Sacred Sacred Cities Around the World
6 remarkable sacred cities revered by believers and admired by travelers.
This guide lists 6 sacred sites in the world's sacred cities , connected to 5 spiritual traditions: Buddhism, Islam, Yoruba religion, Inca Religion, Andean religion. 4 of them belong to UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 1 are archaeological sanctuaries of ancient faiths. Each guide covers history, what to see, dress code, opening hours and the best time to visit.
Sacred sites in the world's sacred cities
Bagan
Explore Bagan in Myanmar, a plain of more than 2,000 Buddhist temples and stupas from the Pagan Kingdom, still visited by pilgrims and travelers.
Ile-Ife
Ile-Ife in Nigeria is the sacred origin city of the Yoruba, where creation began in tradition. See royal shrines, groves and famed Ife bronzes.
Lamu Old Town
Lamu Old Town on the Kenyan coast is the oldest living Swahili town, a center of Islamic learning famed for its Maulidi festival and stone mosques.
Luang Prabang
Visit Luang Prabang in Laos, a UNESCO temple town where saffron-robed monks walk the dawn alms round past gilded monasteries beside the Mekong.
Machu Picchu
Visit Machu Picchu in Peru, the Inca sanctuary of the Intihuatana and Temple of the Sun, set among sacred peaks above the Urubamba. A lifetime pilgrimage.
Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
Moulay Idriss Zerhoun is Morocco's holy town, built around the tomb of Idris I, founder of the first Moroccan Islamic dynasty. A key pilgrimage town.