Monastery of Saint Catherine

The Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine stands at the foot of Mount Sinai, in Egypt, and is considered one of the oldest continuously active Christian monasteries in the world. Its foundation dates back to the time of Emperor Justinian I, in the 6th century, on the spot where tradition places the burning bush of Moses.

The site is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and holds one of the most important collections of Byzantine icons and manuscripts to have survived to our day, largely thanks to its isolation in the Sinai desert.

Bruno Balestrini's aerial photograph belongs to a body of work documenting Byzantine architecture in the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East — a set of shots that, in its logic and organisation, is linked to the “History of World Architecture” publishing series (Electa / Harry N. Abrams).