CAIRO — On April 18, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the start of restoration work at the Ben Ezra Synagogue in the Religious Complex of historic Cairo. Archaeologists and analysts say the Egyptian government's attention to Jewish heritage is in part a bid to attract more tourists.

Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt Mustafa Waziri said in a press statement that the synagogue located inside the Babylon Fortress is considered the oldest synagogue in Egypt. The last restoration work at the site was in 1991, he said.

Mustafa Abdel-Fattah, head of the committee supervising the restoration process, said that the renovation works in the synagogue began with preliminary cleaning of the walls. Further work will include insulating surfaces to protect against moisture, protecting color layers from the influence of weather, and treating cracks.

The temple is named after Jewish scholar and philosopher Ezra, and a collection of historical documents known as the Cairo Geniza was found there in the 19th century. The synagogue was built in the Middle Ages in the style of cathedrals and is oriented toward Jerusalem. Its current building dates back to the 1890s.