Saint Catherine Area (Hide) The Orthodox Monastery of St
Catherine stands at the foot of Mount Horeb where, the Old
Testament records, Moses received the Tablets of the Law. The
mountain is known and revered by Muslims as Jebel Musa. The
entire area is sacred to three world religions: Christianity,
Islam, and Judaism. The Monastery, founded in the 6th century,
is the oldest Christian monastery still in use for its initial
function. Its walls and buildings of great significance to
studies of Byzantine architecture and the Monastery houses
outstanding collections of early Christian manuscripts and
icons. The rugged mountainous landscape, containing numerous
archaeological and religious sites and monuments, forms a
perfect backdrop to the Monastery.