St. Catherine - history and surroundings
St. Catherine lies at the foot of the High Mountain Range in Sinai. The town
St. Katherine was established in 1988. When the asphalt road, which connects the area to the seaside resorts, was completed, tourist numbers visiting the now easy accessible Monastery of St. Catherine increased dramatically and many of the Bedouins in anticipation to make a living from the flourishing tourist trade moved to the small settlements located around the Monastery. The town provides all the facilities like schools, banks, shopping center, a hospital, and of course hotels.
A jump through history:
The high mountain range is known for its wealth and spirituality. Since the early Pharaonic times the high mountain range was known as the ‘land of turquoise and copper'. It is generally understood that the 
Exodus from Egypt (approx 13th century BCE) went through Sinai. In search of historical proof of biblical events early Christian travelers (particularly Emperor Constantine and his mother Empress Helena) identified Mount Moses as the mountain where Moses received the 10 Commandments and nearby Wadi Raha at the foot of Mount Safsafa as the campsite where the Israelites made and worshipped the Golden Calf waiting for Moses to return. A rock formation at the foot of Ras Safsafa resembles a cow and it is said that this is the place.
Another famous biblical prophet visited the area. Prophet Eliyahu fled to St. Catherine seeking refuge from the rage of Queen Jezebel and legend holds that the cave in a chapel on Mount Moses dedicated to the Prophet is the site where he communicated with God.
The Romans, too, left their imprints. The oldest settlement which once 
accommodated Roman soldiers lies in Wadi El Sebaiya, east of the Monastery. During the Byzantine era (about 300 CE – 700 CE) the mountains provided solitude to many Christian monks, who renounced worldly pursuits in order to fully devote their life to spiritual work. Ruins of Byzantine churches and monastic settlements are found scattered all over the high mountain range. In the 6th century Emperor Justinian fortified one of these chapels to protect the monks from persecution. The chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary was built in order of Empress Helena. The fortified monastery, which became later known as the St. Catherine Monastery was built by workers who were brought in from the Empire. These people stayed on and were referred to as ‘mountain people' or Jebeliya by the local Bedouin tribes. They assimilated and intermarried with the Bedouin of the region.
In the 7th century with the arrival of Islam, a letter purportedly written by the Prophet Muhammad granted safety to the monks of the monastery. The Crusaders lefts their signs in form of their crosses carved into the walls of the fortress. But in general the area was too remote and inaccessible to attract the attention of the world. Only in very recent times St. Catherine became one of the most visited places in Egypt.
The High Mountains, in fact the highest mountains in Egypt, literally surround the town. Many small valleys lead from the basin to the mountains in all directions. The high altitude provides a pleasant climate, with refreshing cool summer nights and warm and sunny winter days. St. Catherine is the only region in Egypt which every now and then witness snow. St. Catherine has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Area iIn 2000
The St. Katherine Protectorate is Egypt 's most picturesque national park. One of the primary goals of the Protectorate is the preservation of the bio-diversity in this fragile eco-system.
The 4,350 square kilometer natural park recorded 317 different flora species of which 19 are found nowhere else in the world. Approximately 35 reptile species live within this unique ecosystem, many of which are endemic. Among the many mammal species are rock hyrax, Nubian ibex, Dorcas gazelle, red fox, wild cats and hyenas. More difficult to locate is the recently discovered Sinai baton blue, the world's smallest butterfly.
published November 30, 2007
Source: Angela