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The Mount Sinai is also known as
Mount Musa, Mount Horeb, Jabal Musa or Gebel Musa. The mountain
has a height of 2285 meters and it is situated close to the
Saint Catherine monastery. A Greek orthodox chapel and a mosque
are at the mountain’s summit. The chapel dates from 1934 when it
was built on the ruins of a church from 16th century. The two
constructions are closed for the public. It is said that in the
chapel is the rock used by God to make the Law’s Tablets. The
chapel is small; it is also called the Burning Bush and is
dedicated to the Holy Trinity. In the chapel` s Western wall is
a cleft in a rock which seems to had connection with Moses.
More, the cave of Moses, where he waited to find the Ten
Commandments is at the mountain’s summit. The plateau called
Elijah’s Plateau is situated below the chapel. There is no
wonder then that the Mount Sinai is surrounded by mystery and
adulation. To climb this mountain you have to be in good shape;
in almost 3 hours you can climb the peak on the Moses’ path. The
stairway has about 4.000 steps; up the opposite part is a longer
route. The people who come to the Mount Sinai also visit the
Burning Bush, the Monastery of Saint Catherine, the ar-Raaha
plain and the Elijah's Plateau. The Elijah's Basin is almost 750
steps below the Burning Blush. Jebel Safsafa is situated on the
Elijah's Plateau` s North West; it is the place where the
Byzantine hermit Saint Gregory lived and also prayed. The
ar-Raaha Plain is situated below Ras Safsafa`s 2168 meters
summit; there Moses rose the first temple. |
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