Deir Mawas

Deir Mawas is a city in Minya Governorate, Upper Egypt, on the west bank of the Nile, and the administrative seat of the Deir Mawas markaz. Its Arabic name means monastery of razors and is thought to come from an ancient monastery that once stood in the area and has since disappeared. The city lies about 300 kilometres south of Cairo at an elevation of about 50 metres above sea level and is known primarily as the nearest city to Tell el-Amarna, the site of the ancient Egyptian capital built by Akhenaten. It is sometimes written Deir Muwas or Dir Mawas in English sources, and the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Deir Mawas and Delga was established there in 1988.