The Garden Tomb in Jerusalem - By Phillip Benshmuel - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34183286
Stone Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya, India, where Gautama Buddha attained Nirvana under the Bodhi Tree - By Bpilgrim - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/
w/index.php?curid=1762492
The Church of the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor - By Berthold Werner - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5519208
RASTIFARIANISM
People of the Rastifarian faith believe the following:
Tour companies and packages:
Dhamek Stupa shrine in Sarnath, India, where the Buddha gave his first sermon - By R. M. Calamar from Brooklyn, New York, USA - SaranathUploaded by Ekabhishek, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17033405
Varanasi is one of the main pilgrimage sites. -
By Prasad, Madho - http://www.bl.uk/online
gallery /onlineex/apac/photocoll/g/019pho
0000017s3u00023000.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20578683
SIKHISM
Sikhs believe in:
The 5 gurudwaras or the Panj Takht – India
Sri Harmandir Sahib - Sri Darbar Sahib or Golden Temple - A central place of worship.
Tour companies and packages:
Akal Takhat Sahib at Golden Temple Complex. - By Amarpreet.singh.in at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2917519
CHRISTIANITY
Christianity is a belief system with includes the following
To find a more direct definitions, see the Nicene Creed at: ccel.org
The following sites are a section of Christian Holyplaces and pilgrimages.
Syria
Jerusalem -
Bethlehem –
Nazareth -
Capernaum -
Egypt -
Greece -
Italy -
Padua
Turin
Vatican City
Rome
Shrines, sanctuaries and churches commemorating saints
Turkey -
Poland -
Portugal -
Spain -
Numerous churches and places dedicated to honoring the Virgin Mary and apparitions of her:
France -
UK -
Various places that honor Saints:
Marian apparition sites:
Other notable sites around the world:
National Shrines in America:
Tour companies and packages:
BUDDHISM
Although Buddhism is not a religion in the true sense of the word, but more a way of life, some people like to journey to Buddha's historical places in India and the Far East. As a system of beliefs and practices, Buddhism appears to be a system that can only enhance one’s life.
Buddhist practices include the following:
A basic overview of the practices of Buddhism can be found on the following website:
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/pathmaps.htm
The following sites are a section of Buddhist Holy places and pilgrimages.
India
Nepal
Tibet
Tour companies and packages:
ISLAM
Muslims believe in the following:
The following sites are a section of Islam Holy places and pilgrimages
Egypt
- Grave of Malik al-Ashtar
- Masjid Ra's al-Husayn
- Sit Zainab
Iraq
Baghdad Pilgrimage sites
- Masjid Boorasa
- The four representatives of the 12th Imam are buried here
- Tomb of Qambar the slave of Imam Ali
- Tomb of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Yaqub al-Kulayni
Balad Pilgimage site
- Mausoleum of Muhammad ibn Imam Ali al-Naqi
Basra Pilgrimage sites
- Masjid Ali
Hillah Pigrimage sites
- Maqam Sahib al-Zamaan
- Tomb of Hamza
- Tomb of Qasim
- Tomb of Prophet Ayyub
- Tomb of Prophet Daniel
- Tomb of Prophet Dhul Kifl
Kadhmayn Pilgrimage sites
- Mausoleum of 7th and 9th Imams, Imam Musa al-Kadhim and Imam Muhammad al-Jawad,
- Grave of Shaykh al-Mufid
- Grave of Sayyid Ismail Safrudin
- Grave of Khwaja Nasirudin Tusi
- Grave of Sayyid Murtada
- Grave of Sayyid Razi
Karbala Pilgrimage sites
- Ganj-e-Shohada - graves of the rest of the martyrs of Karbala
- Garden of 6th Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq
- Garden of 12th Imam Sahib al-Asr, Al-Mahdi
- Grave of Habib ibn Madhaher
- Grave of Ibrahim
- Khaimaghah
- Mausoleum of Aun
- Mausoleum of Hadrat Abbas
- Mausoleum of Hur
- Mausoleum of 3rd Imam al-Husayn
- Qatl-ghah
- Til-e-Zaynabiya
Kufa Pilgrimage Sites
- House of Iman Ali
- Kooba of Ebrahim ibn Hasan al-Muthanna ibn Imam Hasan
- Masjid Kufa
- Masjid Sahla
- Mausoleum of Maytham al-Tammar
- Mausoleum of Prophet Yunus
- Mausoleum of Sayyida Khadijatul Sughra
- Mosque of Sa'asa ibn Sauhan
- Mosque of Zaid
Madain/Salman Pak Pilgrimage sites
- Cellar (sardab) of 12th Imam Al-Mahdi
- Masjid Jamia
- Tomb of Salman Farsi
- Tomb of Hudhaifa al-Yamani
- Tomb of Jabir b. Abdullah al-Ansari
Moosayab – Pligrimage sites
- Mausoleum of the two sons of Muslim ibn Aqil
Najaf Pilgrimage sites
- Grave of Sayyid al-Khui
- Imam Ali Mosque - Najaf, Iraq, is the third holiest site for Shia Muslims. Contains the tomb of Ali, who was the brother of Muhammad.
- Imam Husayn Shrine - Naraf, Iraq
- Masjid Hannana
- Mausoleum of 1st Imam Ali b. Abi Taalib, There are 3 graves here:
- Tomb of Hadrat Kumayl
- Tomb of Rashid Hijri
- Wadi-us Salaam
Samarra Pilgrimage sites
- Cellar of 12 Imam Al-Hahdi
- Masjid Jamia
- Mausoleum of 10th and 11th Imams, Imam Ali al-Naqi and Imam Hasan al-Askari
Iran - Tombs and Mausoleums
- Abu Ali Hazal ibn Hasan Al-Tibrasi
- Imamzada Sultan Ahmed
- Khwaja Aba Salat Harvi
- Khwaja Murad
- Khwaja Rabi'i
- Mohamed ibn Hasani Alhuri Ameli
- Sayyid Ahmed Kabir
- Shaykh Bahauddin Ameli
- 8th Imam Ali b. Musa al-Rida
Mali
- Great Mosque of Djenne, Mali - World Heritage Site.
Morocco
- Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco
Saudi Arabia
- Mecca - Masjid al-Haram or Grand Masque – The holiest city in Islam and is at the end of the Islamic pilgrimage called the Hajj.
- Medina – Al Masjid al-Nabawi or Prophet’s Mosque. The second holiest place in Islam and is one of the largest mosques in the world.
- Jerusalem - Al-Aqsa Mosque – The third holiest place in Islam, where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have left Earth on a winged horse to visit heaven.
- Masjid Qubbat As-Saljrah, Jerusalem - Also known as the Dome of the Rock.
- Mosque Of Omar
- Quba Mosque - Medina - First stones of the mosque were laid by the Prophet Muhammad himself. Prayer here is considered a holy act.
- The Tomb Of Samuel – Nebi Samuel
- The Lady Tonsok Palace Façade
Syria
Damascus - Pilgrimage sites
- Tomb of Lady Zaynab
- Bab Saghir –Tombs of
- Prison
- Ummayyad Mosque
- Salera
- Cave of Ashab al-Kahf
- Kog-e-Raqim
- Masjid Sulayman
- Small Masjid
- Sermon written by Iman Ali on stone
Turkey
- Selimiye Mosque - Edrine, Turkey
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul,Turkey
Tour companies and packages:
Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem.
By Daniel Maleck Lewy, 2005, - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=549414
Monastery of Saint John the Theologian (Patmos, Greece) - By Valeria Casali - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28499403
The Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh - By Dragfyre - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2441774
JUDAISM
Judaism is a belief in a one true God. Jewish people also believe that God is:
For more on Judaism go to:
http://www.jewfaq.org/beliefs.htm
Jerusalem is a holy city and spiritual center where you can see the following sites:
Three other holy cities include:
Tour companies and packages:
Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi - Photo by Vicki Kralapp
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela - CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=265729
The Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism - By Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30066666
Kaaba and Al-Masjid al-Haram, Mecca, Saudi Arabia. - By Muhammad Mahdi Karim; edited by jjron - Own work, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3563328
The Gold veraanda Imam Ali Mosque -
By Saff V. - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/
index.php?curid=45642981
Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem - By David Shankbone - David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3333978
Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina, Saudi Arabia. - By Nacizane - originally posted to Flickr as medine, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6309309
Torino Duomo - By moi-même - Torino (Italy), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org /w/index.php?curid=906745
Inside the Vatican - Photo by Vicki Kralapp
Santuário de Fátima - By Therese C - Flickr: DSCN5573, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56845332
Ayodhya - By Bhelki - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41020893
The Western Wall, known as the Kotel- By Golasso - Own work, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12647724
The supposed location where John baptized Jesus Christ East of the River Jordan. - By I, Producer, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6620561
Mount Ararat and the Yerevan skyline in spring.
By Սէրուժ Ուրիշեան (Serouj Ourishian) - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51469965
Although I have never been on a religious pilgrimage myself or any specialized religious tour for that matter, I have been to several of the religious sites that are on everyone's bucket list.
While in Italy in 2014, I was able to visit Rome and spend time at both the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. The brilliant artwork of the great masters Michelangelo, Leonardo and Bernini were at the center of my reason to visit. But these wound up only adding to my Vatican experience as I walked through the magnificent cathedral in awe. While at the Vatican, we were privy to a tour of the Vatican museum, were able to see where the present pope lives, and were able to witness part of a service in the cathedral.
Part of our tour in Italy included an afternoon in the medieval town of Assisi, in the northern region of the country. Assisi rises out of the Tuscan landscape on a hill and has been preserved through the years for the world to see. The Basillica of Saint Francis of Assisi and surrounding chapels are at its center and feature the early Renaissance artists Cimabue, Martini and Lorenzetti, among others. Although this area and its church have been ravaged in recent years by earthquakes, preservationists have restored what they could and it remains a great example of this time in history.
When I was in Europe back in 1977, I was able to attend a Sunday morning High Mass in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Although, I didn’t understand most of the service, I was delighted that my fellow traveler had the foresight to plan our Sunday morning and was able to get us in to mass. As I think back, the sound of organ pipes was my strongest memory. They echoed throughout the service and the acoustics throughout the service were unforgettable.
The Catacombs in Rome along the Appian Way may be considered a holy site as well because of the thousands of departed souls that are buried here. If you are older and can get there by car or bus, it is advised, as it is a fair stretch to walk. (I was in my early 20’s when I visited and was healthy and fit, and the walk was still far.) The Coliseum is a place that I have visited twice, although this last time I did not have time to wait in line to go in. The lines were non-existent when I was there in 1977 and we had to cross the round about street to get in. Now it is part of the ancient ruins of Rome that is was meant to be. Many of the early Christians were martyred here as part of the crack down on the rise of Christianity.
When visiting religious sites around the world, make certain that you take into account the following…
August Town Kingston, considered Mount Zion in Jamaica by Bedwardites and still revered by some in the Rasta Movement - By Jasonbook99 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18454765
A view of Notre-Dame from Montparnasse Tower - By Edal Anton Lefterov - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11300800
Hamandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple). The holiest shrine in Sikhism located in the city of Amritsar, India. - By Oleg Yunakov, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12257255
Cathedral of St. Andrews (Scotland) - By e6La3BaNo - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons. wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12350992
RELIGIOUS PILGRIMAGE SITES OF THE WORLD
Mount Sinai - By Mohammed Moussa - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28338950
Modern Basilica de Guadalupe - By Adan Hernandez Bahena - Mis Archivos, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8920355
Jagannath temple - CC BY-SA 1.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1027257
Aerial view of the complex of Bahá'í administrative buildings on Mt. Carmel, Haifa, Israel. - By Nafisto at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Faigl.ladislav using CommonsHelper., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5849201
Saint Catherine's Monastery - By Berthold Werner - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12215773
BAHAI FAITH
The Bahai Faith is a religion that teaches
The following sites are a section of Bahai Holy places and pilgrimages.
Temporary Shrine of `Abdu'l-Bahá
The Shrine of the Báb
The Garden of Ridván
Prison cell of Bahá'u'lláh
House of `Abdu'lláh Páshá
House of `Abbúd
Resting place of Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khanum
Tour companies and packages:
Safed city in July 2009. - By Matic18 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7425548
Northern side of Mt Kailash (Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China). - By I, Ondřej Žváček, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2525216
The al-Aqsa Mosque, where Muslims believe Muhammad ascended to heaven. - By Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24501043
Church of All Nations near Mount of Olives in Jerusalem - By Berthold Werner - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14585040
Dwaraka temple - By Scalebelow - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5739970
HINDUISM
Hindus believe:
The following sites are a section of Hindu Holy places and pilgrimages.
The 7 sacred Holy towns
- Puri
- Rameshwaram
- Dvaraka
- Badrinath
The 4 Maha Kumbha Mela sites
Vaishnavas
Shaivites
Kailash Parvata – Tibet – Holy home of the Lord Shiva.
Kaumaram (Six sacred abodes or temples of Murugan; Tamil)
Shaktas
Only 4 of 31 Shakti sites in India
Tour companies and packages:
Manger Square, in Central Bethlehem - By Ian and Wendy Sewell - http://www. ianandwendy.com/Israel, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3199802