Mons Claudianus

Red Sea Coast


This granite quarry/fortress complex was one of the largest Roman settlements in the Eastern Desert. For Roman prisoners, brought to hack granite out of the barren mountains, this was the end of the line: there was no return. You can see the remains of the tiny cells that these unfortunates inhabited. There is also an immense cracked pillar, left where it fell 2000 years ago, and a small temple. Tours can be easily arranged in Hurghada.

There’s a signposted turn-off about 40km along the Safaga–Qena road; from there it’s another 25km north-west along a track of deteriorated tarmac.


  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "egypt/red-sea-coast/eastern-desert/attractions/mons-claudianus/a/poi-sig/1427128/355256",
      "destination": "Red-Sea-Coast",
      "continent": "Africa",
      "country": "Egypt",
      "region": "Red-Sea-Coast",
      "position": "superzone"
    }