al-'Azhar University serves as the world's major center of Islamic learning, as well as Islam's oldest and most important university. Originally founded around 970 CE as a Shi'a institution, the school came under the control of Sunni Muslims after their conquest of Egypt in 1171 CE. The school has expanded in size and scope over the years, and it now includes multiple campuses and a variety of secular subjects, though the core of study remains Islamic and Arabic studies. After conquering Ey

The Prophet's Mosque, generally considered Islam's holiest site after the Kaaba, is built at the site of Muhammad's ancient home in Yathrib (modern-day Medina, Saudi Arabia). Muhammad performed much of the labor on the original mosque himself, and the present-day mosque still contains his tomb, which is located beneath the Green Dome. It also holds the tombs of early Islam caliphs, 'Umar and Abu Bakr. Not long after Muhammad's move to Yathrib in 622 CE, he and his followers built a smal

Angkor Wat Temple in Angkor, Cambodia. This huge temple complex was built during the twelfth century under the rule of King Suryavarman II (1113- ca. 1150). It is well known for being one of the largest Hindu temples ever constructed and the world’s largest religious building.  It also contains one of the largest bas-reliefs in the world. This bas-relief depicts the churning of the amrita elixir from the ocean by the Hindu deities. The inner walls are adorned with scenes from Hindu

Bethlehem, also called Ephrath or Ephratah, is a town in Israel, located about five miles south of Jerusalem. Bethlehem is an important place for Christians, as biblical accounts have it named as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, Bethlehem became noteworthy when Rachel, the wife of the patriarch Jacob, was buried there. Bethlehem is also known amongst Christians as the hometown of David and is historically known as a place of refuge, where Judeans stayed during t

Bodh Gaya  is one of the four main pilgrimage sites for Buddhist practitioners. Located in northeastern India, Bodh Gaya is the location where Siddhartha Gautama is said to have achieved nirvana.  In doing so, he became "the Buddha". During the 3rd century BCE, Emperor Ashoka built a shrine at the place that Gautama was believed to have achieved nirvana. A stone railing and water enclosure were placed around it during the 1st century CE.  The site houses what many believe to be

The Brihadeshwara Temple in Thanjavur, India. The world’s first complete granite temple, the Brihadeshwara Temple is a distinctive example of temple architecture during the Tamil Chola dynasty (ca. 3rd cen. BCE-1279 CE). This temple was originally built during the early 9th century CE by Raja Raja Chola I and dedicated to Shiva. Records indicate that the temple had a permanent staff that included hundreds of priests, sacred dancers, and musicians. About twenty years later, Raja Raja Cho

One of the most important factors in founding a sacred site in early Buddhism was its possession of Buddhist relics. In Buddhism, the term relic refers specifically to the remains of Siddhartha Gautama (c. 6th-4th cen. BCE), the Buddha.  According to the Buddha's instructions, his body was cremated and its remains were entrusted to a group of his disciples. The Mahaparinibbana Sutta  describes a story in which lords from seven areas within India demanded the Buddha's relics fo

Capernaum is located in Israel on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and was raised in Nazareth. However, when he announced his ministry in Nazareth, the people rejected him. Capernaum then became the center of his ministry, most likely because it had a centralized location and high population. Capernaum was founded after the Babylonian exile and the Jewish return from captivity . Its location on the shore of the Sea of Galil

The Dakshineswar Kali Temple in Calcutta, India. The Dakshineswar Kali Temple is located along the Hooghly river, near the Kalighat Kali Temple in Calcutta. While both temples are dedicated to the goddess Kali, the Dakshineswar Kali Temple was particularly well-known for its association with the Hindu saint Ramakrishna (1836-1886), who spent the majority of his life devoted to the goddess Kali as a priest of this temple. It was at this temple that Ramakrishna was said to have received a

The Dome of the Rock lies near Masjid Al-Aqsa atal-Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem.  The rock over which the shrine is built is believed to be the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son at God's command, and many Muslims believe it is also from this site that Muhammad ascended into heaven during the miraj, the second part of his Night Journey. The Dome of the Rock was completed in 692, making it Islam's oldest existing monument. One of Islam's and Jerusalem's most recognizab

The Ganges River. Since the beginning of recorded history, the Indian people have considered rivers to be sacred. During Vedic times (c. 1200 – c. 100 BCE), the Indus River was revered as sacred. However, as the Vedic age declined, so did the popularity of the Indus River. The Hindu epics describe the advance of the Hindu people to the Ganges River, a large body of water coursing through the majority of northern India. Within the Hindu epics, the Ganges quickly took its place as the mos

Imam 'Ali Mosque is believed to hold the tomb of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's son-in-law and the fourth and last of the "rightly guided" caliphs. The shrine that marks the tomb is particularly significant for Shi'a Muslims, who consider 'Ali the rightful successor of Muhammad as the leader of Islam. Many Shi'a make pilgrimages to the shrine, which is enclosed within the Imam 'Ali Mosque. 'Ali's tomb lies beneath a large, golden dome, which can be seen throughout the city. After 'Ali wa

Geographic spaces and manmade sites have played an important role in Islam since its founding. Since the time he claimed to be a prophet, Muhammad felt that the shrine named the Kaaba held special significance and rightly belonged to the monotheistic tradition. Before gaining the support necessary to conquer Mecca and capture control of the Kaaba, Muhammad instructed his followers to pray in the direction of Jerusalem, where Muhammad claimed to be transported miraculously one night by Allah. Th

The Jagannath Temple in Puri, India. The Jagannath Temple is dedicated to the form of Krishna known as Jagannath. The temple—built in the late 11th century—towers over the town of Puri. Due to the vast number of temples present in this area, Puri is often considered one of the most famous centers of religion in the Indian subcontinent. Inside the temple stand rough wooden icons of Krishna (as Jagannath), his brother, Balabhadra (or Balarama), and his sister, Subhadra. However, the iconog

Introduction Jerusalem is the capital city of Israel. Christians consider it a holy place, as it is believed to be where most of Jesus Christ’s ministry occurred. The events of Jesus’s ministry are chronicled in four books of the Bible, known as the Gospels. Many of the locations of many biblical events that were said to have taken place about 2000 years ago can still be visited today. In fact, tourism is one of Jerusalem's major industries. In 2010, there was an estimated 3.45 million to