The Church of the Holy Virgin in Babylon Al-Darag
(Babylon of the Steps, or the Steps of Babylon), a Christian church, is located
just south of the ancient Babylon Fortress in Old Cairo.
It is situated south of the village of Qasr al-Sham'
and also beyond the bridge across the Old Cairo-Muqattam highway. It is
conveniently reached by traveling along Sharia Athar Al-Nabi turning left and
crossing the Cairo-Helwan railway tracks. The church dates from the 11th
Century. Al-Maqrizi, the famous church historian, referred to it as the
"Church of Babylon". It was described by Patriarch Zacharia (1004-32)
as the "Church of the Mistress at Bani Wayil known as the Church of the
Steps".
According to A.J. Bulter, the church was built at a time
when the city of Babylon was still standing, though the first mention of it
appears to be that made by Ibn Duqmaq around 1400 AD.