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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Wat Maha That – Thailand

Wat Maha That is believed to be one of Ayutthaya’s oldest temples and is thought to have been built by King Boromaraja I around 1370 to 1388 A. D. It is located on the city island in the central part of Ayutthaya and is also called the Monastery of the Great Relic. The points of…

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Wat Saket (Golden Mount) – Thailand

Wat Saket is a historic temple in Bangkok, Thailand that was built in 1467. The temple is also known as the Temple of the Golden Mount or the Golden Mountain Temple. The architecture of the temple is unlike any other temple that I have seen. The solid white base with the golden temple sitting on…

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Pancha Rathas at Mahabalipuram – India

Pancha Rathas is a monument complex at Mahabalipuram in India. The coastal city is a suburb of Chennai on the coast of the Bay of Bengal in Southern India and was a major seaport of the ancient Pallava kingdom. The monument site consist of five monolithic temple structures built by the Pallavas in the early…

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Kasuga Taisha Shrine – Japan

Kasuga Taisha Shrine was built in 768 AD and is located in Nara Park in the city of Nara, Japan. The shrine was built by the Fujiwara clan, one of the most influential families to the imperial dynasty. The Kasuga Taish Shrine is famous for its many lanterns that are placed around the shrine grounds…

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Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep – Thailand

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep is the most famous temple of Chaing Mai, Thailand and is known as the temple on the mountain. The temple is located 15 km outside the city on Mount Suthep in the Doi Pui National Park. The first Chedi of the temple was built in 1383 and over the years the…

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