Sacred Places
Bodh Gaya: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The site of the Buddha's enlightenment and the most sacred destination in Buddhism. Bodh Gaya marks the location where Siddhartha Gautama, after years of.
Al-Aqsa and the Night Journey That Made Jerusalem Holy
How the Prophet Muhammad's miraculous night journey established Jerusalem as Islam's third holiest city. Jerusalem's holiness in Islam rests primarily on.
Dome of the Rock: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The iconic golden-domed shrine on Jerusalem's Temple Mount, sacred in Islam and Judaism. The Dome of the Rock was completed in 691-692 CE under the.
Hebron and the Cave of the Patriarchs — Sacred Guide
One of the oldest continuously sacred sites on earth, venerated in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Cave of Machpelah in Hebron holds claims to being.
Jerusalem Old City: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The walled heart of Jerusalem, sacred to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam since antiquity. The Old City of Jerusalem occupies less than one square.
Jerusalem: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The ancient city sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and the original destination of Christian pilgrimage since the fourth century.
Lourdes: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The Marian apparition site in southern France that became one of Catholicism's most visited shrines. In 1858, a fourteen-year-old girl named Bernadette.
Mecca: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The holiest city in Islam and destination of the Hajj, the world's largest annual pilgrimage. Mecca's sacred status predates Islam by.
Medina: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The city of the Prophet Muhammad's mosque and tomb, Islam's second holiest destination. Medina—originally known as Yathrib—entered Islamic history in 622.
Lumbini: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The birthplace of the Buddha in Nepal, one of the four great pilgrimage sites of Buddhism. Lumbini preserves the site where, according to Buddhist.
Najaf and Karbala: Where Millions Walk for Shia Devotion
The twin holy cities of Shia Islam, home to the shrines of Imam Ali and Imam Hussein and the world's largest annual pilgrimage.
Mount Koya: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The sacred mountain headquarters of Shingon Buddhism, founded by Kobo Daishi in 816 CE. Mount Koya (Koyasan) was established in 816 CE when the monk Kukai.
The Lag BaOmer Pilgrimage to Mount Meron
Each year hundreds of thousands gather at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai on Mount Meron for one of Judaism's most intense pilgrimages.
Rachel's Tomb and Why Pilgrims Still Pray There
One of Judaism's most visited pilgrimage sites, where the matriarch Rachel's burial place has drawn worshippers for over two thousand years.
Rome and the Vatican: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The heart of Catholic Christianity and a pilgrimage destination for nearly two millennia. Rome's status as a Christian pilgrimage destination rests on two.
Safed and the Kabbalistic Tradition — Sacred Guide
The Galilean hilltop city that became the center of Jewish mysticism in the sixteenth century. Safed (Tzfat) sits at approximately 900 meters elevation in.
Santiago de Compostela: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The cathedral city in Galicia housing the shrine of Saint James, destination of the Camino. Santiago de Compostela became one of the three great.
Sarnath and the Buddha's First Sermon at the Deer Park
The place where the Buddha delivered his first teaching after enlightenment, setting the wheel of dharma in motion for the world.
Varanasi: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
India's holiest city on the Ganges, sacred to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism for over three millennia. Varanasi (also known as Banaras or Kashi, "the.
Western Wall: Sacred Pilgrimage Destination
The holiest site in Judaism, a remnant of the Second Temple's retaining wall in Jerusalem. The Western Wall (HaKotel HaMa'aravi) is a section of the.