temples

The holiest site in Sikhism, the Golden Temple seems to float on the water. It enshrines the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, which is venerated by pilgrims throughout the day and put to bed at night.

A series of 29 Buddhist cave temples dating from as early as the 2nd century BCE, the Ajanta Caves contain some of the greatest masterpieces of Buddhist art in India.

Overlooking the sea from atop the sheer cliffs of Cape Sounion, the Temple of Poseidon was built in 444 BC for the god of the sea.

The famous Temple of Athena Parthenos, built around 440 BCE, crowns the Acropolis in Athens. It was a major sacred site in Ancient Greece and is considered one of the finest examples of Greek architecture anywhere.

Home to the famous Oracle of Delphi, this mountain sanctuary was the holiest site in Ancient Greece. It was believed to be the center of the world, marked by the sacred Omphalos stone.

The late-Classic Maya site of Uxmal was built before the 10th century AD and is one of the most complex and harmonious expressions of Puuc architecture.

Completed in 1420, this magnificent temple was considered the meeting point of Earth and Heaven. For 500 years it hosted the emperors' sacrifices and prayers for a good harvest at the winter solstice.

In ancient times it was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but today the Temple of Artemis is represented by a single column standing in a swamp.

This three-tiered mortuary temple is dedicated to Hatshepsut, a female pharaoh who reigned 1503-1482 BC. Built against a cliff face, the great complex contains ancient statues and carvings.

Palmyra was once a great and powerful Roman city, as its impressive ruins attest. Substantial ruins of temples to Bel and Baal can be seen here, as well as towers tombs and a castle.