Everywhere that I travel there are religious sites that reflect the beliefs of the people that currently or previously lived in the area. Religion is one of the largest factors in a culture. It impacts the cultures fashion, foods, music, and politics. Learning about these sites will help to learn and understand the cultures that worship or worshiped in these places.
Famous religious sites are usually hundreds of years old. Many of these sites are sites are still being used as religious places of worship but some are in ruins. If it is in current use then there will probably be limited areas to visit and not open to the public at all on worship days. Additionally, visiting religious sites will require respecting the beliefs of the religion and wearing clothing that will be appropriate for the site.
The posts that will be shown under this category are the religious sites that I have been able to photograph in my travels around the world. I hope that you will enjoy seeing these places and that I will be able to communicate how these place look through my photography.
Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, Vietnam. It was built in 545 A.D. on the banks of the Red River but it was moved to its current location on a peninsula in West Lake in the early 17th century. The outer wall of the pagoda is painted vibrant yellow and red with…
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Wat Pho is one of the largest temple complexes in Bangkok, Thailand and is famous of its giant reclining Buddha and for being a great place to get a traditional Thai massage. Wat Pho is located about a 10 minute walk from the Grand Palace. Architecturally, the buildings of Wat Pho are similar to the…
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St. Peter’s Basilica is located in Vatican City across from the Tiber River in Rome, Italy. The church is built at the site that is the likely location where St. Peter was buried in 64 AD. The construction of the basilica was completed around 349 AD and is the largest Catholic Church in the world….
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Senso-ji Temple is the oldest and most famous temple in Tokyo. The temple was built in 645 A. D. and is dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. The temple feature two impressive entry gates, a five story pagoda, the main hall, streets lined with vendors and lots of other features that would be…
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The Golden Pavilion is the tourist name for a Zen temple named Kinkaku-ji located in Kyoto, Japan. The temple consists of several buildings, two ponds and gardens but the highlight of the temple is the building which gives it the name “Golden Pavilion”. The Golden Pavilion is famous for its top two floors which are…
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The White Temple is the tourist name for a beautiful all white temple named Wat Rong Khun located in Chiang Rai, Thailand. The temple is easily seen from the road and the first sight of it will make you stop in amazement. There are over 33,000 temples in Thailand and I don’t think there is…
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Ta Prohm is part of the Angkor complex that most people know as Angkor Wat. Ta Prohm is such a small portion of the Angkor complex that it normally would not get much attention but there are two things that made it one of the top points of interest to visitors coming to see the…
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The Bayon Temple is a Khmer Temple that is part of the Angkor Complex located in Cambodia near Siem Reap. Prior to my visit, I knew about the stone faces that I thought was part of Angkor Wat but I did not know about The Bayon Temple or Angkor Tom. Angkor Wat, Angkor Tom and…
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The Cathedral of Florence is the dominant building in the Florence Cityscape as it towers over all of the other building in the city. The building is a renaissance style Catholic Cathedral, built in the 13th century and is the 4th largest cathedral behind St. Peter’s in Rome, St. Paul’s in London and the Duomo…
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Tachileik is a city in the north east corner of Myanmar. The Tachileik Shwedagon Pagoda is a smaller version of the famous Shwedagon Pagoda that is located in Yangon, Myanmar. The pagoda in Tachileik is located on the top of a high hill which provides a great view of the city below and across the…
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The Great Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is one of the top 100 wonders of the world. The Great Mosque of Cordoba was started 784 A.D. but was not completed until 987 A. D. The mosque was constructed as a Muslim mosque but in 1236 Christian forces captured Cordoba and it became a Catholic Cathedral of Cordoba….
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Angkor Wat Complex is the largest religious complex in the world. It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple of god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire at the beginning of the 12th century but was converted into a Buddhist temple by the end of the 12th century and has been in virtually continuous use since…
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