There are areas of the world where churches and temples attract more visitors than a soccer match. These are some of the most popular religious sites around the globe. How many have you visited?
1. Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Mecca is the holiest city in the religion of Islam. It’s located on the Arabian Peninsula 210 miles to the south of Medina. An average of 13 million people visit Mecca every year, nearly all of them Muslims. Devout Muslims are encouraged to make the journey to Mecca (the Hajj) at least once in their lives if they are able, but many make the trip every year. The final month of the Islamic calendar is the busiest. Approximately two million Muslims come to celebrate Hajj. Mecca’s holiness derives from the fact that it was the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad and the site of his first revelation about the Quran.
Sadly, non-Muslims are not allowed inside the city of Mecca; failure to observe this rule will lead to fines or deportation. However, non-Muslims are allowed in Medina, another of Islam’s holiest cities.
2. The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem, Israel
Israeli police estimate that over 11 million people visited Jerusalem’s Old City and the Wailing Wall (Western Wall) in 2016. That’s quite the increase from the mere three million people who visited in 2003. Followers of the Jewish faith are the most frequent visitors, with some making more than one trip a year. The wall is also a holy site for Muslims, so control of the wall has long been a subject of contention between the two groups.
The Wailing Wall is a place of prayer that has long been sacred to Jewish people. The original wall dates back to the second century B.C., when it was part of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. The temple was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70, and the wall is today all that remains. The extant section of the Wailing Wall connects to a larger wall that encircles the Muslim Dome of the Rock. The Wailing Wall that stands today measures 160 feet long and is 60 feet tall.
3. Senso-Ji Temple And Meiji Shrine, Tokyo, Japan
The Senso-ji Temple sees about 30 million annual visitors; it’s a must-see for any traveler passing through Tokyo. Senso-ji was built in A.D. 628 and is the city’s oldest temple. The five-story pagoda glows with accent lighting in the evening. During the day, street vendors sell food to tourists on the temple’s Nakamise Street. The Senso-ji Temple is a hot spot during New Year celebrations, consistently ranking in the top 10 for temple attendance during the new year.
Not far from the Senso-ji Temple is the Meiji Shrine, located in Shibuya, Tokyo. Construction began in 1915 and was finished in 1916. The shrine is dedicated to the spirit of the Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken. It was erected in an iris garden where the emperor and empress often spent time. The original structure was destroyed during World War II, but it has since been restored. The new building stands in a 170-acre forest. The surrounding evergreen glade contains over 365 different species of trees, all of which were donated by people from different parts of Japan.
4. Vatican City, Italy
Visited by nearly 4.2 million people annually, Vatican City in Italy is a place of pilgrimage for many devout Catholics. The Vatican is an independent city-state located in the middle of Rome. The city’s beauty and history attract tourists and architecture buffs in droves. Vatican City is home to the pope and is considered the spiritual center of the Catholic Church. Saint Peter’s Basilica is a focal point for both worship and sightseeing. It was designed by several well-known architects, including Michelangelo and Bernini. Saint Peter’s is regarded by many as the holiest of Catholic shrines.
5. Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, France
Notre-Dame Cathedral is another tourist magnet and site of pilgrimage for Catholics. Located in Paris, Notre-Dame is the most-visited attraction in France and the 13th-most-visited tourist destination in the world. Annual visitors to Notre-Dame are estimated to number 13.7 million. The cathedral is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, combining naturalistic sculptures and glowing stained glass with earlier Romanesque architecture.
6. Basilica Of Our Lady Of Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico
Approximately 20 million people visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe every year. The basilica was constructed on the site where Catholics believe the Virgin Mary appeared to an Aztec peasant named Juan Diego in December of 1531. Juan Diego’s tilma, which bears the miraculous likeness of Our Lady of Guadalupe, has been displayed inside the basilica for centuries.
In 1921, a bomb was planted in a flower vase in the basilica, and much of the building’s interior was damaged; the tilma, however, remained unscathed. The Old Basilica was closed for many years following the incident. It still stands, but it’s now joined by its neighbor, the New Basilica, which can hold up to 50,000 people for Mass.
7. Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi, India
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple in India is located on the western bank of the river Ganges. The river itself is thought to have healing powers, and the temple is one of the most famous in the Hindu religion. It is dedicated to the Shaiva philosophy — a metaphysical concept of a supreme being or Brahman. The Kashi Vishwanath temple attracts 22 million visitors a year — 3,000 people each day on average. On busy days, nearly 10,000 pass through its doors. The current structure was built in 1780.
The best part about places of religious pilgrimage is that they tend to feature stunning architecture and a vibrant social scene. Taking in the architecture is just a bonus to soaking in the history of these sites — or the spiritual significance, if you’re religiously inclined.