Amazing Egyptian Cave Churches are Carved Out of Solid Rock in Cairo

In an area known as <a href="http://inhabitat.com/incredible-garbage-city-rises-outside-of-cairo/" target="_blank">"Garbage City,"</a> seven beautiful cave churches unexpectedly rise against the backdrop of Mokattam hills. Located in southeast <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/cairo/" target="_blank">Cairo</a>, these Coptic Christian churches were created by the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/sxsw-film-garbage-dreams/" target="_blank">Zabbaleen</a>, a community of garbage collectors who make their living collecting and recycling 15,000 tons of garbage produced by Cairo's 17.8 million residents.

St. Simon's Hall sits on the upper level, a large seating arena that accommodates 2,000 people for spiritual meetings.

After creating a new home at Mokattam, the Zabbaleen also carved the Monastery of Saint Simon at the entrance of the hill near the community.

To reach the monastery, visitors must traverse winding pathways past heaps of collected trash within the Zabbaleen village.

Seven churches and chapels are hidden within a series of caves inside the Monastery; the Virgin Mary and St. Simon Cathedral is the largest church.

Inside the spacious caverns, beautiful engravings cover the walls, each representing stories from the Bible.

The Monastery also includes an education center, children's area, as well as a school for the deaf.