The Fortress of Babylon is located in Old Cairo.

The Fortress of Babylon goes back to the early Roman era when a Roman legion was stationed in this strategically located region at the apex of the Nile Delta to protect the city.

The Emperors Trajan (98-117 A.D.) and Arcadius (117-117 A.D.) are said to have extended and strengthened the structure (395-408).

Even though the Fortress was tragically destroyed at the beginning of the twentieth century, it is still regarded to be one of the finest surviving military fortifications from the Roman era.

The majority of the walls are constructed of three regular layers of red bricks alternated with five stone layers, which are all cemented together with a mortar made of sand, lime, pebbles, and charcoal.

The remaining walls are constructed of bricks and stone.

The walls were built in an unusual five-sided pattern, with multiple semicircular bastions interspersed throughout.

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The western side of the castle, which faced the Nile, lacked bastions, but it did include a drawbridge with two large circular towers, each approximately 33 meters in diameter, which were unusual for Roman fortifications.

Between these two towers is now the entrance of the Coptic Museum, which is located between them.

The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George, which is located above the north tower, was erected in the late 19th century.

It is possible to enter an inner court from the garden of the Old Wing of the Coptic Museum, which is flanked on both sides by two huge projecting semi-circular towers.

Another entrance facing south is flanked on both sides by two big projecting semi-circular towers leading into an inner court.

The Church of Al-Moallaqa, which stands above this doorway, was constructed in the late 19th century.

Before the Arab invasion of Egypt, we do not know the churches that were located inside the Fortress of Babylon.

However, it is known that Cyrus, Bishop of Babylon, participated in the Council of Ephesus, which took place in 449 A.D., and it is unlikely that his cathedral was the only church in Babylon.

Also on exhibit in the Coptic Museum are wonderful pieces of the woodwork from the churches of Saint Sergius, Saint Barbara, and Al-Mu’allaqat, which date back to the early Christian period.

In contrast, it is strange that these churches thrived inside a fully working Roman and Byzantine military fortification; one of them, Al-Moallaqa, was erected over one of the castle’s entrance gateways, which seems out of place.

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