Datsan Gunzechoinei
Saint Petersburg, Russia Buddhism
A historic Buddhist temple in Saint Petersburg, founded through the efforts of Buryat lama Agvan Dorzhiev and completed in 1915.
The World’s Sacred Places
Sacred Places
Discover a curated guide to significant sacred places, pilgrimage traditions, architecture, documented history and practical visitor information across cultures and faith traditions.
CuratedSource-awareMulti-faithVisitor-ready where known
Curated Discovery
Sacred Places
Browse Sacred Places selected for Templestan’s public collection.
Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni
Elista, Republic of Kalmykia, Russia Buddhism
The main Buddhist temple of Kalmykia and one of the largest Buddhist temple complexes in Europe.
Ivolginsky Datsan
Verkhnyaya Ivolga, Ivolginsky District, Republic of Buryatia, Russia Buddhism
Russia’s principal Buddhist monastic complex and an international pilgrimage destination in Buryatia.
Senso-ji
Asakusa, Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan Buddhism
Tokyo’s oldest and most famous Buddhist temple, centered on devotion to Kannon in historic Asakusa.
Kiyomizu-dera
Higashiyama, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
UNESCO-listed Kyoto temple famous for its wooden stage, Kannon devotion and Otowa Waterfall.
Horyu-ji
Ikaruga, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
One of the world’s oldest surviving wooden temple complexes and a foundational monument of Japanese Buddhism.
Todai-ji
Zoshicho, Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
UNESCO-listed Nara temple housing the monumental Great Buddha and central to early Japanese state Buddhism.
Byodoin Temple
Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
UNESCO-listed Pure Land Buddhist temple in Uji, famous for the 11th-century Phoenix Hall.
Kinkaku-ji (Rokuon-ji)
Kita, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
World-famous Zen temple in Kyoto centered on the gold-leaf-covered Golden Pavilion.
Yakushi-ji
Nishinokyo, Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
UNESCO-listed Nara temple dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha, with major early Buddhist art and pagodas.
Seiganto-ji
Nachisan, Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
Historic Buddhist temple beside Kumano Nachi Taisha, famous for its pagoda view with Nachi Falls.
Naritasan Shinsho-ji
Narita, Chiba Prefecture, Japan Buddhism
Major Shingon temple near Narita, renowned for its daily Goma fire ritual and huge New Year pilgrimage crowds.