Great Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified

The Holy Lavra of Saint Sabbas, known in Syriac as Mar Saba, is an Eastern Orthodox Christian monastery overlooking the Kidron Valley at a point halfway between the Old City of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, within the Bethlehem Governorate of the West Bank. The monks of Mar Saba and those of subsidiary houses are known as Sabaites. Mar Saba is occasionally referred to as the Convent or Monastery of Santa Sabba.The monastery was founded by Sabbas the Sanctified in the year 483. Today, the complex houses around 20 monks. It is considered to be one of the oldest inhabited monasteries in the world, and still maintains many of its ancient traditions. One in particular is the restriction on women entering the main compound. The only building that women can enter is the Women's Tower, near the main entrance. The monastery is closed for visitors on Wednesdays and Fridays.