Lugares de interés (POIs) del Mapa
0: Absam: Miraculous Image of Mary
In 1797, in the small village of Absam near Innsbruck, a young girl was astonished to see an image of the Virgin Mary appear in the windowpane next to her. The image was determined to be miraculous and began to cause miraculous healings. Today, the small glass pane with the image of the Virgin is enshrined in the parish church for veneration.
Learn more: Shrine of Our Lady of Absam
Category: Catholic Shrines
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1: Gurk Cathedral and Shrine of St. Hemma
In the green valleys of southern Austria, near Klagenfurt, is the pilgrimage town of Gurk. Here, a beautiful 12th-century cathedral is packed with the finest examples of religious art and shelters the shrine of Hemma, a beloved Austrian saint.
Learn more: Gurk Cathedral and Shrine of St. Hemma
Category: Cathedrals
Category: Catholic Shrines
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2: Linz: St. Martin's Church
The finest example of Carolingian architecture in the region, the Martinskirche (Church of St. Martin) is the oldest church in Austria still in its original form. Constructed by Charlemagne during the 700s, it incorporated an ancient Roman wall in its foundation.
Learn more: Church of St. Martin, Linz
Más sobre Linz: St. Martin's Church
3: Maria Plain: Catholic Shrine
The hilltop shrine of Our Lady of Maria Plain, home to a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary, has been a top pilgrimage destination for over three centuries. Mozart wrote his Coronation Mass inside the Sanctuary here.
Learn more: Shrine of Our Lady of Maria Plain
Category: Catholic Shrines
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4: Mariazell: Catholic Shrine
Nestled high in the Alpine mountains of Austria, the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariazell is the most popular Marian shrine in Central Europe. The shrine centers on a miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary discovered by a monk in 1157.
Learn more: Shrine of Our Lady of Mariazell
Category: Catholic Shrines
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5: Mauthausen Concentration Camp
Mauthausen Concentration Camp was established on August 8, 1938, and liberated on May 5, 1945 by the US Army. Unlike many other concentration camp systems, Mauthausen was used mostly for extermination of the educated people and members of the higher classes. Around 122,000 people were killed here.
Learn more: Mauthausen Concentration Camp
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6: Melk Abbey
Melk Abbey was originally a palace, and it shows. Home to an active Benedictine community from the 11th century to the present day, the current Baroque ensemble was built in 1702-1736 by architect Jakob Prandtauer. Especially noteworthy is the church with magnificent frescos by Johann Michael Rottmayr and the library containing countless medieval manuscripts.
Learn more: Melk Abbey
Category: Christian Monasteries
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7: Oberndorf: Silent Night Chapel
The Silent Night Chapel (German: Stille Nacht Kapelle) in the village of Oberndorf marks the place where the beloved Christmas carol "Silent Night" was heard for the first time, on Christmas Eve 1818. The 1937 chapel stands on the original site of the Romanesque St. Nikolaus Church where the carol was first performed.
Learn more: Silent NIght Chapel, Oberndorf
Más sobre Oberndorf: Silent Night Chapel
8: Seefeld: Church of St. Oswald and the Eucharistic Miracle
The village of Seefeld in the Tirol region of western Austria is renowned as a fabulous ski resort, but it is the small parish church of Seefeld that brings the devout and miracle-seekers to the village year after year. It was here, in the 14th century, that an astonishing eucharistic miracle reportedly brought an arrogant knight to his knees.
Learn more: Church of St. Oswald and Eucharistic Miracle of Seefeld
Category: Catholic Shrines
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9: Cochabamba
The religious sights of this large and lively city include the largest statue of Christ in the world, a statue of Christ whose regular weeping of blood defies explanation, and a Mormon temple. 
Learn more: Cochabamba
Sacred Sites of Bolivia
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10: Copacabana: Virgen de la Candelaria
Copacabana, a holy city on the shores of Lake Titicaca, was originally sacred to the Incas and is now famed as the home of the miraculous statue of La Virgen de la Candelaria, the patron saint of Bolivia. (The more famous Copacabana in Rio was named for this one by grateful Brazilian sailors who were saved from a storm.) The sparkling white, Moorish-style basilica is home to a beloved miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary sculpted by an Inca craftsman in 1576. The Virgin of Copacabana receives pilgrims and festivals in her honor throughout the year. 
Learn more: Virgen de la Candelaria
Copacabana
Sacred Sites of Bolivia
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11: Isla del Sol
The largest of the 41 islands in Lake Titicaca (but still only 5.5 by 3.75 miles in size), Isla del Sol was believed to be the home of the supreme Inca god Inti. There are many interesting sights here, including a sacred stone, a labyrinth, Incan terraces, and a reputed fountain of youth. 
Learn more: Lake Titicaca
Sacred Sites of Bolivia
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12: Lake Titicaca
This very sacred and very beautiful lake, which is among the highest and deepest lakes in the world, lies on the border between Peru and Bolivia. The Incas believed it was from here that Viracocha rose up to create the world.
Learn more: Lake Titicaca
Browse more: Sacred Sites of Bolivia
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13: Samaipata: El Fuerte
This intriguing ancient site, dubbed "The Fort" by the Spanish, includes a large stone hill covered in mysterious carvings. It has been designated a World Heritage Site. 
Learn more: Samaipata
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14: Tiwanaku (Tiahuanaco)
One of Bolivia's World Heritage Sites, Tiwanaku is a ruined city of temples, megaliths, and intriguing sculptures created by pre-Incan people. The city was also highly sacred to the Incas, who believed it was the site of creation. 
Learn more: Tiwanaku (Tiahuanaco)
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15: Emei Shan (Mt. Emei)
Emei Shan (a.k.a. Emeishan, Mt. O-mei or Mt. Emei), in Szechuan province, is one of the four Buddhist sacred mountains of China. At 3,099 meters, Mt. Emei is over 1,000m higher than the other three sacred mountains. Thanks to its breathtaking scenery, mysterious natural wonders, and historic Buddhist sites, it is also a World Heritage Site. The full day's hike to the summit is an unforgettable experience undertaken by many, but minibuses and cable cars are faster alternatives for travelers short on time.
Learn more: Emei Shan (Mt. Emei)
Category: Buddhist Temples
Category: Sacred Mountains
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16: Giant Buddha of Leshan
The Giant Buddha of Leshan is the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. Construction on the Giant Buddha began in 713 AD. It was the idea of a Chinese monk named Haitong, who hoped that the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued the shipping vessels travelling down the river.
The statue depicts a seated Maitreya Buddha with his hands resting on his knees. Maitreya is the future Buddha, who will appear to preach the dharma when the teachings of Gautama Buddha have faded away. Maitreya was especially popular during the 4th to 7th centuries.
The Giant Buddha of Leshan sits impassively against the mountain, hands on his knees and looking across the river with heavy-lidded eyes. Standing 71 meters (233 feet) tall, his shoulders are 28 meters (92 feet) wide and his smallest toenail can accommodate a seated person. Each eyebrow is 18 feet long.
Learn more: Giant Buddha of Leshan
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17: Longmen Caves
The Longmen Caves (or Longmen Grottoes) stretch for 1km along the west bank of the Yi River near Luoyang in Henan Province. The site includes some 1,350 caves and 40 pagodas, which are filled with thousands of Buddhist statues carved out of the hard limestone cliffs. The carvings began in 492 AD and continued for 500 years. The Longmen Caves were designated a World Heritage Site in 2000 for their spectacular works of Chinese art, especially of the Tang Dynasty.
Learn more: Longmen Caves
Category: Buddhist Temples
Category: World Heritage Sites
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18: Mogao Caves
These Buddhist cave temples were a center of culture on the Silk Road from the 4th to the 14th centuries and contain well-preserved religious murals and carvings spanning that entire period. There are about 600 surviving cave temples, of which 30 are open to the public.
Learn more: Mogao Caves
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19: Shaolin Temples
The Shaolin temples (Shaolin Si) are a group of Chinese Buddhist monasteries on the sacred mountain of Song Shan. They are famed for their long association with Chan (Zen) Buddhism and martial arts, and especially famous in the west as the home of kung fu.
Learn more: Shaolin Temples
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20: Tai Shan (Mt. Tai)
Tai Shan (a.k.a., Mt. Tai, Mt. Taishan) is one of five sacred Taoist mountains in China. It is located in central Shandong Province just north of Tai'an City.
Tai Shan has an extremely rich cultural heritage and, in the words of Guo Moruo, a modern Chinese scholar, is "a partial miniature of Chinese culture." Moreover, the way in which the culture has been integrated with the natural scenery is considered to be a precious legacy.
Cultural relics on Mt. Tai include memorial objects, ancient architectural complexes, stone sculptures and archaeological sites of outstanding importance. There are 22 temples, 97 ruins, 819 stone tablets, and 1,018 cliffside and stone inscriptions.
Learn more: Tai Shan (Mt. Tai)
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21: White Horse Temple (Baima Si)
Baima Si was the first Buddhist temple in China, established by Emperor Mingdi in the year 68 AD. The historic, leafy site features several ancient buildings and a highly devotional atmosphere.
Learn more: White Horse Temple (Baima Si), Luoyang
Category: Buddhist Temples
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22: Beram: Frescoed Church of St. Mary
The Church of St. Mary of the Rocks is a tiny chapel in the woods outside Beram in Istria known for the magnificent 15th-century frescoes that dance on the walls.
Learn more: Church of St. Mary of the Rocks, Beram
Más sobre Beram: Frescoed Church of St. Mary
23: Kolocep Island Churches
Kolocep is the nearest of the Elaphite Islands to Dubrovnik and has been a popular summer retreat for city dwellers since the 16th century. It is dotted with a number of small pre-Romanesque churches.
Learn more: Churches of Kolocep Island
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24: Lopud: Franciscan Monastery
The main architectural attraction of the village of Lopud on Lopud Island is the 15th-century Franciscan Monastery, which contains some fine Renaissance artworks.
Learn more: Franciscan Monastery, Lopud
Category: Christian Monasteries
Más sobre Lopud: Franciscan Monastery
25: Aphrodite's Rock
According to ancient tradition, the goddess Aphrodite was born from the waves on the site off the coast of Cyprus. Petra tou Romiou, a rock off the shore along the main road from Paphos to Limassol, has been regarded since ancient times as the birthplace of Aphrodite. It is said that in certain weather conditions, the waves rise, break and form a column of water that dissolves into a pillar of foam. With imagination, this looks for just a moment like an ephemeral, evanescent human shape.
Learn more: Aphrodite's Rock
Explore: Sacred Sites of Cyprus
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26: Bellapais Abbey
Bellapais Abbey is an attractive ruined monastery dating from the early 13th century. In 1187, Jerusalem fell to the Saracens and the Augustinian canons who had custody of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre came to Cyprus. Bellapais Abbey was founded for them around 1200 by Aimery de Lusignan, and it went on to become wealthy and powerful under royal patronage. 
Learn more: Bellapais Abbey
Explore: Sacred Sites of Cyprus
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27: Famagusta Cathedral/Mosque
Famagusta's most important monument is this 14th-century Gothic cathedral of St. Nicholas that was turned into a mosque named Lala Mustafa Camii. The cathedral was probably designed by a Frenchman and was built from 1298 to 1326. After the Ottoman conquest, the cathedral was transformed into a mosque with the addition of a mihrab and minaret and the complete destruction of all art depicting human figures. The twin towers were decapitated, and the floor-tombs were emptied. But the architecture remained entirely intact and its use as a mosque spared it from the latter additions that were inflicted on most European cathedrals. The building is thus a rare example of pure Gothic architecture.
Learn more: St. Nicholas' Cathedral (Lala Mustafa Camii), Famagusta
Explore: Sacred Sites of Cyprus
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28: Sanctuary of Aphrodite
In the ancient Greek world, Palea Paphos was one of the most important pilgrimage centers due to its famous Sanctuary of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and fertility. The cult of Aphrodite was officially established on Cyprus in 1500 BC, with the building of a hilltop temple on this site, and thrived until the the 4th century AD.
Unfortunately, virtually all that remains today is the holy ground itself. However, a picture of the shrine survives on a Roman coin issued under Caracalla between 198 and 217 AD, and scholars believe Aphrodite was worshipped in the form of a conical stone in an open-air temple.
Learn more: Sanctuary of Aphrodite, Palea Paphos
Explore: Sacred Sites of Cyprus
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29: Sedlec Ossuary, Kutna Hora
The Sedlec Ossuary (kostnice Sedlec) is a small chapel located beneath the Church of All Saints (Hrbitovn kostel Vech Svatch) in Sedlec, a suburb of Kutna Hora.
The ossuary of the "Bone Church," as it is popularly known, contains approximately 40,000 human skeletons which have been artistically arranged by monks to form decorations and furnishings for the chapel.
Learn more: Sedlec Ossuary, Kutn Hora
Category: Christian Monasteries
Category: The Dead on Display
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30: Odense Domkirke (Skt. Knud's Kirke)
Best known for its Hans Christian Andersen House, the town of Odense on Funen island is also home to Skt. Knud's Domkirke (St. Knud's Cathedral), the only purely Gothic building in Denmark. It contains the relics of St. Knud (Canute), a king murdered in a peasant revolt in 1086.
Learn more: Skt. Knud's Domkirke, Odense
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31: Roskilde Domkirke (Cathedral)
Roskilde is an ancient city and the former Danish capital, and its splendid 12th-century brick cathedral is filled with dozens of tombs of Danish royals.
Learn more: Domkirke (Cathedral), Roskilde
Category: Cathedrals
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32: Abydos: Temple of Ramses II
About 300m northwest of the Temple of Seti I is the ruined Temple of Ramses II. Fragments of reliefs showing the Battle of Qadesh survive on the enclosure walls and pillared courtyard.
Learn more: Abydos, Egypt
See also: Mortuary Temple of Ramses II (Ramesseum), Luxor
Más sobre Abydos: Temple of Ramses II
33: Abydos: Temple of Seti I
The main monument at the holy city of Abydos is the Temple of Seti I, begun around 1310 BC by Seti and completed by his son Ramses II. It is especially notable for its fine reliefs, which are considered among the best of the New Kingdom. Other features of interest include the controversial "Abydos helicopter" and the hieroglyphic list of Egyptian kings.
Learn more: Abydos, Egypt
See details: Labeled Aerial Plan of Temple of Seti I
Más sobre Abydos: Temple of Seti I
34: Wadi Umm al-Qa'ab: Entrance to the Underworld
For the Ancient Egyptians, Abydos was one of the holiest sites in the world. It was the cult center of the god Osiris and gateway to the underworld, which was believed to lie under the nearby desert hills. Many Egyptians made pilgrimages here or were brought here for burial after death.
Learn more: Abydos, Egypt
Más sobre Wadi Umm al-Qa'ab: Entrance to the Underworld
35: Dendera: Temple of Hathor
A relatively young temple (30 BC-14 AD), the temple complex at Dendera is dedicated to Hathor. Dendera was an ancient healing center, comparable to a Greek Asklepion or the Catholic Lourdes. Hathor, wife of Horus, was the goddess of the sky, fertility and healing, and the rituals performed by her priestesses included the use of a sistrum, or rattle. Despite defacement of some figures by early Christians, many buildings and fascinating decorations remain.
Learn more: Temple of Hathor at Dendera
Más sobre Dendera: Temple of Hathor
36: Edfu: Birth House
A Birth House is a Greco-Roman feature that is no found in older pharaonic temples. This attractive colonnaded structure was the site of the annual Festival of Coronation, which reenacted the divine birth of Horus and the reigning Ptolemaic pharaoh. Around the back of the building are reliefs of Horus being suckled by Isis.
Learn more: Temple of Horus, Edfu
Más sobre Edfu: Birth House
37: Edfu: Temple of Horus
The Temple of Horus in Edfu (also known as the Temple of Edfu) is considered the best-preserved cult temple in Egypt. This partly because it was built later than most: in the Ptolemaic era from 237 to 57 BC. But despite its later date, it exactly reflects traditional pharaonic architecture and so provides an excellent idea of how all the temples once looked. Edfu is also very large: the second largest in Egypt after Karnak Temple in Luxor.
Learn more: Temple of Horus, Edfu
See photos: Edfu Photo Gallery
Más sobre Edfu: Temple of Horus
38: Giza: The Great Pyramids
Constructed at least 4,500 years ago and shrouded in fascinating mystery, the pyramids of Giza are the only Ancient Wonder of the World to survive today. Some think the pyramids were aligned to correspond with the belt of the constellation Orion: zoom in to see for yourself, then read the article to see if you're convinced.
Learn more: Great Pyramids of Giza
Category: Ancient Mysteries
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39: Giza: The Sphinx
Shrouded in mystery and with alleged connections to Atlantis, this great sculpture continues to fascinate visitors. Believed to be a portrait of the pharaoh Khafre, occupants of one of the pyramids, the Great Sphinx is probably an ancient guardian of his tomb.
Learn more: The Sphinx of Giza
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40: Kom Ombo
The Temple of Sobek and Haroeris in Kom Ombo (also known simply as Kom Ombo Temple) dates from about 180 BC during the Ptolemaic era, with additions made into Roman times. It stands right on the bank of the Nile between Edfu and Aswan, making it a convenient stop for river cruises.
Learn more: Temple of Sobek and Haroeris, Kom Ombo
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41: Sinai: St. Catherine's Monastery
Located near where Moses received the Ten Commandments and traditionally enclosing the Burning Bush, St. Catherine's is the oldest Christian monastery still in use and has an extensive collection of ancient icons and manuscripts.
Learn more: St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai
Categories: Biblical Sites, Christian Monasteries, Eastern Orthodox,
World Heritage Sites
Más sobre Sinai: St. Catherine's Monastery
42: Avebury Henge
Constructed around 2500 BC, Avebury is the largest prehistoric stone circle in Britain. It boasts not only ancient mysteries but a pleasant setting amidst Avebury village and green fields.
Learn more: Avebury
See photos: Avebury Photo Gallery
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43: Bampton Church
The Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Bampton was originally a Saxon minster. The present building dates primarily from the 12th century and is exceptionally large for a parish church. It has an attractive 13th-century spire, unusual buttresses, and interesting Romanesque decorations.
Learn more: St. Mary's Church, Bampton
See photos: Bampton Church Photo Gallery
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44: Black Bourton Parish Church
St. Mary's Church in Black Bourton, a village in Oxfordshire with less than 300 people, is well worth a visit for its Norman architecture and picturesquely faded 13th-century murals of saints.
Learn more: St. Mary's Church, Black Bourton
See photos: Black Bourton Church Photo Gallery
Category: English Parish Churches
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45: Canterbury Cathedral
The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Christ at Canterbury, as it is formally known, is one of the oldest Christian churches in England and it continues to play an central role in English Christianity. Since 597 AD, Canterbury Cathedral has been the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the leader of the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion. Canterbury Cathedral has also long been a major pilgrimage destination due to the martyrdom of St. Thomas Becket here in 1170.
Learn more: Canterbury Cathedral
Category: Cathedrals
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46: Cassington Church
St. Peter's Church in Cassington, Oxfordshire, was founded in the early 12th century. It was long under the jurisdiction of Eynsham Abbey and served by ministers from Christ Church, Oxford. The well-preserved and well-restored church retains its single nave and many original Norman elements.
Learn more: Cassington Parish Church
Category: English Parish Churches
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47: Chipping Norton Church
The 15th-century Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, is notable for its impressive Gothic nave that was funded by the lucrative Cotswolds wool trade. It also has a unique hexagonal porch with a vaulted ceiling featuring Green Men and other funny faces.
Learn more: St. Mary's Church, Chipping Norton
See photos: Chipping Norton Church Photo Gallery
Category: English Parish Churches
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48: Chichester Cathedral
Chichester Catheddral is the only medieval cathedral in England with a separate bell tower and the only one visible from the sea. It has Norman arcades in the nave and choir along with much Early English architecture and striking modern art, including work by Marc Chagall.
Learn more: Chichester Cathedral
Category: Cathedrals
Category: English Cathedrals
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49: Christchurch Priory
Christchurch Priory is a large parish church in Christchurch, a town five miles east of Bournemouth in Dorset. At 311 feet, it is the longest parish church in England. Notable features of the interior include a stone-carved Jesse Screen and the oldest misericords in England.
Learn more: Christchurch Priory
Category: English Parish Churches
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50: Cuddesdon Church
Built in 1180, Cuddesdon's Church of All Saints has fine Norman arches in the tower crossing and two porches.
Learn more: Cuddesdon Parish Church
Category: English Parish Churches
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51: Deerhurst: St Mary's Saxon Church
This priory church is a fascinating mix of architectural styles ranging from Saxon to Tudor. The tower and nave are entirely Saxon and the spiral-carved 9th-century font is one of the oldest in England. There are also several rare Saxon sculptures, Early English capitals, memorial brasses and some medieval stained glass.
Learn more: St Mary's Church, Deerhurst
See photos: Deerhurst Church Photo Gallery
Category: Early Christian Sites
Category: English Parish Churches
Más sobre Deerhurst: St Mary's Saxon Church
52: Ely Cathedral
This magnificent medieval cathedral known as the "Ship of the Fens" has a number of unique characteristics. Most of the present building was completed by 1189 in the Romanesque style, with the unusual octagon lantern and exceptionally large Lady Chapel added in the 1300s.
Learn more: Ely Cathedral
Category: Cathedrals
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53: Fountains Abbey
This magnificent ruin of a Cistercian abbey (founded in 1132) is a World Heritage Site in a beautiful natural setting.
Learn more: Fountains Abbey
Category: English Abbeys
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54: Glastonbury Tor
Glastonbury Tor is a natural conical hill in the heart of King Arthur country. Topped by the 14th-century St. Michael's Tower, the Tor is rich in legend and is a popular destination for Grail theorists, ley-line enthusiasts, and those who simply enjoy the sweeping view of Somerset countryside.
Learn more: Glastonbury Tor
See photos: Glastonbury Tor Photo Gallery
Category: Ancient Mysteries
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55: Great Haseley Church
This parish church is exceptionally large for the small size of the village it serves. It has interesting features ranging in date from about 1200 to 1400, including a Norman west door and many monuments.
Learn more: Great Haseley Church
See photos: Great Haseley Church Photo Gallery
Category: English Parish Churches
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56: Great Milton Church
The lovely Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, is 12th-century Norman church mostly rebuilt in the early 14th century after a fire. It has a stout west tower, some Norman details, and a fine alabaster monument from 1616.
Learn more: Great Milton Parish Church
See photos: Great Milton Church Photo Gallery
Category: English Parish Churches
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57: Hailes Abbey
Hailes Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery in Gloucestershire that was once a major medieval pilgrimage destination. It was founded by the brother of King Henry III in 1246, after a vow made during a storm at sea.
Learn more: Hailes Abbey
See photos: Hailes Abbey Photo Gallery
Category: English Abbeys
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58: Hailes Church
Across the road from Hailes Abbey in Gloucestershire is Hailes Church, a small country chapel that predates its more famous neighbor by a half-century. The 12th-century church is small and charming and contains some magnificent 13th-century wall paintings of saints, coats of arms, and hunting scenes.
Learn more: Hailes Church
See photos: Hailes ChurchPhoto Gallery
Category: English Parish Churches
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59: The Hurlers
Dating from about 1500 BC, The Hurlers are a set of three stone circles laid out on Bodmin Moor between two rivers and two hills in Cornwall. They are named for the local legend that they were men turned to stone for hurling (a Celtic game) on Sunday.
Learn more: The Hurlers
See photos: The Hurlers Photo Gallery
Category: Ancient Mysteries
Category: Prehistoric England
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60: Lincoln Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Mary in Lincoln dominates the city's skyline and can be seen from 30 miles away. Its 271-foot central tower is the second-tallest in England.
Learn more: Lincoln Cathedral
Category: Cathedrals
Category: English Cathedrals
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61: Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne, or "Holy Island," is a tidal island off the northeast coast of England. The monastery of Lindisfarne was founded by St. Aidan, who had been sent from Iona at the request of King Oswald around 635 AD. Monks from the community of Iona settled on the island, and it became the base for Christian missions in northern England. Today, it is a center for Celtic Christianity, a place for spiritual retreats, and a popular tourist destination.
Learn more: The Holy Island of Lindisfarne
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62: Little Milton Church
The Parish Church of St. James in Little Milton, Oxfordshire, was built in 1844 and is characterized by a long nave and chancel and tall west tower in a 14th-century style. Inside is a medieval stone piscina preserved from an earlier chapel.
Learn more: Little Milton Parish Church
See photos: Little Milton Church Photo Gallery
Category: English Parish Churches
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63: Malmesbury Abbey
The surviving third of this great Benedictine abbey now functions as a parish church. The south door has wonderful Norman carvings.
Learn more: Malmesbury Abbey
Category: Christian Monasteries
Category: English Abbeys
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64: Rievaulx Abbey
Once the largest and most important monastery in England, Rievaulx Abbey now lies in ruins in a beautiful and tranquil valley.
Rievaulx was the first Cistercian abbey in northern England and its ruins are among the most atmospheric in the region. The monks liked the place, too: one Rievaulx abbot described his surroundings as "everywhere peace, everywhere serenity."
Learn more: Rievaulx Abbey
See photos: Rievaulx Abbey Photo Gallery
Category: English Abbeys
Category: Christian Monasteries
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65: Rollright Stones
This set of Neolithic monuments in Oxfordshire includes a large stone circle (called the 'King's Men'), a portal-type burial chamber topped with standing stones (the 'Whispering Knights'), and a single standing megalith (the 'King's Stone'). The monuments were constructed over a long period stretching between 4000 and 1500 BC, reflecting the continuing sacred importance of the site.
Learn more: Rollright Stones
See photos: Rollright Stones Photo Gallery
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66: Sherborne Abbey Church
Sherborne Abbey Church, in the pretty town of Sherborne in Dorset, is a grand parish church that is considered one of the best examples of Perpendicular architecture in Britain. It is especially noted for its fine fan vaulting and medieval carvings.
Learn more: Sherborne Abbey Church
Category: English Parish Churches
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67: Silbury Hill
Silbury Hill is a prehistoric man-made mound of stunning proportions and unknown purpose. Located just over a mile from Avebury in Wiltshire, Silbury Hill is the largest mound of its kind in Europe.
Learn more: Silbury Hill
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68: St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral, which makes an easy day trip from London, is interesting for a variety of reasons: it shelters the shrine of England's first Christian martyr, it is constructed from the ruins of a Roman city, it boasts the longest nave in Britain, it has some fine Norman architecture, and retains numerous 13th- and 14th-century wall paintings.
Learn more: St Albans Cathedral
See photos: St Albans Cathedral Photo Gallery
Category: Cathedrals
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69: St Ives Church
St. Ives Parish Church (also known as the Church of St. Ia) is a lovely 15th-century church on the harbor of the popular seaside resort of St. Ives in Cornwall. This site has been a place of Christian worship since the 5th or 6th century, but construction on the present building began in 1410 and was completed in 1434.
Learn more: Church of St. Ia, St. Ives
Category: English Parish Churches
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70: St Michael's Mount
This ancient abbey on a rocky island in Cornwall is England's parallel to Mont-St-Michel across the channel in France. Both were founded after visions of St. Michael the Archangel and both are only accessible on foot during low tide.
Learn more: St. Michael's Mount
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71: Stonehenge
Stonehenge is famous for a reason. Its massive trilithons (three-stone monuments) weigh several tons and are placed carefully in a circle that aligns with the summer solstice. It is fascinating to imagine what mystical purpose made all the effort worthwhile.
Learn more: Stonehenge
See photos: Stonehenge Photo Gallery
Prehistoric England
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72: Tewkesbury Abbey
This large and magnificent abbey church is now the parish church of Tewkesbury, a small market town just 10 miles north of Gloucester. Built in the early 1100s, the church boasts the largest Norman tower in the world and the largest exterior arch in Britain. Its interior is a breathtaking combination of stout Norman pillars and delicate Decorated Gothic vaulting. The gilded roof bosses and stained glass of the choir are 14th-century originals.
Learn more: Tewkesbury Abbey
Category: English Parish Churches
Category: Christian Monasteries
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73: Thame Church
This large parish church in Oxfordshire was built in the 13th century and expanded in the 14th and 15th centuries. It has a number of interesting features, including an old wall painting, fine choir stalls, many tombs and monuments, and several gargoyles and corbels.
Learn more: Thame Parish Church
See photos: Thame Church Photo Gallery
Category: English Parish Churches
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74: Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is a unique medieval masterpiece. Its imposing west front is covered in sculpture, and inside are unique scissor arches you won't see anywhere else.
See photos: Wells Cathedral Photo Gallery
Category: Cathedrals
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75: West Kennet Long Barrow
West Kennet Long Barrow is a prehistoric burial site near Avebury in Wiltshire. Visitors can enter the barrow, where there are five stone chambers that contained human bones buried between 3700 and 2000 BC.
Learn more: West Kennet Long Barrow
See photos: West Kennet Long Barrow Photo Gallery
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76: Bahar Dar Monasteries
Bahar Dar is the site of several lakeside, straw-hut Ethiopian Orthodox monasteries decorated with colorful Christian art and topped with ostrich eggs. They date from between the 16th and 18th centuries and many contain antique manuscripts. The placemark is on the Zege Peninsula, home to the Ura Kidane Mihret and Bet Maryam monasteries.
Learn more: Bahar Dar Monasteries
See photos: Bahar Dar Photo Gallery
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77: Gondar: Debre Birhan Selassie Church
Gondar is home to the Debre Birhan Selassie Church, known for its Ethiopian Orthodox religious art. 
Learn more: Gondar
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78: Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela
Lalibela is a sacred city for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, and it is also a World Heritage site thanks to its 11 remarkable rock-carved churches dating from the 12th century.
Learn more: Lalibela
See photos: Lalibela Photo Gallery
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79: Aix-en-Provence Cathedral
The Cathdrale St-Sauveur (Holy Savior Cathedral) in Aix-en-Provence was built over ancient pagan temples in fits and starts from the 5th century to the 15th century. It is known for its interesting combination of architectural styles and its art masterpiece by Nicolas Fromen, the Burning Bush Triptych.
Learn more: Aix-en-Provence Cathedral
Category: Cathedrals
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80: Albi Cathedral
This 13th century fortress-like structure is the largest brick building in the world. Built in the heart of Cathar country, it is a stern statement of the strength of orthodoxy.
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Category: Cathedrals
Category: French Cathedrals
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81: Amiens Cathedral
Amiens Cathedral is the tallest Gothic church and largest cathedral in France. With Chartres and Reims, it is a member of the illustrious triad of "High Gothic" or "Classical" French cathedrals built in the 13th century.
Learn more: Amiens Cathedral
Category: Cathedrals
Category: French Cathedrals
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82: Anzy-le-Duc Priory Church
Anzy-le-Duc is a rural village in the Brionnais region of southern Burgundy. Its church, once part of a priory, dates primarily from the 11th century. It has interesting sculptures on its west and south tympanums, lively carved corbels, and some unusual capitals inside.
Learn more: Anzy-le-Duc Priory Church
See photos: Anzy-le-Duc Photo Gallery
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83: Ars: Shrine of St. John Vianney
The small town of Ars is home to an important Catholic pilgrimage destination. Here St. John Vianney founded an orphanage for girls and became internationally famous for his spiritual direction: he was said to be able to read souls in the confessional and predict future events. The shrine includes the 12th-century church where he preached and a new basilica, which displays the saint's incorrupt body.
Learn more: Shrine of St. John Vianney, Ars
Category: Catholic Shrines
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84: Aulnay de Saintonge Church
The Church of St. Peter in Aulnay de Saintonge, Poitou, is one of the finest Romanesque churches in western France. Located in a peaceful setting overlooking a pasture at the edge of Aulnay village, its beautiful architecture is enhanced by an extensive, fascinating array of Romanesque sculpture inside and out.
Learn more: Saint-Pierre d'Aulnay de Saintonge
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85: Carnac Stones
Located outside the village of Carnac in Brittany, the Carnac Stones are a huge system of more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones. The site's main phase of activity is most commonly estimated at 3300 BC, but some megaliths may have been erected as early as 4500 BC.
Learn more: Carnac Stones
Category: Ancient Megaliths & Mysteries
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86: Chartres Cathedral
An easy day trip from Paris, Chartres is renowned for its magnificent High Gothic architecture, jewel-like stained glass windows of the 12th and 13th centuries, relic of the Virgin Mary, and sacred floor labyrinth.
Learn more: Chartres Cathedral
See photos: Chartres Cathedral Photo Gallery
See photos: Chartres Cathedral Stained Glass Gallery
Categories: Cathedrals, French Cathedrals, Medieval Stained Glass
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87: Cluny Abbey
Founded in 910, this abbey was the center of a major monastic reform movement known for its beautiful liturgy. Its Romanesque church, partially destroyed in the Revolution, was the largest in the world until St. Peter's Basilica was built in Rome.
Learn more: Cluny Abbey
See photos: Cluny Abbey Photo Gallery
Categories: Abbeys of France, Christian Monasteries, Romanesque Architecture
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88: Conques: Abbey Church of St. Foy
The picturesque village of Conques in the wooded hills of southern France is home to the only medieval shrine on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela that still survives intact. Thanks to its possession of holy relics of a virgin martyr (stolen from another monastery in 896), the Romanesque Abbey of St. Foy became a major stop on the pilgrimage route and received rich gifts from pilgrims and kings. The remarkable statue-reliquary of St. Foy, covered in gold and jewels and containing her bones, can still be seen at the abbey.
Learn more: Abbey Church of St. Foy, Conques
Categories: Catholic Shrines, Christian Monasteries, Romanesque Architecture
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89: Fontenay Abbey
This beautiful, very well restored 12th-century Cistercian monastery was founded by St. Bernard of Clairvaux himself.
Learn more: Fontenay Abbey
Categories: Abbeys of France, Christian Monasteries
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90: Fontfroide Abbey
Nestled in a green valley in southern France, this 11th-century Cisterician abbey is one of the most complete abbey complexes remaining today.
Learn more: Fontfroide Abbey
Category: Christian Monasteries
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91: Fossanova Abbey
Located in a picturesque village, the Abbey of Fossanova (Abbazia di Fossanova) is a Cistercian abbey with a beautiful church and peaceful cloisters. Begun in 1163, Fossanova is considered a magnificent example of Cistercian architecture, reflecting that of Clairvaux.
Learn more: Fossanova Abbey
See photos: Fossanova Abbey Photo Gallery
Category: Christian Monasteries
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92: Laon Cathedral
Laon Cathedral is known for its imposing towers, its beautiful Gothic architecture, and its importance as a major stop on the medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago.
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Category: Cathedrals
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93: La Salette
La Salette, a small town of 200 people about 50 miles south of Grenoble, was the site of reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1846. The Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette remains a minor place of pilgrimage today.
Learn more: La Salette
Category: Catholic Shrines
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94: Lascaux Caves
The Lascaux Caves, a cave complex in southwestern France, contain some of the most remarkable paleolithic cave paintings in the world. The murals, mainly depicting animals, are at least 15,000 years old.
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95: Mont St-Michel
The Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel was founded after a vision of the Archangel Michael and became an important place of pilgrimage. Most of the buildings date from the 11th century.
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Category: Christian Monasteries
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96: Nantes Cathedral
This Late Gothic cathedral was begun in 1434. It has a higher ceiling than the Notre-Dame and a splendid Renaissance tomb. 
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Category: Cathedrals
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97: Reims Cathedral
The kings of France were once crowned in this 13th-century Gothic cathedral, which is full of sculptures inside and out.
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Category: Cathedrals
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98: Saint-Savin sur Gartempe Abbey
This 11th-century Romanesque abbey church is a World Heritage Site, thanks to its fine old frescoes of Bible stories.
Learn more: Abbey of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe
Category: Christian Monasteries
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99: Saulieu: Basilica of Saint Andoche
The Basilica of St. Andoche in Saulieu, Burgundy, was founded as an abbey church in the 6th century and rebuilt as a collegiate church in the 12th century. It became a Minor Basilica in 1919. It is famed for its magnificent carved capitals depicting biblical stories and medieval scenes. Also of note are the 14th-century choir stalls, which are carved with two biblical scenes and a variety of other figures.
Learn more: Basilica of Saint Andoche, Saulieu
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100: Tournus: Abbaye Saint-Philibert
Located in the riverside town of Tournus, Burgundy, the Abbey of Saint Philibert is a fortress-like Romanesque church with many interesting features. Dating mainly from the 11th century with a 10th-century crypt, it boasts an impressively tall nave with an unusual vault, carved capitals, an important Romanesque statue of the Virgin and Child, and newly-discovered 12th-century floor mosaics depicting the zodiac.
Learn more: Abbey of Saint Philibert, Tournus
See photos: Tournus Photo Gallery
Category: Romanesque Architecture
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101: Vezelay: Basilique Ste-Madeleine
The medieval hilltop town of Vezelay is known primarily for the Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene, one of Europe's largest and best-preserved Romanesque churches. Vezelay was a major medieval pilgrimage destination due to the basilica's claimed relics of St. Mary Magdalene. It was here that St. Bernard of Clairvaux preached the Second Crusade.
Learn more: Basilique Ste-Madeleine
See photos: Vezelay Photo Gallery
City guide: Vezelay
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102: Aachen Cathedral (Kaiserdom)
Originally commissioned by Charlemagne in 786 AD as his imperial chapel, Aachen Cathedral is the oldest in Northern Europe and is one of the most important surviving examples of Carolingian architecture. Its distinctive octagonal dome is adorned with golden mosaics and surrounded by a Byzantine-style ambulatory. The cathedral contains several holy relics collected by Charlemagne, as well as the Emperor's throne and tomb.
Learn more: Aachen Cathedral (Kaiserdom)
Category: Cathedrals
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103: Bebenhausen Monastery
Bebenhausen Monastery is a well-preserved, 12th-century Cistercian monastery near Tübingen in Baden-Würtemberg. It was founded around 1183 by Count Rudolf of Tubingen. Most of the architecture, which includes some very fine vaulting, dates from the 13th and 14th centuries.
Learn more: Bebenhausen MonasteryChristian Monasteries
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104: Externsteine
A magical site consisting of five limestone rock pillars overlooking a lake. The site may have been used for ancient rituals and was occupied by Christian hermit monks from the 11th century. The monks left behind interesting rock-art carved chambers, stairways, and figural reliefs. 
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105: Limburg Cathedral
This Late Romanesque church, only a cathedral since 1827, is a fairy-tale spectacle in red, yellow and white. Inside are extensive 13th-century frescoes.
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Category: Cathedrals
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106: Magdeburg Cathedral
Dedicated to Saints Catherine and Maurice, the Magdeburger Dom was the first Gothic cathedral built in Germany (begun 1209). It also has some fine Romanesque features.
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Category: Cathedrals
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107: Mainz Cathedral
Built in 975 AD, this is one of the finest Romanesque churches in Germany. It was here on March 27, 1188, that Frederick Barbarossa took up the Cross in the Third Crusade.
Learn more: Mainz Cathedral (Mainzer Dom)
Category: Cathedrals
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108: Maria Laach Abbey
One of the earliest and finest examples of German Romanesque architecture in Germany, and located on a beautiful crater lake.
Learn more: Maria Laach Abbey
See photos: Maria Laach Photo Gallery
Category: Christian Monasteries
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109: Munster Cathedral
Münster's attractive cathedral was built in the Transitional style of the early 13th century. It boasts a porch filled with medieval sculptures, a nave with only two bays, and a magnificent astronomical clock from 1540.
Learn more: Münster Cathedral
City guide: Münster
Category: Cathedrals
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110: Regensburg Cathedral
Built in the 1300s to replace earlier cathedrals, Regensburg Cathedral (Dom St. Peter) is the finest Gothic building in Bavaria. Its harmonious exterior, alive with interesting medieval sculptures, has recently been fully cleaned. Inside are even more sculptures along with an extensive collection of medieval stained glass.
Learn more: Regensburg Cathedral
See photos: Regensburg Cathedral Photo Gallery
Category: Cathedrals
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111: Ulm Munster
Ulm Munster is the tallest church in the world and probably the finest example of Gothic church architecture in Germany. The now-Protestant church has dominated the city and the region for hundreds of years and has become closely associated with the city of Ulm.
Learn more: Ulm Münster
Category: Cathedrals
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112: Bassae: Temple of Apollo Epicurius
The Temple of Apollo Epicurius is one of the largest and best-preserved temples in Greece, and has been designated a World Heritage Site. Built in the Arcadian mountains in the 5th century BC by the same architect who designed the Parthenon, the temple remains largely intact thanks to its remote location.
The Bassae temple has the oldest Corinthian capital ever found (or it did, before it was accidentally shattered) and is notable for its unusual combination of the Corinthian, Ionic and Doric styles.
Learn more: Temple of Apollo Epicurius, Bassae
Category: Greek Temples
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113: Corinth
Corinth was a major city in ancient Greece and played a significant role in the missionary work of the Apostle Paul. Today, Corinth is the second largest city in the Peloponnese with several sites of interest to pilgrims and tourists. Ruins include temples to Aphrodite and Apollo, a sacred spring, the public platform where Paul pled his case, a theater and an Asklepion.
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114: Sacred Island of Delos
According to Greek mythology, Delos was the birthplace of Artemis and Apollo. Their mother, Leto, was banished from the earth by the jealous Hera, wife of Zeus, but Poseidon took pity on her and provided Delos as a place for her to rest and give birth. In ancient times, Delos was a sacred site second in importance only to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
Today, Delos is home to a fascinating archaeological site located a short boat ride from the island of Mykonos. The ruins include a number of temples and shrines dedicated to various gods.
Learn more: Delos
See photos: Delos Photo Gallery
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115: Delphi
Located amidst breathtaking scenery in central Greece, Delphi is the site of the Temple and Oracle of Apollo, the most important sacred site in ancient Greek religion. Nearby is the Sanctuary of Athena, with the intriguing round Tholos. The archaeological site also includes the Sacred Way used for ancient pilgrimages, several treasuries donated by cities and pilgrims, and the excellent Delphi Museum.
Learn more: Delphi
See photos: Delphi Photo Gallery
Category: Greek Temples
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116: Meteora Monasteries
Suspended in the air (which is what meteora means in Greek), the monasteries of Meteora represent a unique architectural achievement. Here, six Greek Orthodox monasteries balance on spectacular natural rock pillars on the edge of the Pindus Mountains in Greece. Hermits and ascetics have settled on the sandstone peaks of the Meteora to seek solitude since as early as the 10th century.
Learn more: Meteora Monasteries
Category: Christian Monasteries
Category: Eastern Orthodox Sites
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117: Mt. Athos Monasteries
Mt. Athos ("Holy Mountain"), is a mountainous peninsula in northern Greece. It is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms an autonomous state under Greek sovereignty. Only monks are allowed to live on Athos and the current population numbers around 1,400.
Learn more: Mt. Athos Monasteries
Category: Christian Monasteries
Category: Eastern Orthodox Sites
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118: Naxos: Portara
This famous door that leads nowhere is an entrance to an unfinished Temple of Apollo that faces exactly toward Delos, Apollo's birthplace. It was begun about 530 BC.
Learn more: The Portara
Island guide: Naxos
Category: Greek Temples
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119: Naxos: Temple of Demeter
The largest island in the Cyclades, Naxos has a remarkable abundance of small Byzantine chapels. Many of them contain exceptional frescoes from the 9th to the 13th centuries. There are also several ruined Greek temples on the island.
Learn more: Temple of Demeter, Naxos
Island guide: Naxos
Category: Greek Temples
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120: Patmos
One of the most beautiful and distinctive of the Dodecanese Islands, Patmos is best known as the place where St. John received his visions and wrote the Book of Revelation.
There are two main areas of Patmos: Skala, the harbor area where most of the residents live; and Hora (or Chora), the hilltop area dominated by the Monastery of St. John. The monastery and the nearby Cave of the Apocalypse, where the revelations took place, are major pilgrimage destinations and popular tourist sights as well.
Learn more: Patmos
Category: Eastern Orthodox Sites
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121: Ajanta Caves
This World Heritage Site is a set of Buddhist cave temples and monasteries dating from the 2nd century BC, with additions until the 6th century AD. The paintings and sculptures of Ajanta are considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art. 
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122: Goa: Basilica of Bom Jesus
The Basilica of Bom Jesus (meaning "Good" or "Infant" Jesus) is a splendid baroque Catholic basilica in Old Goa. It is best known for housing the relics of St. Francis Xavier, the Jesuit missionary to India and Japan.
Learn more: Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa
Category: Catholic Shrines
Category: The Dead on Display
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123: Golden Temple of Amritsar
The holiest site in Sikhism, Amritsar has spectacular architecture, interesting rituals and a welcoming atmosphere.
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124: Elephanta Caves
A collection of Hindu rock art linked to the cult of Shiva, located on an island just a short ferry ride from Mumbai. 
Learn more: Elephanta Caves
Mumbai
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125: Ellora Caves
A complex of 34 Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain monasteries and temples, extending over more than 2 kilometers. 
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126: Sun Temple of Konark (Konarak)
The Konark Sun Temple (also spelled Konarak) is a 13th-century Hindu temple dedicated to the sun god. Shaped like a giant chariot, the temple is known for the exquisite stone carvings that cover the entire structure, including many erotic scenes from the Kama Sutra.
Learn more: Konark Sun Temple, Orissa
Category: Hindu Temples
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127: Kushinagar (Kusinara)
The place of the Buddha's death, or passing into nirvana. The date is not known for certain, but Buddhist tradition puts his death at 543 BC on a full-moon day in the month of May (Vesak on the Indian calendar). The Buddha seems to have died of food poisoning or other illness. After becoming ill, he wished to travel home to pass away. However, along the journey, accompanied by his disciples, the Buddha announced it was time and lay down. He lapsed into a peaceful meditative state, then passed into Nirvana in that reclined position. His last words to the monks were, "All component things are changeable. Work hard to gain your own salvation." The Buddha's parinirvana, as this event is called, represents the ideal death for a Buddhist and is frequently depicted in Buddhist art. 
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128: Varanasi
Varanasi (also known as Benares, Banaras, Kashi and Kasi) is a Hindu holy city on the banks of the river Ganges in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Varanasi is the site of the holy shrine of Lord Kasi Viswanatha (a form of Lord Shiva). This, combined with its location on the banks of the sacred Ganges River, has made Varanasi the most sacred place for all Hindus, irrespective of denomination. Hindus have long believed that bathing in the Ganges or dying in the holy city of Varanasi circumvents reincarnation and hence provides a permanent place in Heaven.
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129: Borobudur
Borobudur, a Buddhist stupa in the Mahayana tradition, is the largest Buddhist monument in the world. Located on the Indonesian island of Java, 40 km (25mi) northwest of Yogyakarta, Borobudur was built between 750 and 850 AD. The magnificent temple is a three-dimensional mandala (diagram of the universe) and a visual representation of Buddhist teachings.
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Category: Buddhist Temples
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130: Mount Agung
An active volcano and highly sacred mountain, Mt. Agung is home to Pura Besakih, the Mother Temple of Bali.
Learn more: Mount Agung and Pura Besakih, Bali
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131: Tanah Lot Temple
Best known for its magnificent silhouette at sunset, this 16th-century temple occupies a picturesque location on a tidal island.
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132: Tirta Empul Temple
A thousand-year-old temple centered around a pool fed by a sacred spring, said to have been created by Indra as a fountain of immortality.
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133: Persepolis
Now an archaeological site in Iran, the ancient city of Persepolis (Persian: Takht-e Jamshid or Takht-i Jamshid, "Throne of Jamshid") was founded by Darius I in 518 BC as the capital of the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
On an immense half-artificial, half-natural terrace, the great king created an impressive palace complex inspired by Mesopotamian models.
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134: Tchogha Zanbil
Tchogha Zanbil is the ruins of the holy city of the Kingdom of Elam, centered on a great ziggurat and surrounded by three huge concentric walls. Founded around 1250 BC, the city remained unfinished after it was invaded by Ashurbanipal in 640 BC.
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135: Clonmacnoise
Clonmacnoise is a monastic site overlooking the River Shannon in County Offaly. The extensive ruins include a cathedral, castle, round tower, numerous churches, two important high crosses, and a large collection of early Christian grave slabs.
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136: Dowth
Dowth is the least known of the three great passage tombs at Bru na Biinne in County Meath. Unlike its neighbors Newgrange and Knowth, the Dowth passage tomb has not yet been thoroughly excavated, and it is not currently accessible to visitors. However, fine examples of megalithic art have already been discovered inside.
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137: Gallarus Oratory
The Gallarus Oratory, a handsome old church standing amid farmland on the Dingle Peninsula, was the place of worship for early Christian farmers of the area. Shaped like an upside-down boat, the simple dry-stone structure has remained waterproof and in near-perfect condition to the present day.
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138: Glendalough Monastic Settlement
Glendalough (Gleann Dá Loch, "Valley of the Two Lakes") is a fascinating monastic settlement in a spectacular natural setting just an hour south of Dublin. The monastery was founded by St. Kevin, a hermit monk who died about 618 AD. The extensive ruins of Glendalough include several early churches, a graceful round tower, and various sites associated with the life of St. Kevin.
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139: Hill of Tara
Ancient burial mounds and a standing stone with a beautiful view.
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140: Knowth
Dating from about 3000 BC, Knowth consists of a large central mound surrounded by several smaller ones. It is especially important for its rich collection of megalithic art, which includes over 300 decorated stones.
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141: Monasterboice
Monasterboice (Mainistir Bhuithe) is a very interesting monastic site near Drogheda in County Meath. The impressive ruins include a large cemetery, two churches, one of the tallest round towers in Ireland and two of the tallest and best high crosses.
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142: Mt. Croagh Patrick
Each year, over one million pilgrims and visitors make the difficult rocky trek to the top of this holy mountain, where legend has it St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland. Before the arrival of Christianity, this mountain was revered as the dwelling place of the Celtic deity Crom Dubh.
Learn more: Mt. Croagh Patrick
Category: Catholic Shrines
Category: Sacred Mountains
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143: Newgrange
This fascinating burial mound and possible sun temple is 5,000 years old (older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids). Its precise position creates a stunning effect on the winter solstice.
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Megaliths & Mysteries
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144: Riasc (Reask) Monastic Settlement
The Riasc Monastic Settlement (Mainistir Riaisc) on the Dingle Peninsula is home to the impressive ruins of a 6th-century monastery and a cross-carved slab with a Latin inscription. The site is off the beaten track with a sign that's easy to miss, but perseverence is rewarded with an interesting and atmospheric site you can wander in peace.
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145: Rock of Cashel
The Rock of Cashel is home to the striking hilltop ruins of a 12th-century royal chapel, a cathedral and a round tower, with fine high crosses in the churchyard.
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146: Shrine of Our Lady of Knock
In 1879, the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and St. John appeared at the parish church in Knock. Today, 1.5 million pilgrims visit the shrine each year. 
Learn more: Shrine of Our Lady of Knock
Category: Catholic Shrines
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147: Skellig Michael
From 588 to 1100 AD, hermit monks lived in tiny beehive huts on this remote rocky island.
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Category: Christian Monasteries
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148: Hebron: Tombs of the Patriarchs
This is the second holiest site in Judaism after the Western Wall and very important in Islam and Christianity as well. It consists of a walled shrine complex built by Herod the Great in the 1st century BC (the only such building to survive), which shelters the burial caves of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their wives. Today the site is shared between Muslims and Jews, with most of the structure fitted as a mosque.
Learn more: Tombs of the Patriarchs, Hebron
Category: Biblical Sites
Category: Mosques
Category: Synagogues
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149: Kibbutz Ginosar: Jesus Boat
In 1986, a wooden boat was pulled from the mud on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It has been dated to the 1st century AD, making it a very exciting find that brings many Gospel stories to life.
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150: Amalfi Cathedral
The Cathedral of St. Andrew in Amalfi was built in the early 1200s. It features a dramatic location atop a steep flight of stairs, an Arab-influenced exterior, and the relics of St. Andrew the Apostle in its crypt. Connected to the cathedral is an older cathedral and the fascinating Cloister of Paradise, both decorated with medieval murals.
Learn more: Amalfi Cathedral
See photos: Amalfi Cathedral Photo Gallery
Category: Cathedrals
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151: Cefalu Duomo (Cefalu Cathedral)
Begun in 1131 by the Norman king Roger II and not completed until 1240, the Duomo of Cefalù was intended as the principal religious seat in Sicily. It is especially notable for its Norman-Byzantine mosaic of Christ Pantocrator, dating from 1148.
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152: Monte Cassino Monastery
The Monastery of Montecassino (also spelled Monte Cassino) is the home of the sacred relics of St. Benedict (480-543), the patron saint of Europe and the founder of western monasticism. Since Benedict founded it in 529 AD, Montecassino Monastery has had a troubled history, suffering from repeated attacks, pillage, and natural disasters.
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Category: Christian Monasteries
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153: Monte Sant'Angelo
The Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel (Santuario di San Michele Arcangelo) is a sacred cave and popular Catholic shrine near San Giovanni Rotundo. Here the Archangel Michael is said to have appeared in 490, 492 and 1656 and to offer protection and answered prayer to anyone who comes to the sacred grotto. 
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Category: Catholic Shrines
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154: San Giovanni Rotondo: Shrine of Padre Pio
Padre Pio was a Capuchin friar, mystic and miracle worker who died here in 1968 and was canonized a saint in 2002. His new sanctuary in the small town of San Giovanni Rotondo is a interesting example of modern religious architecture.
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155: Subiaco: San Benedetto Monastery
The Monastery of St. Benedict in Subiaco enshrines the cave (Sacro Speco) in which St. Benedict lived as a hermit before he organized his first monastic community. Nestled on a cliff amidst spectacular natural scenery, the monastery church is covered in beautiful medieval frescoes.
Learn more: San Benedetto, Subiaco
See photos: San Benedetto Photo Gallery
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156: Troia Cathedral
Begun in 1093, Troia Cathedral's extraordinary architecture is Puglian Romanesque with strong Byzantine and Muslim influences. The rose window on the western facade, made of a delicate stone screen pierced with geometrical designs, is especially exquisite. Other highlights are the medieval bronze doors and the quiet, genteel old town of Troia itself.
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Category: Cathedrals
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157: Shikoku Island: 88 Temple Pilgrimage
The 88 Temple Pilgrimage is a 1,647-kilometer Buddhist pilgrimage circuit that loops around the entire island of Shikoku through 88 temples. All the temples are said to have been founded by the monk and scholar Kobo Daishi, who founded the Shingon sect of Buddhism. While most modern-day pilgrims (an estimated 100,000 yearly) travel by bus, a minority still set out the old-fashioned way on foot, a journey which takes about 60 days to complete.
Learn more: The 88 Temple Pilgrimage, Shikoku Island
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158: Baptism Site Visitors Centre
All visits and pilgrimages to Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan and the rest of the "Baptism Site" archaeological area must begin here, where there are good modern facilities and a museum. An electric minibus brings visitors to the site(s) of their choice.
Learn more: The Baptism Site (Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan)
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159: Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan
The Baptism Site (Arabic: el-Maghtas) on the Jordan side of the Jordan River is one of the most important recent discoveries in biblical archaeology. Excavations only began here in 1996, following Jordan's peace treaty with Israel in 1994. Although the identification is not absolutely certain, archaeology has shown that the area known as Wadi Kharrar has been believed by Christians since the earliest centuries to be the biblical Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, where John the Baptist lived and Jesus was baptized. The site has been extensively excavated and tastefully developed and there are now many ancient ruins and modern structures to see here.
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160: Bethany: Byzantine Churches
A five or ten-minute walk through the "Jungle of the Jordan" leads into a clearing marked by a modern pool and the sheltered remains of the 7th-century Church of John the Baptist. Beneath a shelter is the altar and mosaic floor, which was originally raised up on an arched vault to protect it from flooding.
Byzantine stairs, three of them black marble, interspersed with white marble from Asia Minor, lead from the apse to the Spring of John the Baptist. A marble fragment inscribed IOY. BATT. was found in the church wall.
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161: Tell Mar Elias
Elijah's Hill is the tradition site where the Prophet Elijah ascended into heaven (2 Kings 2). The small hill has the ruins of three churches, three caves and three baptism pools encircled by a wooden catwalk. Starting on the west side, a cave forms the apse of a small Byzantine church, with small niches to the east and south and tiny fragments of a mosaic floor.
An open chapel on the northwest side leads around to the large, late Byzantine northern church, now covered with a shelter. It incorporates a strange black stone into its apse to commemorate the fire which accompanied Elijah's rise to heaven. Its detailed floor mosaic includes a cross motif in diamonds and an inscription in Greek dating it to "the time of Rhotorious" (early 6th century).
Up a couple steps on the northeastern side of the tell are two pools from the Roman period, one cut later with the addition of a 14m-deep well. Further around the tell is a large rectagular pool, plastered on the bottom and with four steps leading into it. This is believed to have been used for group baptisms.
Learn more: The Baptism Site (Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan)
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Category: Biblical Sites
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162: Kerak Castle
Kerak is a Jordanian town south of Madaba on the old King's Highway. Perched atop a hill with a sheer drop on three sides, Kerak is dominated by the most massive and best preserved of the Crusader castles in the region.
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163: Madaba Mosaic Map
The moderately-sized city of Madaba became known as "the City of the Mosaics" in the late 19th century when many mosaics were uncovered throughout the city. The most famous of these is the Madaba Map, a highly valuable 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land. It can be seen in the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. George.
Using two million colored tesserae, the map depicts hills and valleys, villages and towns in Palestine and the Nile Delta. Most importantly, it includes the earliest extant representation of Jerusalem. It has been a major key in developing scholarly knowledge about the physical layout of Jerusalem after its destruction and rebuilding in AD 70.
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164: Mount Nebo
This mountain overlooking Madaba has long been identified as Mount Nebo, the mountain from which Moses saw the Promised Land before he died. This has been an important place of Christian pilgrimage for over 1,600 years. Splendid Byzantine mosaics from the early church have recently been uncovered, and a simple modern church has been built over them. Just as in Moses' time, there are splendid views of the "Promised Land" from here.
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See photos: Mount Nebo Photo Gallery
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165: Ggantija Temples
Ggantija is the site of two prehistoric temples on Gozo, the second-largest island in Malta. One of the Ggantija temples is the oldest free-standing stone structure in the world. Round in shape and containing statues of full-figured goddesses, these temples were dedicated to the Earth Mother and probably included an oracle.
Placemark is an approximate location.
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166: Hagar Qim
The 5,000-year-old Hagar Qim temple is the best-preserved of several ancient limestone temples in Malta. The temple is laid out on a clover-leaf shape and consists of four or five apses with a forecourt and facade.
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167: Mnajdra Temples
The Mnajdra Temples are three conjoined Neolithic temples on the southern coast of Malta. Dating from about 3000 BC, Mnajdra is reminiscent of the even earlier complex at Ggantija on Gozo.
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168: Mosta Rotunda
This impressive 19th-century church is known for having the third-largest dome in Europe and for having miraculously survived a German bomb in 1942.
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169: Tarxien Temples
The Tarxien temples are four megalithic temples constructed in southern Malta between 3600 and 2500 BC. They are notable for their complexity, fine construction and variety of figural carvings.
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170: Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza is the largest of the ancient Mayan ruins on the Yucatan Peninsula and one of Mexico's most visited tourist destinations. It was a center of pilgrimage for the Maya for over 1,000 years.
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Category: Ancient Sites in Mexico
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171: Coba
Coba is a Mayan site located in the wild eastern half of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, just an hour's drive or bus ride from Tulum. Coba is in a poor state of preservation and much of it is still unexcavated, but it is notable for its extensive system of ceremonial roads, remote jungle landscape and several interesting pyramids — including the tallest pyramid on the Yucatán Peninsula .
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Category: Ancient Sites in Mexico
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172: Kabah
Kabah is a Mayan site on the Yucatán Peninsula connected to nearby Uxmal by a ceremonial causeway. Its buildings date from about the 9th century and are in the Puuc style of architecture. Kabah is best known for its extraordinary palace that is completely covered in masks of the hook-nosed rain god Chac.
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Category: Ancient Sites in Mexico
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173: Monte Alban
Situated on a mountain 1,315 ft above the Oaxaca Valley, this was once the holy city of more than 30,000 Zapotecs. It flourished from 300 BC to 800 AD and was later adopted by the Mixtecs. 
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Category: Ancient Sites of Mexico
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174: Palenque
Palenque is a Mayan site in the state of Chiapas. Preferred by many visitors to the more famous sites, Palenque contains some of the finest examples of Mayan architecture in a dramatic natural setting. In 683 AD, King Pakal was entombed in his magnificent burial chamber here, which lay unspoiled until its discovery in 1952.
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Category: Ancient Sites of Mexico
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175: Tulum
Spectacularly located on a cliff overlooking the turquoise Caribbean, Tulum is a late-Maya site that was active from around 1200 AD until the arrival of the Spanish. The Tulum ruins are the third most visited archaeological site in Mexico, after Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza. Located just 120 km south of the popular beach resort of Cancun, Tulum makes a popular and easy day trip by bus.
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Category: Ancient Sites of Mexico
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176: Uxmal
The late-Classic Maya site of Uxmal ("oosh-mahl") was built before the 10th century AD and is one of the most complex and harmonious expressions of Puuc (the surrounding hilly area) architecture. Puuc decoration, which abounds at Uxmal, is characterized by elaborate stonework from door tops to the roofline. The most impressive structure at Uxmal is the 115-foot-tall Pyramid of the Magician, built in the 6th century AD.
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Category: Ancient Sites of Mexico
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177: Fes: Kairaouine Mosque
[Approximate location.] Founded in 857 by a wealthy female immigrant from Tunisia, the Kairaouine is the second-largest mosque in Morocco and the country's spritual center: it governs the timing of Ramadan and other Islamic festivals. Its minaret, dating from 956, is the oldest in Morocco.
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City guide: Fes
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178: Moulay Idriss: Place of Pilgrimage
The picturesque hilltop town of Moulay Idriss, a popular day trip from Meknes, is also an important religious site. For many centuries it has been a place of pilgrimage, thanks to its tomb of the city's founder and namesake, who was a decendent of the Prophet Muhammad. Arriving in Morocco from Damascus in 787, he soon converted much of the area to Islam and founded Morocco's first Arab dynasty.
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179: Lumbini
Lumbini is the birthplace of the Buddha and one of four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites based on events in the life of the Buddha. According to Buddhist tradition, Maya Devi gave birth to the Buddha on her way to her parent's home in Devadaha in the year 642 BC. The Buddha is said to have announced, "This is my final rebirth" as he entered the world. The site was abandoned in the 9th century when Buddhism declined here, and lie hidden for a millenium until it was rediscovered in 1895. Mahadevi Temple marks the birth site, and a sacred pool nearby is where Maha Devi bathed before delivery. Ashoka's pillar, erected in 249 BC, is next to the temple.
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180: Islamabad: Faisal Mosque
The Faisal Mosque (also known as Shah Faisal Masjid) is a very large and very unique mosque in Islamabad, completed in 1986. Designed by a Turkish architect who won an international competition for the honor, Faisal Mosque is shaped like a desert Bedouin's tent and functions as the national mosque of Pakistan.
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See photos: Faisal Mosque Photo Gallery
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181: Lahore: Badshahi Mosque
The Badshahi Mosque or "Emperor's Mosque" in Lahore, Pakistan was built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. It is one of the city's best known landmarks and a major tourist attraction epitomising the beauty and grandeur of the Mughal era.
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See photos: Photo Gallery
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182: Arequipa Cathedral
Built in 1656 and reconstructed after an 1868 earthquake, Arequipa Cathedral is a fine example of Spanish colonial architecture but is especially notable for its immense size. Its huge facade dominates an entire side of the Plaza de Armas in the center of the city. Inside is the largest organ in South America, a gift from Belgium. 
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Category: Cathedrals
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183: Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu ("Old Peak") is a well-preserved ancient ceremonial site high on a mountain ridge in Peru. It is the end point of the most popular hike in South America, the Inca Trail. The site has ruins of a large palace, temples to Incan deities, and a variety of other buildings.
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Category: Ancient Megaliths & Mysteries
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184: Nazca Lines
The Nazca Desert, a high plateau that stretches 37 miles between the towns of Nazca and Palpa, is home to the remarkable Nazca Lines: giant earth drawings of a hummingbird, monkey, spider, lizard, and many other shapes. They were created between 200 BC and 600 AD.
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Category: Ancient Megaliths & Mysteries
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185: Jasna Gora Monastery and Our Lady of Czestochowa
The Monastery of Jasna Gora in Czestochowa is the third-largest Catholic pilgrimage site in the world. Home to the beloved miraculous icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa, the monastery is the national shrine of Poland and the center of Polish Catholicism.
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Category: Catholic Shrines
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186: Alcobaca Monastery
Founded in 1178, this beautiful Cistercian monastery and World Heritage Site features Manueline architecture and a giant kitchen with a stream running through it. Its history is integrally tied to the tragic love story of King Pedro I and Ines de Castro, whose opulent Gothic tombs can be visited in the church.
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Category: Christian Monasteries
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187: Batalha Monastery
King Joo I founded this monastery after winning a major battle (batalha) and gave it to the Dominicans. The splendid edifice was constructed over two centuries in splendid Gothic and Manueline style, and has been designated a World Heritage Site.
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Batalha Monastery Photo Gallery
Category: Christian Monasteries
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188: Coa Valley Rock Art
One of the most important collections of prehistoric rock art in the world, discovered in the 1990s in a scenic river valley. A World Heritage Site.
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189: Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
This small village is home to a grand basilica and shrine that attracts thousands of Catholic pilgrims each year, due to the appearances of the Virgin Mary to local shepherd children in 1917.
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Fatima Photo Gallery
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190: Santarem Eucharistic Miracle
img align="right" src="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/earth/photos/portugal/santarem-miracle-c-oakdog6079.jpg">In the early 13th century, a consecrated host (communion wafer) began to bleed profusely when a woman tried to use it for a magic spell. The Catholic Church investigated and approved the miracle, and the Church of St. Stephen, where the event occurred, was renamed the Church of the Holy Miracle. St. Francis Xavier visited the Church of the Holy Miracle before setting off for missionary work in India, and it remains one of Portugal's most-visited pilgrimage sites. <
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Category: Catholic Shrines
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191: Ivolginksy Datsan Buddhist Monastery
The small town of Ivolginsk in East Siberia is home to Russia's most important Buddhist monastery and a miracle: the body of the last Khambo Lama, who died in 1927, remains upright and undecayed today.
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192: Sergiyev Posad: Holy Trinity Lavra
One of the most popular day trips from Moscow, Sergiyev Posad is named for St. Sergius, whose great monastery, Holy Trinity Lavra, was founded here in the 14th century. With the relics of Sergius in one of its many churches, Holy Trinity Lavra is one of the holiest sites in Russian Orthodox Christianity.
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Category: Christian Monasteries
Category: Eastern Orthodox Sites
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193: Solovetsky Islands
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Located on the frontiers of northern Russia, Solovki is home to a 15th-century walled monastery, a 20th-century Soviet prison camp, and mysterious ancient labyrinths. <
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194: Al-Masjid al-Haram (The Holy Mosque)
This is the holiest mosque in the world and the focal point of the Hajj pilgrimage. Originally built in the 7th century, it has been much expanded and can now accommodate up to 820,000 worshippers. 
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See photos: Mecca Photo Gallery
City guide: Mecca (Makkah)
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195: The Ka'ba and Black Stone
The focal point of the al-Haram Mosque, the Hajj, and Muslim prayers worldwide, the cubical Ka'ba and its Black Stone have a fascinating history.
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See photos: Mecca Photo Gallery
City guide: Mecca (Makkah)
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196: The Prophet's Mosque, Medina
This huge mosque stands over the site of the Prophet Muhammad's house and tomb and is the second holiest mosque after al-Haram in Mecca. 
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See photos: The Prophet's Mosque Photo Gallery
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197: Dryburgh Abbey
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Category: Sacred Sites of Scotland
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198: Iona Abbey
St. Columba, an Irish missionary, established a monastic community here in 563 AD, from which Celtic Christianity spread to Scotland and on to Europe.
Little remains of Columba's original wooden buildings, but the earliest parts of the current Abbey and Nunnery date from around 1200 AD, when a Benedictine community was established and a few ancient high crosses still stand outside.
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Category: Christian Monasteries
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199: Melrose Abbey
Widely renowned for its beauty, Melrose is a ruined Gothic abbey built in the form of a St. John's cross, with a tower mostly in ruins. There are many superb windows; the principal one at the east end appears to have been more recently built than the others and is 57 feet high. The beauty of the carved work, with which the abbey is profusely decorated, is seldom equaled, and has been deservedly celebrated by poets over the years.
Alexander II and many of the Scottish kings and nobles are buried at Melrose, including the heart of Robert the Bruce's heart. A stone coffin was found in the small aisle on the south of the chancel in 1812, and it is believed to be that of Michael Scott, a famous wizard who predicted his own death.
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Category: Christian Monasteries
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200: Rosslyn Chapel
Rosslyn Chapel (originally named the Collegiate Chapel of St. Matthew) is a 15th-century church in the village of Roslin, seven miles from Edinburgh in Scotland. The unique chapel is famous both for its decorative art and its mysterious associations with the Knights Templar, the Holy Grail, and the Freemasons.
Rosslyn Chapel's mysteries played a significant role in Dan Brown's 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code. Since that time, the number of visitors to Rosslyn Chapel has risen by 56% and the chapel is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Scotland. Part of the filming of the movie based on the book took place at Rosslyn Chapel in August 2005.
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201: Bulguksa Temple
An important example of 8th-century Silla architecture, home to no less than seven Korean national treasures.
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Category: Buddhist Temples
Category: World Heritage Sites
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202: Haeinsa Temple
Haeinsa is an important Buddhist temple on Gaya Mountain, founded in the 9th century and rebuilt after a fire in the 19th century. It is best known for its complete copy of the Buddhist scriptures, the 13th-century Tripitaka Koreana.
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Category: Buddhist Temples
Category: World Heritage Sites
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203: Seokguram Grotto
Constructed in the 8th century in the hills above Bulguksa Temple, this Buddhist cave is the only structure surviving fully intact from the Silla era.
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Category: Buddhist Temples
Category: World Heritage Sites
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204: Burgos Cathedral
This Gothic cathedral in Burgos is notable for its vast size, magnificent Gothic architecture, and unique history. Burgos Cathedral was added to the World Heritage List in 1984, and Frommer's Spain votes it one of Spain's best cathedrals. Construction began in 1221 and was not fully completed until 1567. 
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Category: Cathedrals
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205: Cadiz Cathedral
Also known as Catedral Nueva ("New Cathedral"), the cathedral of Cadiz was built in the 18th century in the High Baroque style. The huge edifice is decorated entirely in stone, with no gold in sight, and in perfect proportions. It is topped by a golden-tiled dome that adds a Moorish feel; you can climb to the roof for a closer look at the dome and a fine view over Cadiz to the sea. 
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Category: Cathedrals
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206: Montserrat: Shrine of the Black Madonna
On a rugged mountain not far from Barcelona is one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations in Spain: the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat. Since the 12th century, pilgrims have been drawn to the mountain to venerate the miraculous statue of the Black Madonna (La Moreneta). In 1996, 2.6 million visitors came to Montserrat.
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See photos: Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat Photo Gallery
Category: Catholic Shrines
Category: Christian Monasteries
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207: Santiago de Compostela Cathedral
This magnificent Romanesque cathedral shelters the relics of St. James the Apostle and has been the goal of pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago from the 11th century to the present.
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Santiago de Compostela
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208: Valencia Cathedral
Valencia Cathedral was built in the 13th century on the site of a mosque and probably a Temple of Diana. It incorporates a number of architectural styles and artistic treasures: including the Holy Grail!
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Category: Cathedrals
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209: Anuradhapura
This sacred city, now in ruins and designated a World Heritage Site, was once a major center of Sri Lankan civilization. Sights include huge bell-shaped stupas built of small sun-dried bricks, temples, sculptures, palaces, and ancient reservoirs.
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210: Kandy: Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa)
Located in Kandy, an ancient Buddhist religious center, the octagonal, golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth was built between 1687 and 1707. This stunning temple is believed to house the left upper canine tooth of the Buddha himself. This famous religious relic attracts a continuous stream of white-clad pilgrims bearing lotus blossoms and frangipani.
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City guide: Kandy
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211: Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa is an ancient city that served as the Sri Lankan capital in the Middle Ages. Many fascinating ruins remain at the site, including a reclining Buddha, seated Buddha and standing Buddha all carved out of a single block of granite.
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Category: Buddhist Temples
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212: Gamla Uppsala
Before the arrival of Christianity, this was one of the most important sacred sites in Scandinavia, with a large temple, regular human sacrifices, and fiery royal funerals. The first Swedish cathedral was built over the pagan temple in the 11th century. The site's main attractions are three main barrows called the Royal Mounds and the stone cathedral (now a parish church).
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213: Uppsala Cathedral
The Domkyrka (Cathedral) of Uppsala is the largest cathedral in all of Scandinavia. The twin-spired, rose-hued Gothic structure stands nearly 400 feet tall and boasts an impressive Gothic interior. Inside are the relics of St. Erik, several notable tombs, and a small museum of ecclesiastical treasures. 
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214: Basilica of Our Lady of Einsiedeln
The important Catholic shrine of Our Lady of Einsiedeln includes the relics of a saint, a miraculous Black Madonna statue, and a Benedictine monastery. The village of Einsiedeln is also home to the world's largest nativity scene, the Diorama Bethlehem.
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215: Spiez: Castle Church (Schlosskirche)
The Schlosskirche or Castle Church of Spiez is an attractive Romanesque church picturesquely situated at the end of a rocky peninsula overlooking Lake Thun. Regularly used for weddings by locals, the Schlosskirche is well worth visiting for its faded frescoes in the apse and the crypt.
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216: Apamea
This archaeological site features an exceptionally long Roman street, with many columns still standing, as well as other ruins dating mainly from the Roman period. It was the home of Evagrius the church historian and Theodoret the bishop.
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See photos: Apamea Photo Gallery
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217: Bosra
This southern city's most impressive feature is its incredibly well preserved Roman theater complete with tall stage buildings. There are also early Christian ruins and several old mosques to be found within its great walls.
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See photos: Bosra Photo Gallery
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218: Dura Europos
This important archaeological site has been called the "Pompeii of the Syrian Desert." Abandoned in the 3rd century AD, the Roman city is home to the oldest surviving house-church and synagogue ever found, both complete with frescoes.
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219: Krak des Chevaliers
This remarkably well-preserved Crusader castle looks almost exactly as it would have 800 years ago. It guards the only major pass between Antakya in Turkey and Beirut in Lebanon; it was built and expanded between 1150 and 1250 and eventually housed a garrison of 2000. The castle held out against several attacks, but was lost to the Mamluk Sultan Beybar in 1271. 
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220: Palmyra
Palmyra was once a great and powerful Roman city as its impressive ruins attest. It is most associated with Queen Zenobia, an ambitious woman who took on the Roman emperor. Substantial ruins of the pagan temples of Bel and Baal can be seen here.
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See photos: Palmyra Photo Gallery
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221: Seidnaya
This hillside town 20 miles north of Damascus is crowned by a 6th-century monastery dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. It contains a miraculous icon said to have been painted by St. Luke, and attracts Christian and Muslim pilgrims seeking healing. 
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222: Mount Kailash
This peak in the Gangdisê mountains in Tibet is the source of some of the longest (and holiest) rivers in Asia and is a sacred mountain in four different faiths: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon. Pilgrims undertake the arduous journey of circumnavigating the holy mountain, but consider it sacrilege to climb it. Next to the mountain are the sacred lakes Manasarowar and Rakshastal.
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223: Samye Monastery
Built in the 8th century, Samye Monastery was the first Buddhist monastery to be founded in Tibet. Samye is famous for its sacred mandala design: the central temple symbolizes the legendary Mount Meru, center of the universe. The historic monastery is also notable as the site of the "Great Debate" (792-794) between sects of Buddhism. Samye is a popular pilgrimage destination for Tibetan Buddhists, some of whom travel on foot for weeks to reach it.
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224: Akdamar Island: Armenian Church of the Holy Cross
The Akdamar Kilesi or the Church of the Holy Cross is a ruined Armenian cathedral in Eastern Anatolia. Located on a small island in the beautiful mountain setting of Lake Van, the Akdamar church dates from the 10th century and is famed for the fascinating reliefs carved on its exterior.
Learn more: Church of the Holy Cross, Akdamar Island
See photos: Church of the Holy Cross Photo Gallery
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225: Aphrodisias
Aphrodisias is one of the oldest sacred sites in Turkey, dedicated first to the ancient Mother Goddess and then the Greek goddess Aphrodite. In classical times it was the site of a magnificent Temple of Aphrodite and the home of a renowned school of marble sculpture. The Temple of Aphrodite was later transformed into a Christian basilica through an impressive swapping of columns.
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Category: Greek Temples
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226: Didyma
Didyma was an important sacred site in the ancient Greek world. Its famous oracle and Temple of Apollo attracted crowds of pilgrims and was second in importance only to Delphi. Today, the temple's magnificent ruins still attract thousands of visitors.
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See photos: Didyma Photo Gallery
Category: Greek Temples
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227: Cappadocia: Goreme Open Air Museum
Cappadocia's most famous attraction, for good reason, is the Goreme Open Air Museum, a complex of several painted cave-churches carved out by Orthodox monks between 900 and 1200 AD. There are at least 10 churches and chapels in the museum area, each one named for a prominent attribute by the local villagers who were exploring these caves long before there was an entrance fee.
Learn more: Goreme Open Air Museum, Cappadocia
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228: Hierapolis (Pamukkale)
Hierapolis, whose name means "sacred city," was believed to have been founded by Apollo. It was the site of sacred hot springs, whose gases were associated with Pluto, god of the underworld. The city had a significant Jewish community and was mentioned by Paul in Colossians.
Today, Hierapolis is a World Heritage Site and popular tourist destination. It is definitely a "must-see" for anyone passing through the area in addition to interesting Roman ruins, the site offers a thermal Sacred Pool in which you can swim with ancient artifacts, a view of the spectacular white terraces of Pamukkale, and a good museum.
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229: Iznik: Ancient Nicea
A small lakeside town in northwestern Turkey, Iznik is the modern successor of the Byzantine city of Nicea, where a famous church council was held in 325 AD.
The Council of Nicea was called by Emperor Constantine the Great, who had converted to Christianity a decade earlier and ended centuries of persecution of Christianity. Around 300 bishops from across the Christian world attended. The main reason for the council was the dispute over Arianism (the doctrine that Christ is a lesser divine being than God) but the bishops also dealt with the date of Easter and various matters of church administration.
Another important council was held at Nicea in 787 to deal with the iconoclastic controversy (the dispute over whether the use of icons was appropriate or constituted idolatry).
The First Council of Nicea was held in the Senatus Palace, which sadly now lies beneath the waters of Lake Iznik. But believers and historians still come to Iznik to see the ruins of the 4th-century St. Sophia Cathedral, the site of the Second Council of Nicea, in the town center. Renamed Orhan Ghazi Mosque in 1331 , the building was restored by the famous architect Sinan in the 16th century. The ceiling has collapsed but much still remains. On the wall of a grave room is a fresco of Christ and there are surviving mosaic pavements on the floor.
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230: Laodicea
Laodicea was an ancient city in western Turkey, founded by Seleucid King Antiochus II in honor of his wife, Laodice. It became a prosperous Roman market town on the trade route from the East, famous for its woolen and cotton cloths. Laodicea became an early center of Christianity and one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. In the 4th century, Apollinaris of Laodicea proposed the theory later called Apollinarianism, which was considered heretical by the Catholic Church.
A large earthquake destroyed Laodicea and it has never been rebuilt. What remains of the ancient city are a stadium, sarcophagi, an amphitheatre, an odeon, a cistern and an aqueduct.
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231: Miletus
An important port city that was visited by Paul on his third missionary journey. Ruins include a Temple of Serapis, a Byzantine church, an important inscription relating to Jews, and a Sacred Way leading to nearby Didyma.
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232: Myra: Church of St. Nicholas
An 8th century Byzantine church that was once the resting place of St. Nicholas (i.e. Santa Claus) before his relics were swiped and taken to Bari, Italy, in 1074. Today, the half-ruined church contains the empty tomb of Nicholas, several old frescoes, and a beautiful opus sectile floor.
Learn more: Church of St. Nicholas, Myra
Category: Eastern Orthodox Sites
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233: Pisidian Antioch
Founded by the Seleucids in the 3rd century BC, Pisidian Antioch became an important Roman colony. It was visited by St. Paul on his first missionary journey and was the site of the first fully Gentile Christian community.
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234: Priene
Priene is an ancient Hellenistic city located just to the north of Miletus in western Turkey. It was an ancient Greek holy city and the home of an important temple of Athena.
Priene's picturesque ruins include several columns of that Temple of Athena, ruins of an ancient synagogue, much of the city wall, a well-preserved theater and a council chamber.
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235: Tarsus
Tarsus is a Turkish city best known as the birthplace of Paul the Apostle.
Tarsus was the most important commercial port in the province of Cilicia beginning in 2300 BC. A few decades before Christ, the Romans granted Tarsus the status of a free city with the privileges such a title entailed. Mark Antony and Cleopatra lived in Tarsus in the 1st century BC.
The Apostle Paul was born in Tarsus and seemed to be proud of his birthplace. As he was being arrested in Jerusalem, Saint Paul told the tribune: "I am a Jew and a citizen of the well-known city of Tarsus in Cilicia."
Today there are few sites of interest to visitors in Tarsus, but one is the traditional home of Paul. The site is a pilgrimage destination for some and the water from St. Paul's Well (shown in the photo) is believed to have healing powers.
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236: Bighorn Medicine Wheel
The Bighorn Medicine Wheel is the most important of several medicine wheels in the American West. Constructed around 700 years ago and aligned with the stars, it is an important sacred site for local Indians as well as New Age practitioners.
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Category: Native American Sites in the USA
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237: Cahokia Mounds
The center of Mississipian Indian culture from 900 to 1300 AD, Cahokia was the largest pre-Columbian community in North America. The Cahokians built several ritual earthwork mounds that can still be seen today.
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Category: Native American Sites in the USA
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238: Colorado Springs: Cadet Chapel
The striking appearance of the Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, attracted some controversy when it was first completed in 1963, but is now considered one of the most beautiful examples of modern American architecture.
Learn more: Cadet Chapel, Colorado Springs
Category: Modern Architecture
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239: Crater Lake
Crater Lake is a spectacularly blue mountain lake in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Widely renowned for its great depth and beauty, it is also a sacred lake much revered by the Klamath Indians.
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Category: Native American Sites in the USA
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240: Mount Shasta
A beautiful mountain in northern California believed by Native Americans to be the center of creation. Today, it is considered a major center of cosmic power by New Age devotees. 
Learn more: Mount Shasta
Category: Native American Sites in the USA
Sacred Mountains
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241: Ocmulgee Mounds
The Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon, Georgia is a national park preserving an area that has been inhabited for over 11,000 years, "from the Ice Age to the Space Age." It centers around several burial mounds and an earth lodge built by the native Mississippian people around 900-950 AD.
Learn more: Ocmulgee National Monument
Category: Native American Sites in the USA
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242: Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple was the fourth Mormon temple to be dedicated and stands on a site selected by the Mormon prophet Brigham Young. Because of its historical significance and its location at church headquarters, the Salt Lake Temple is the most important temple for Mormons. Many Latter-Day Saint pilgrims come to the temple and it is where the church's highest officials meet. Salt Lake City streets are numbered according to their distance from the temple.
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243: Sedona
Long renowned for the stunning beauty of its red sandstone formations, Sedona has also become a gathering place for New Age adepts, who believe the region emanates a mystical power. Now one of the world's centers for the New Age movement, the small city attracts large numbers of New Agers, tourists and the curious looking to experience the "power vortexes" of the red-rock country. According to believers, a vortex is a site where the earth's unseen lines of power ("ley lines") intersect to form a particularly powerful energy field.
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244: Serpent Mound
The Serpent Mound is a man-made earthwork in the shape of a long, uncoiling serpent nearly a quarter of a mile long. The head of the serpent is aligned to the summer solstice sunset and the coils also may point to the winter solstice sunrise and the equinox sunrise. Created between 1000 and 1500 AD for unknown purposes, the mound is now protected in a state park in Ohio.
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245: Tintern Abbey
Tintern Abbey is a 12th-century Cistercian abbey standing in picturesque ruins on the southeastern border of Wales. Tintern was the first Cistercian monastery founded in Wales and only the second to be founded in all of Britain.
Now among the most spectacular ruins in the country, Tintern Abbey inspired a William Wordsworth poem and more than one painting by J.M.W. Turner.
Learn more: Tintern Abbey
See photos: Tintern Abbey Photo Gallery
Category: Christian Monasteries
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