Wood screen at the Coptic Church of el-Mu'allakah. Old Cairo, Egypt

"Coptic architecture is best illustrated by their churches and monasteries, although the beginning of Coptic Christian architecture is obscure. Five old churches still exist in Old Cairo. One of the most beautiful churches among them is el-Mu'allakah or the "Hanging Church", dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which was built over the Byzantine keep on the walls of the ancient fortress of Babylon and was the seat of the Coptic Patriarchs from the eleventh to the fourteenth century." [Watterson B., 1988: Coptic Egypt. Scottish Academy Press]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was working on "The Nile" project and traveled to Africa from March 14, 1961 to March 31, 1961, visiting Egypt.