Wilson, Charles W. [Hrsg.]; Fenn, Harry [Ill.]: Picturesque Palestine: Sinai and Egypt ; in 2 volumes (Band 2) (New York, 1883)

THE CONVENT OF ST. CATHERINE,

235

The Church of the Trans-
figuration is an early Christian
basilica, traditionally ascribed
to Justinian, and the interior is
a very imposing specimen of
Greek ecclesiastical decoration
(see page 233). The church is
entered by a porch, and a flight
of steps descends beyond it.
Each of the lofty walls, bearing
the entablature of the nave,
rests on thick columns of granite,
the capitals of which are adorned
with boldly executed foliage.
The aisles are lighted by five
Byzantine windows on each side,
and are covered by a sloping
roof; the west window over the
entrance is in the form of a
cross, and is shown on this page.
The beautiful rounded apse is
adorned with mosaics of great
value, executed by
European artists as
early as the seventh
or eighth century.

THE CRESCENT AND THE CROSS.

The belfry of the church and the minaret of the mosque, standing so near to each other within the convent walls, produce a singular effect, and
strange to say the former is of very recent construction, while the latter dates from an early period.