Christianity Holy Sites

The spiritual center of Roman Catholicism and home of the Pope.

The site where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected.

Where the Virgin Mary appeared 18 times, famous for miraculous healings.

The destination of the Camino de Santiago, one of the world's greatest pilgrimages.

Where three shepherd children witnessed apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1917.

The most visited Catholic shrine in the world, housing the miraculous tilma.

An autonomous monastic republic with 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries.

Eleven medieval churches carved entirely from living rock in Ethiopia.

A Gothic masterpiece on the Seine, rebuilt after the 2019 fire.

A major Canadian pilgrimage site known for miraculous healings since 1658.

Bulgaria's most important spiritual center, nestled in the Rila Mountains.

Built over the cave where Jesus Christ is believed to have been born.

A medieval Benedictine abbey perched on a tidal island off the coast of Normandy.

A Romano-Byzantine basilica atop Montmartre dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

A masterpiece of Gothic architecture housing the Sancta Camisa, believed to be the tunic of the Virgin Mary.

A Romanesque masterpiece in Burgundy, starting point of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.

A clifftop sanctuary in the Dordogne, home of the miraculous Black Madonna.

An ecumenical monastic community in Burgundy drawing thousands of young pilgrims weekly.

A Camargue town where legend says Mary Magdalene and other saints arrived by boat from the Holy Land.

The second-largest pilgrimage site in France, dedicated to St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus.

Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece in Barcelona, a basilica blending Gothic and Art Nouveau forms.

A Benedictine monastery high in the serrated mountains of Catalonia, home of the Black Madonna.

The seat of the Primate of Spain, a Gothic masterpiece in the historic 'City of Three Cultures.'

A Baroque basilica in Zaragoza housing the pillar on which the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared.

A UNESCO-listed Gothic cathedral on the Camino de Santiago, burial place of El Cid.

Known as the 'House of Light,' this Gothic cathedral has the finest medieval stained glass in Spain.

A cave sanctuary in Asturias where the Reconquista began, housing the Virgin of Covadonga.

Philip II's vast royal monastery and mausoleum, the spiritual heart of the Spanish Empire.

The mother church of Anglicanism and England's premier pilgrimage destination since the murder of Thomas Becket.

The coronation church of English monarchs and burial place of kings, poets, and scientists.

A sacred island off Scotland's west coast where St. Columba established a monastery that helped Christianize Britain.

The 'Holy Island' of Northumbria where the Lindisfarne Gospels were created and Christianity flourished.

England's Nazareth — a medieval Marian shrine in Norfolk revived as a major pilgrimage site.

The holiest site in Wales, built where the patron saint founded a monastic community.

The largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, with the greatest expanse of medieval stained glass in Britain.

A masterpiece of Norman architecture housing the shrine of St. Cuthbert and the tomb of the Venerable Bede.

Byzantine monasteries perched atop towering sandstone pillars in central Greece.

The island where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation, crowned by a fortified monastery.

Greece's most important Marian pilgrimage site, home to a miraculous icon.

A Byzantine ghost city in the Peloponnese with stunning churches and frescoes.

The reputed last home of the Virgin Mary near the ancient city of Ephesus.

Hundreds of rock-hewn churches with vivid Byzantine frescoes carved into Cappadocia's fairy chimneys.

A Greek Orthodox monastery clinging to a cliff face high above a forested valley in northeast Turkey.

The haunting ruins of a medieval Armenian capital, once called the 'City of 1,001 Churches.'

The church of St. Nicholas of Myra, the historical bishop who inspired Santa Claus.

A monumental Baroque stairway in Braga symbolizing the ascent to heaven.

A masterpiece of Manueline architecture in Lisbon, built with wealth from the Age of Discovery.

A Gothic masterpiece built to fulfill a vow after Portugal's decisive victory at Aljubarrota.

The first Gothic building in Portugal and a Cistercian monastery of austere beauty.

Lisbon's oldest church, built on the site of a mosque after the reconquest, housing the relics of St. Vincent.

The headquarters of the Knights Templar and later the Order of Christ in Portugal.

Portugal's second-largest Marian sanctuary, atop a hill overlooking Braga.

A seaside church in Matosinhos housing a legendary crucifix said to have been carved by Nicodemus.

A fortress-like Romanesque cathedral overlooking Porto, witness to Portugal's birth as a nation.

Bulgaria's second-largest monastery, famous for its miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary.

A medieval church on the outskirts of Sofia with frescoes that predate the Italian Renaissance.

Bulgaria's third-largest monastery, famous for its miraculous 'Three-Handed' icon and vivid frescoes.

A clifftop fortress near Asenovgrad with a beautifully preserved medieval church.

Medieval churches carved into cliff faces along the Rusenski Lom River with remarkable 14th-century frescoes.

The largest monastery in the Pirin Mountains, housing a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary.

A monastery in the Balkan Mountains that served as a fortress during the Bulgarian struggle for independence.

A modest exterior concealing one of Bulgaria's most lavishly frescoed church interiors.

Sofia's iconic cathedral, one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, built to honor Russian liberators.

The papal chapel famed for Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgment, where popes are elected.

Bernini's iconic colonnade embracing the faithful before St. Peter's Basilica.

The underground burial chambers beneath St. Peter's Basilica, final resting place of numerous popes.

The marble steps believed to have been climbed by Jesus at Pontius Pilate's palace, ascended on the knees by pilgrims.

The largest Gothic cathedral in Italy, crowned with the golden Madonnina statue.

The Renaissance masterpiece crowned by Brunelleschi's dome, a triumph of faith and engineering.

The burial place of St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan order and patron saint of animals and ecology.

One of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world, housing the relics of St. Anthony of Padua.

The shrine of Padre Pio, the stigmatized saint who drew millions to this Apulian hill town.

A basilica enclosing the Holy House of the Virgin Mary, miraculously transported from Nazareth according to tradition.

A major Marian shrine near the ancient ruins, centered on a miraculous image of Our Lady of the Rosary.

A Gothic masterpiece in Umbria, built to house the Eucharistic miracle of Bolsena.

Home of the Shroud of Turin, the most studied and debated relic in the world.

Venice's golden-domed basilica, housing the relics of St. Mark and 8,000 square meters of mosaics.

Germany's most visited landmark, a Gothic masterpiece housing the Shrine of the Three Kings.

Charlemagne's Palatine Chapel, where Holy Roman Emperors were crowned for 600 years.

Where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses, launching the Protestant Reformation.

Germany's oldest cathedral, housing the Holy Robe said to be Christ's seamless garment.

The largest Romanesque church in the world, burial place of medieval German emperors.

Bavaria's holiest pilgrimage site, home of the 'Black Madonna' and Germany's spiritual heart.

A late-Romanesque cathedral housing the only papal tomb north of the Alps.

A Rococo masterpiece in a Bavarian alpine meadow, built after a statue of Christ miraculously wept.

One of the three great Imperial Cathedrals of the Rhine, seat of the powerful Archbishops of Mainz.

The tallest church in the world, with a spire soaring 161.5 meters above the Danube.

Home to the miraculous Virgin of Zapopan, protectress of Guadalajara.

The 'Sistine Chapel of Mexico,' adorned with stunning folk baroque murals.

A grand colonial cathedral built on the foundations of an Inca palace in the heart of Cusco.

The sixth-largest cathedral in the world and America's spiritual home for national events.

The most iconic temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

America's most famous Catholic cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece on Fifth Avenue.

The 'Jewel of the California Missions,' famous for the annual return of the swallows.

The 'Lourdes of America,' a New Mexico chapel famous for its miraculous healing earth.

The largest church in Canada, built through the miracles of Brother André.

A breathtaking Gothic Revival masterpiece with a spectacular polychrome interior.

One of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in North America on Canada's eastern edge.

The oldest parish church in North America and the first church elevated to basilica status in the Americas.

A national shrine honoring the Canadian Martyrs, eight Jesuit missionaries killed in the 1640s.

Canada's national Marian shrine, site of a famous miracle where a statue opened its eyes.

One of the oldest churches in Egypt, suspended above a Roman fortress gate in Old Cairo.

The ancient capital of the Aksumite Empire, believed to house the Ark of the Covenant.

An ancient clifftop monastery accessible only by climbing a 15-meter rope up a sheer cliff.

The 'Camelot of Africa' — a fortified royal city with castles and churches from Ethiopia's imperial era.

Island monasteries on Ethiopia's largest lake preserving ancient manuscripts and royal treasures.

A stunning Aksumite-style church built inside a cave, predating the famous Lalibela churches.

Ethiopia's most popular pilgrimage church, drawing hundreds of thousands for the Feast of St. Gabriel.

The garden where Jesus prayed in agony on the night before his crucifixion.

The lake where Jesus walked on water, calmed storms, and performed many of his miracles.

Built over the grotto where the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary she would bear the Son of God.

A dramatic cliff-face monastery in the Judean Desert, one of the oldest inhabited monasteries.

The Ethiopian and Coptic chapels within Christianity's holiest site, accessed via the Palestinian quarter.

The iconic 30-meter Art Deco statue of Jesus overlooking Rio de Janeiro from Mount Corcovado.

The world's second-largest Catholic basilica, dedicated to Brazil's patron saint.

A 17th-century Benedictine monastery hiding one of Brazil's most lavish gilded interiors.

A baroque pilgrimage church with 12 soapstone prophet statues by the master sculptor Aleijadinho.

One of the largest Neo-Gothic cathedrals in the world, in the heart of South America's biggest city.

The most opulent church in Brazil, with every surface covered in gold leaf.

Oscar Niemeyer's hyperboloid masterpiece — a modernist cathedral of light and space.

A pilgrimage center in northeast Brazil where a miraculous cross was discovered in a tree.

Home to the Círio de Nazaré, Brazil's largest religious procession with 2+ million participants.

One of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world, perched on Mount Maqlub in northern Iraq.

The UNESCO-recognized site on the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.

A Marian shrine with a 15-ton bronze statue overlooking the Bay of Jounieh.

A UNESCO-listed gorge that sheltered persecuted Maronite Christians for centuries.

The monastery and tomb of St. Charbel Makhlouf, Lebanon's most beloved saint.

The best-preserved Crusader castle, with a chapel that was converted to a mosque.

Ruins of the 5th-century church built around the pillar where St. Simeon lived for 37 years.

The mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, often called the oldest cathedral in the world.

A UNESCO-listed medieval monastery partially carved into a cliff, with remarkable acoustics.

A 13th-century monastery in a dramatic red rock gorge, a masterpiece of Armenian architecture.

A 9th-century monastery on a basalt plateau, accessible by the world's longest aerial tramway.

The monastery where St. Gregory was imprisoned, with stunning views of Mount Ararat.

The most sacred place in Georgia, believed to house Christ's robe and a pillar of faith.

A 6th-century hilltop monastery overlooking the confluence of two rivers, a Georgian icon.

A UNESCO medieval monastery that was Georgia's premier center of learning and culture.

A 14th-century church perched at 2,170 meters with Mount Kazbek towering behind it.

A sprawling complex of rock-hewn monasteries in the semi-desert on the Azerbaijan border.