Kitano Tenmangu Shrine – Japan

The Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to Tenjin (Sugawara-no-Michizane), the patron saint of students. Kitano Tenmangu is a major Shinto shrine located northwest of Kyoto, Japan. The shrine is famous for its tea ceremony in February which is performed by apprentice geisha under 1,500 blooming plum trees. Kitano Tenmangu was built in 947 AD in…

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Wat Pha Lat – Thailand

Wat Pha Lat is a small serene jungle temple near Chiang Mai, Thailand. Wat Pha Lat is one of the lesser known temples in Chiang Mai but it is also one of my favorites mainly because it is isolated in the jungle which gives it a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. The translation of the temples…

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Shore Temple – India

The Shore Temple is one of the most visited sites in southern India. The Shore Temple is located on the shore of the Bay of Bengal near the city of Mahabalipuram, India (currently called Mammalapuram). The temple is one of the oldest structural stone temples in the world and was classified as a UNESCO World…

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León Cathedral – Nicaragua

León Cathedral is the largest cathedral in Central America. The León Cathedral is located in the city of León in western Nicaragua. Its official name is the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary and it is the city’s most famous attraction. Construction of the cathedral started in 1762 and work continued on it almost continuously…

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Thien Hau Pagoda – Vietnam

Thien Hau Pagoda is a small temple with lots of fascinating features. The Thien Hau Pagoda is a Taoist Temple that was built around 1760 by a group of Chinese immigrants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The pagoda is one of the oldest of the Chinese community in the city and has been restored…

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Jerusalem Synagogue – Czech Republic

The Jerusalem Synagogue is named for the street that it is on and not for the city it is located. The Jerusalem Synagogue is on Jerusalem Street in the new section of Prague, Czech Republic and is the newest and also the largest synagogue in Prague. The synagogue was built in 1906 and is the…

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Wat Chiang Man – Thailand

Wat Chiang Man is the oldest temple of Chaing Mai, Thailand and is located within the walls of the old city, near the Chang Puak gate. The temple was built in 1296 by King Mengrai of Lanna Kingdom. Wat Chiang Man is one of the smaller temples that I have visited in Thailand but it…

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Synagogue of Santa Marina La Blanca – Spain

The Synagogue of Santa Marina La Blanca was built in 1180 in Toledo, Spain and is disputably considered to be the oldest synagogue building still standing in Europe. The name of the Synagogue is unusual for a Synagogue but the name is explained by its history. Its original name was Ibn Shushan Syanagogue but in…

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Mission Concepcion – Texas

Mission Concepcion was established in 1731 and is located approximately three miles south of San Antonio, Texas. The mission appears very much as it did when it was constructed. Currently it is the oldest unrestored stone church in America. Mission Concepcion is a designated National Historic Landmark and is part of the San Antonio Missions…

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Todaiji Temple – Japan

Todaiji Temple is one of Japan’s most famous temples and is located in Nara Park in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple was built in 752 AD and consisted of two nine story pagodas, a lecture hall, quarters for the monks and the Great Buddha Hall. The complex is very large with plenty of…

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Byodo-In Temple – Japan

The Byodo-in Temple was originally built in 998 AD as a retreat villa for the Fujiwara family. The temple is located in the city of Uji a short distance from Kyoto. The Byodo-in Temple is part of the Jodo sect of Buddhism and is dedicated to the worship of Amida, the cosmic Buddha of “Infinite…

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Monasteries at Meteora – Greece

The Monasteries at Meteora are located in the Thessaly Region of Greece near the town of Kalabaka. Most of the monasteries were built during the Middle Ages and are perched on the peaks of towering sandstone pillars. The Greek word for meteora means “suspended in the air” and the term appropriately describes these Greek Orthodox…

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