Alexandria, Egypt | May 2025 – Egypt has successfully drained the groundwater threatening the centuries-old site of Saint Menas, a key Christian pilgrimage location near Alexandria, in an effort to have it removed from the United Nations’ list of endangered world heritage sites.
Top Egyptian antiquities officials, including the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Ismail, along with Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, and the director of UNESCO’s regional office for Egypt and Sudan, Nuria Sanz, toured the site on Tuesday.
The Saint Menas complex, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1979, was added to the agency’s endangered sites list in 2001 due to rising groundwater that damaged ancient ruins, including churches, baptistries, basilicas, and pilgrims’ facilities.
Egyptian officials say the draining operation, completed in 2022, significantly reduced water levels, but further restoration is needed. “We managed to lower the water table and maintain the archaeological structures,” said Ismail, adding that Egypt aims to have the site removed from the endangered list by next year.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy also participated in the site visit.
The site’s significance dates back to the early days of Christianity, when the burial of Saint Menas, a Christian martyr, became a magnet for pilgrims traveling to and from Jerusalem. Over time, the area evolved into a bustling pilgrimage hub, featuring churches, public buildings, houses, workshops, and facilities for travelers.
“People started to come to this place, and it transformed into a destination with a church, rooms, and eventually a full city,” explained Priest Taddaeus Ava Mina.
Today, visitors can still see the ruins of marble columns and remnants of the ancient structures, alongside a modern church built on the original altar site.
Egypt’s restoration effort reflects the government’s broader goal to protect cultural heritage and boost tourism.
