Inspired by NatGeo

22 Beautiful Holy Places Around The World

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Nikola Pavlovic © 2019

PARO TAKTSANG, BHUTAN

This monastery clings to a cliff in the Paro Valley of Bhutan, where the “Second Buddha” is believed to have meditated.

NASIR AL-MOLK MOSQUE, IRAN

Located in Shiraz and known as the “Pink Mosque,” this house of worship holds stained glass windows that bathe the interior in color.

SHAIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE, ABU DHABI

The largest mosque in the country and one of the biggest in the world, this mosque in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates can hold 40,000 worshipers.

SHRINE OF THE BÁB, ISRAEL

The largest mosque in the country and one of the biggest in the world, this mosque in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates can hold 40,000 worshipers.

BYODO-IN TEMPLE, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

Built in the 1960s to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant workers in Hawaii, the Byodo-In Temple is a replica of the 950-year-old Byodoin Temple located on the outskirts of Kyoto, Japan.

ST. BASIL'S CATHEDRAL, RUSSIA

Near the Kremlin on the southern end of Moscow's Red Square, Saint Basil's Cathedral was built in the 16th century and symbolizes the heavenly kingdom.

ANGKOR WAT, CAMBODIA

The source of national pride for Cambodia, Angkor Wat represents Mount Meru, the Mount Olympus of the Hindu faith and the home of ancient gods.

HALLGRÍMSKIRKJA, ICELAND

This church in Reykjavík has a modernist, concrete facade that mimics the Icelandic landscape.

SUBOTICA SYNAGOGUE, SERBIA

The second largest synagogue in Europe, the Subotica Synagogue in northern Serbia near the Hungarian border adopts the Hungarian Art Nouveau style.

AL-AQSA MOSQUE, JERUSALEM

This domed mosque is the third holiest site in Islam.

USA JINGŪ, JAPAN

This Shinto shrine was built in the eighth century and dedicated to Hachiman, the god of archery and war.

LAS LAJAS SANCTUARY, COLOMBIA

This Roman Catholic basilica in Gothic Revival style hangs inside the canyon of the Guáitara River in Nariño.

JUBILEE SYNAGOGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

This Prague synagogue is designed in Moorish Revival form with Art Nouveau decoration.

MAHABODHI TEMPLE, INDIA

The restored Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, India, marks the spot where the Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment.

TEMPLE OF CONFUCIUS, TAIWAN

Originally built in the 11th century, this temple in Taiwan is a sacred shrine to Confucius, a renowned thinker and educator of ancient China.

GREAT MOSQUE OF ISFAHAN, IRAN

In the historic center of Isfahan, this mosque’s architecture evolved over 12 centuries, starting in 841 A.D.

GRAND MOSQUE, MECCA

Here is the main setting for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages that occur in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah of the Islamic calendar.

CHURCH OF SAN ANDRÉS XECUL, GUATEMALA

The multicolored Church of San Andres Xecul in Quetzaltenango is adorned with around 200 painted sculptures that combine Maya, Christian, and agricultural imagery.

SZEGED SYNAGOGUE, HUNGARY

The domed synagogue in Szeged, Hungary, combines Art Nouveau and Historicist styles on the exterior, while combining multiple styles in the interior from Gothic walls to Roman columns.

HECHAL YEHUDA SYNAGOGUE, ISRAEL

Just one of 500 synagogues in Tel Aviv, this design stands out for its inspiration from the seashells of Thessaloniki, Greece, which is the hometown of the synagogue's architect, Yitzhak Toledano.

AKSHARDHAM TEMPLE, INDIA

Artisans relied upon ancient methods to carve the sandstone into elaborate reliefs–including some 20,000 figures and mythical creatures.

ANCIENT BUILDING COMPLEX IN THE WUDANG MOUNTAINS, CHINA

In Hubei Province, this complex contains Taoist buildings from as early as the seventh century.