ancient pilgrimage Centre developed into an unparalleled, sprawling complex of early Christian monastic architecture. The site is an outstanding example of a major, early Christian monasticism and pilgrimage Centre with a distinctive artistic character, blending Egyptian architectural traditions with those of Europe and Asia Minor that advanced Christian practices. The site was important in attracting Christian pilgrims in antiquity and represents a mixture of religious, funerary and living architecture. In addition to the built remains in situ, papyrus and ostraca found at the site are exhibited in several museums around the world and attest to the international significance of the property. The archaeological site contains the remains of a large ecclesiastical complex with a baptistery and two churches at its Centre, which, along with the Tomb church with the cave of the Saint and the cruciform shaped pilgrim’s church, form one large architectural complex. Two other churches are situated in the northern and eastern neighbourhoods. The so-called Eastern Church represents the spiritual Centre of the monastic settlement in the area. Besides these churches, several public buildings serve as pilgrims’ rest houses. Two public baths, several workshops and cisterns as well as olive, oil, raisin, wine presses and pottery kilns, are to be found at the property as well as the remains of the civil settlement around the ecclesiastical buildings. The main buildings were constructed with ashlar masonry of limestone set in lime mortar, the columns were usually made of marble and evidence exists of mosaic decoration. Simpler buildings were erected using mud bricks covered with a…