The large village of El-Roda, with several mosques, a palace built by Khedive Ismail (now a school) and a large sugar factory, lies on the west bank of the Nile, a short distance away from the river. From here a number of important ancient sites can be visited.
Some 4mi/6km west of El-Roda, at the village of Ashmunein, are the remains of the once famous city of Khmunu, the Greek Hermoupolis. Farther west is the necropolis of Tuna el-Gebel.
To the south of Sheikh Abada, by the site of an ancient Christian settlement known as El-Medina, is the village of Deir Abu Hennes (St John's Monastery), or El-Deir for short, which is inhabited by some 2,000 Copts. On the north side of a ravine in the hill beyond the village are many ancient quarry holes or caves which in Christian times were converted into chapels or occupied by hermits. The largest of the chapels, which is said to date from the time of the Empress Helena, contains many poorly preserved wall paintings of New Testament scenes and figures of saints. Of more interest are the paintings in a neighboring chapel, in particular the "Raising of Lazarus" and the "Marriage at Cana". Half an hour away from Deir Abu Hennes is Deir el-Bersha.
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Ashmunein, Egypt
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