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

Sacred Place City / locality

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Place Type Religious Tradition Tradition / Denomination Sacred Association Country State / Province / Region District / Subregion Architecture Heritage Facilities

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Sacred Places

Browse Sacred Places selected for Templestan’s public collection.

Zenko-ji

Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan Buddhism

Ancient Nagano pilgrimage temple open to all sects, centered on a revered hidden Amida image.

Ikko Sanzon Amida Nyorai

Hase-dera (Kamakura)

Hase, Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Buddhism

Kamakura temple famous for its monumental eleven-faced Kannon and a long sacred-origin story involving a statue carried by the sea.

Eleven-faced Kannon

Chuson-ji

Koromonoseki, Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan Buddhism

UNESCO-listed Hiraizumi temple famous for the gold-covered Konjikido and Pure Land Buddhist heritage.

Risshaku-ji (Yamadera)

Yamadera, Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan Buddhism

Mountainside temple in Yamagata reached by more than 1,000 stone steps, with a famous “eternal” Buddhist flame tradition.