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This is a list of cities that various groups regard as Holy . Cities may be either considered holy in themselves (as Mecca for Muslims), important sites for worship or study (swamithoppe for Ayyavazhi), or the high seat of particular religions (Moscow for Russian Orthodox). INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN # Devil's Marbles Conservation Reserve , A geological site sacred to the Arrernte people of northern Australia. Possibly the oldest continually used by man. ASSYRO-BABYLONIAN # Babylon , The Gate of God, Known as Babilu in Akkadian and Kadingirra in Sumerian. # Ashur , The City of the Patron God of Assyira, the Sky God. # Nineveh , Capital of the Assyrian Empire. # Ur , The birthplace of Abraham the father of Christians , Jews and Arabs . # Nippur , holy capital city of Sumerian AYYAVAZHI # Swamithoppe - where Vaikundar performed The Great Tavam . # Ambalappathi - where Ayya unified into him, the seven Deities. # Muttappathi - where Ayya was given second as well as third Vinchai . # Tamaraikulampathi - where Akilattirattu Ammanai , the scripture of Ayyavazhi was written down. # Pooppathi - where Ayya unified into him Poomadanthai, the goddess of Earth . # Vakaippathi - where 700 families were send to tavam by Ayya Vaikundar . # Avatharappathi - where Ayya after the incarnation in the sea, arose in the world. BAHá'í # Baghdad , House Of Bahá'u'lláh where Bahá'u'lláh lived in from 1853 to 1863 # Shiraz , House Of The Báb where the Báb declared his mission to Mullá Husayn # Akko , Shrine Of Bahá'u'lláh # Haifa , Shrine Of The Báb and Administrative Headquarters of the Bahá'í Faith :''See also: Bahá'í Pilgrimage BUDDHISM # Bodh Gaya , where Gautama Buddha's attained Enlightenment # Sarnath , where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma , and where the Buddhist Sangha was founded # Kushinagar , where Gautama Buddha attained Parinirvana , and was cremated # Lumbini , commonly recognized as the birth site of Gautama Buddha # Anuradhapura , which contains the 2300 year old holy Bo tree relic Sri Maha Bodhi # Kandy , which is the site of the Dalida Maligawa, the Temple Of The Tooth Tibetan Buddhism More important than anything inherent to the places is the presence of the holiest leaders, the highest lamas, who are considered reincarnations of their predecessors. # Lhasa , seat of the Dalai Lama (now in exile in Dharamsala , India) in the Potala palace, also national (and under Chinese rule regional) capital of Tibet # Shigatse , seat of the Panchen Lama , also the country's second city # Tsurphu , (later in exile Rumtek in Sikkim , India), seat of the Karmapa Lama , not a proper city, rather a monastic site fairly close to Lhasa CHRISTIANITY # Jerusalem , The site of some of Jesus's teaching and entombment; Christians believe he was crucified on a nearby hill, Golgotha . Nominally the earthly model (under king Solomon) of Heaven, hence old maps in Christian countries were traditionally oriented towards it (and Catholic and Anglican cathedrals point approximately towards it). # Bethlehem , Birthplace of Jesus # Nazareth , Jesus's hometown and site of many of his acts and miracles # Antioch , Once the center of Christianity In addition, various Christian denominations have separate holy cities: Armenian Apostolic # Echmiadzin Roman Catholicism Jubilee cities # Rome and Vatican City , Center of the Catholic Church, and site of the four Major Basilica s that are required to be visited to gain a Roman Jubilee # Santiago De Compostela , Site of the tomb of St. James the Greater # Santo Toribio De Liébana , where the largest single piece of the True Cross is kept. # Caravaca De La Cruz , where it is claimed a piece of the True Cross is kept. # Assisi , Birthplace and site of the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi. Also an important place for pacifism and tolerance between different religions Marian Shrine s # Aparecida , The largest Marian shrine in the world, as well as the most popular pilgrimage site in Latin America . It is dedicated to Our Lady Of Aparecida , Brazil 's patron saint. # Mexico City , Popular pilgrimage site after a 16th century appearance of Our Lady Of Guadalupe # Knock , Popular pilgrimage site after a 19th century appearance of the Virgin Mary # Lourdes , Popular pilgrimage site after a 19th century appearance of the Virgin Mary # Fatima , Popular pilgrimage site after a 20th century appearance of the Virgin Mary # Jasna Góra , Popular pilgrimage site - monastery with an icon of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa Eastern Orthodox # Constantinople , today Istanbul , Once the center of the entire Church # Mount Athos , Site of 20 monasteries # Kiev , Origin of Slavic Christianity, which evolved into Russian Orthodox Church Ethiopian Orthodox # Axum - holiest pilgrimage site as the location of the Church Of Our Lady Mary Of Zion that is said to house the Ark Of The Covenant # Lalibela - pilgrimage site with an extensive complex of Monolithic Church es Russian Orthodox ]] # Moscow , Capital of Russia # Sergiyev Posad , The center of the modern Russian Orthodox Church Georgian Orthodox # Tbilisi , Capital of Georgia # Mtskheta Anglicanism # Canterbury, Kent , The center of the Anglican Church Protestantism # Wittenberg , where Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses HINDUISM , an oldest Holy City in the world. It is considered as one of the most sacred place of Pilgrimage for Hindus irrespective of denomination.]] # Ahobilam # Amarnath # Ayodhya # Benares # Gaya # Haridwar # Kanchipuram # Katra # Madurai # Mathura # Mount Kailash # Pandharpur # Prayag # Sabarimalai # Thanjavur # Tirupati # Udupi Jyothirlingam s ( Shaivism ) # Bhimashankar # Deogarh # Dwarka # Grishneshwar # Kedarnath # Omkareshwar # Rameswaram # Somnath # Srisailam # Trimbakeshwar # Ujjaini (Avantika) # Varanasi (Benares) 51 Shakti Peethas ''See'' - '' Shakti Peethas '' on Earth in Hindu holy city of Prayag . Around 70 million Hindus from around the world participated in Kumbh Mela on the banks of river Ganga .]] Kumbh Mela sites # Haridwar # Nashik # Prayag # Ujjaini (Avantika) Other "Snanam" sites #The Mahamaham at Kumbakonam #The Pushkaram at Rajahmundry The Shankara Mathams The four ''Peethams'' established by Sri Adi Shankaracharya #South: Sringeri #West : Dwaraka #North: Jyotirmath (Badrinath) #East : Puri Jagannath Peetham Subrahmanya Kshetram's The six main Subrahmanya Kshetram's {Known as "Aaru Padai Veedugal"): # Tirupparamkunram # Tiruchendur # Tiruvavinankudi (Palani) # Tiruverakam (Swami Malai) # Kundruthoradal (Tiruttani) # Palamuthircholai Ranganatha Kshetram's The three Ranganatha Swamy Kshetrams on islands standing on the river Kaveri - #Adi Ranga at Srirangapatna #Madhya Ranga at Shivanasamudram #Antya Ranga Srirangam ''' LATTER-DAY SAINT (MORMONISM) # Independence, Missouri # Nauvoo, Illinois # Salt Lake City, Utah # Palmyra, New York # Kirtland, Ohio CONFUCIANISM # Qufu ANCIENT EGYPT # Abydos - center of worship for several gods connected to Death and the dead, including Upuaut , Anhur , Anubis , and Osiris . # Alexandria, Egypt - in the Hellenistic period, the center of worship for Serapis . # Arsinoe, Egypt - center for the cult of Sobek . # Bubastis - site of the primary temple of Bast . # Deir El-Bahri - site of temples to the pharaohs Mentuhotep II , Hatshepsut , and Thutmose III . # Dendera - site of cults of Isis and Hathor . # Heliopolis - major cultic center with temples for Atum and the Ennead . # Leontopolis - a cultic center for the worship of Maahes , Sekhmet and Bast . # Karnak - center for the worship of Amon-Re , Montu , and Mut , as well as, briefly, Akhenaten 's god Aten . # Medinet Habu - mortuary temple for Ramesses III . # Memphis, Egypt - cultic center for Ptah and Apis . # the fish goddess Hatmehit , and their child Har-pa-khered , who were eventually identified with Osiris, Isis and Horus, respectively. # Nekheb - cultic center for Nekhbet , patron-goddess of Upper Egypt . # Tanis, Egypt - the northern center for the worship of the Theban Triad ( Amun , Mut , and Khonsu ). # Thebes, Egypt - cultic center for the Theban Triad . ANCIENT GREECE # Athens - Major cultic center for Athena . # Delos - Birthplace of Apollo and Artemis . # Delphi - Site of the Oracle # Dodona - Cultic center and Oracle of Zeus . # Eleusis - Cultic center for Demeter and Persephone , site of the Eleusinian Mysteries . # Olympia - Hallowed site of the ancient Olympic Games . # Rhodes - Sacred to the sun-god Helios and the sea-god Poseidon . # Tiryns - Birthplace of Heracles . ISLAM # Mecca , the holiest city in Islam. Location of the Ka'aba - the basis of the Qibla (direction of prayer), focus of the Hajj . # Medina , the second holiest city in Islam, site of Masjid Al-Nabawi , where the final Prophet of Islam, Muhammad , is buried. Where early Mulsims Muhajirun Emigrated to following the Hijra . # Jerusalem , the third holiest city in Islam. Location of the Dome Of The Rock where Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended through the heavens to God . Also city of the earlier Israelite Prophets. In addition to the cities listed above the following are holy cities for some Islamic sects: Sunni ''While there are no specific holy cities outside of the above mentioned three for Sunni Muslims, there are several important cities that are respected for their significance to the formation of Sunni islam''. # Baghdad , where the Caliphate at its height ruled from. # Damascus , seat of Umayyad rule. # Samarkand , especially significant for Eastern Muslims, capital of Timur s kingdom. # Timbuktu , especially significant for African Muslims, Capital of the Empire Of Mali , and centre of African Islamic learning. Shia # Najaf , site of the tomb of Imam Ali in Imam Ali Mosque , who the Shi'a consider to be their founder. Also site of Wadi-us-Salaam cemetery. # Mazar E Sharif , another shrine of the Imam Ali , while the majority of Muslims believe Ali was buired in Najaf, a significant minority believe he is in Mazar E Sharif, in Afghanistan . # Karbala , tomb of Husayn Bin Ali in the Mashad Al-Husain # Mashhad , site of burial of Imam Reza # Qom , site of the shrine of Fatima Masoumeh , sister of Imam Reza. Also site of Jamkaran mosque. # Samarra , tombs of Ali Al Hadi and Hasan Al Askari , and mosque where Imam Mahdi went into Occultation . Sufism # Ajmer , India , site of the shrine and tomb of Moinuddin Chishti . Considered significant by most, holy by very few Sufis. # Türkistan, Kazakhstan , site of the Mausoleum of 12th century Sufi Hodja Ahmed Yassawi . Known as the ''Second Mecca of the East'' in mediaeval times. In Kazakhstan, three pilgrimages here seen as equivalent to one Hajj . # Konya , Turkey , site of the tomb of Mawlana Jalal Al-Din Muhammad Rumi , a 13th century master of tasawuff. # Delhi , shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya . JAINISM # Mount Abu , site of the Dilwara Temples # Shravanabelagola # Palitana , also known as Shetrunjay 4.Sammed Shikarji Hills - The Hills where 20 of the 24Tithankaras attained Nirvana. JUDAISM The primary holy city in Judaism is (Solomon's Temple) and the Second Temple . There are also three other holy cities of somewhat lesser importance to the Jewish people. These cities have played important roles in Jewish history, and were (along with Jerusalem) the main centers of Jewish population in Palestine between the Roman conquest of Jerusalem and the 19th century:
While not considered holy cities ''per se'', the following cities had great spiritual significance to Jews through the ages because of their close association with the development of Jewish law and culture:
SHINTOISM # Ise , Site of the Grand Shrine Of Ise # Nagoya , Site of Atsuta Shrine # Izumo , Site of the Izumo Taisha # Kyoto , Site of other important shrines, such as Yasaka Shrine, Fushimi Inari Shrine and Iwashimizu Shrine . This was also the old capital where the Emperors once resided. # Kamakura , Site of other important shrines, such as the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine , Hase-dera , and hundreds of other sites of religious and cultural importance. SIKHISM # Amritsar , Site of the most holy location in Sikhism, the Golden Temple # Nankana Sahib , The Birth place of Guru Nanak . the founder of Sikh religion. TAOISM SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS |
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