This morning, Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Tourism and
Antiquities visited Virgin Mary's Tree in Matareya to follow up on the
development of the tree and its surrounding area. It was one of the points of
the journey of the Holy Family in Egypt.
He was accompanied y Dr. Ibrahim Saber, Vice Governor of
Cairo for the Eastern Region, Dr. Mustafa Waziri, Secretary General of the
Supreme Council of Antiquities, Brigadier General Hisham Samir, Assistant
Minister for Engineering Affairs and General Supervisor of Historic Cairo,
Engineer Adel Al-Gendy, Director General of the General Administration of
Strategic Management of the Ministry and National Coordinator of the Holy
Family Path in Egypt, Dr. Nevin Nizar, Assistant Minister for Museum Affairs
and Archaeological Site Development, and Mr. Munir Ghabour, President of the
National Heritage Revival Society (Nehra).
Dr. Khaled El-Enany checked asked for modifications in the
designs of lighting units it to be consistent with the overall design of the
site. He also asked for labels to be added on the icons in the outer courtyard,
adding interactive screens to introduce the visitor to the points of the route
of the Holy Family journey in Egypt and its restoration and development
projects, in addition to the development of some Coptic artifacts to be a hall
for museum display in the Mary's Tree area.
The Minister also asked for allocating a place as an outlet
for archeological replicas of Konouz factory. In addition to providing a
parking lot next to the garden of the Mary's Tree. During the tour, the
Minister visited the Catholic Church of the Holy Family next to the Virgin
Mary's Tree.
Dr. Mustafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council
of Antiquities, reviewed the stages of development of the project from maintenance
work, and upgraded the efficiency of the site to receive visitors. He said that
some tree-bearing supports have been replaced by the Institute of
Archaeological Crafts and the development of scouts around the tree, and a
wooden fence has been installed around the archaeological tree to protect it
permanently, as well as the clearance of the well next to the tree, with the
development of the waterfall in it.
Brigadier General Hisham Samir, Assistant Minister for
Engineering Affairs, announced the finishing of the development of the park
adjacent to the area of Virgin Mary's Tree and the preparation of the road
leading to it, in cooperation with the governorate of Cairo, explaining that
signs are being placed in accordance with the engineering drawings adopted from
the project sector and with the approval of the Standing Committee for Islamic
and Coptic Antiquities, and the development of the area around the tree is
under way by the competent neighborhood, in addition to receiving 10 murals
from the Nahri Association to install them on the walls surrounding Virgin
Mary's Tree, and work is under way in installation of these paintings.
Dr. Osama Talat, head of the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish
antiquities sector, pointed out the completion of floor maintenance within the
area, the development of external fences, setting of a pergola and some seats
around the tree to seat visitors, in addition to the processing of the
administrative headquarters, and a visitor center where screens will be placed
to display documentaries about the journey of the Holy Family in Egypt, The
restoration of walls of the mahky, the removal of salts and impurities from the
domes, and the maintenance of the oil painting in it, and in the exhibition
hall, insulation of the dome and maintenance of walls, floors and doors, and
the hall is currently being equipped with images of the holy trip visit in its
locations.
Engineer Adel al-Gendy, Director General of the General
Administration of Strategic Management of the Ministry and national coordinator
of the Holy Family Route in Egypt, added that the development work also
included the development of this archaeological site from the inside where the
Virgin Mary's Tree is located, the re-painting of the facades of the buildings
in the vicinity of the site, the re-cladding of fences and the preparation of a
hall for museum display to be placed in it, in addition to the development of
tourist services in the area, and the provision of the site with aesthetic and
coordinating elements of the site that coincide with the historical appearance
of the site and its importance as an important traffic point for the course of
the holy family, and the development of the surrounding area in cooperation
with the Ministry of Local Development.
Source: The Official page of
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
