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This majestically illustrated and deeply insightful guide explores 100 of the most spiritually significant places throughout the world, seeking to understand what it is that defines these sites.
Spirituality has a multitude of meanings for the many who seek
deeper significance in their lives. From
ancient religions with their
timeless places of worship to modern,
contemporary followers of faith and
new age travellers seeking
enlightenment and illumination, we are drawn to all kinds of places in the
search for profound meaning. From a Polish Catholic praying in a large cathedral to a Portuguese surfer speechless in wonder at the majesty of the ocean,
spirituality knows no bounds.
ThePlanet’s Most Spiritual Places brings together
all definitions to present some of the most important places of spiritual significance, in
stunning and immersive detail. We recognize that one person’s spirituality can inspire another no matter their origin, history or nationality. We have included sites of spirituality from all around the world, from the established to the exotic, determining a number of fundamental definitions for our spiritual destinations:
1.
Ancient Monuments 2.
Places of Worship 3.
Natural Wonders 4.
Centres of Enlightenment 5.
Pilgrimage 6.
Living Landmarks As readers will discover, the
complex history of the world often defines where – and how – spirituality can be found.
The modern is as important as the ancient, and the free-form as important as the organised. What counts is the spiritual nature of the site, wherever it is, whoever visits it and whatever they believe.
Insightful text is complemented by
superb photography,
maps ancient and modern and
engaging illustrations of the plethora of places contained within. The
whole world is covered, continent by continent, and a wide variety of religions, belief systems and faiths.
List of contents
Ancient Monuments (23)
- Ubud, Bali
- Tiwanaku, Bolivia
- Easter Island, Chile
- Angkor Wat, Cambodia
- Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
- Stonehenge, England
- Luxor, Egypt
- Acropolis, Greece
- Prambanan Temple Compounds, Indonesia
- The Skelligs, Ireland
- Petra, Jordan
- Chichen Itza, Mexico
- Mayan Ruins, Tulum, Mexico
- Bagan, Myanmar
- Karachi Chaukhandi Tombs, Pakistan
- Macchu Pichu, Peru
- Nazca Lines, Peru
- Taputapuatea Marae, Tahiti
- Ayutthaya, Thailand
- Borobudor, Thailand
- Newgrange, Ireland
- Mount Athos, Greece
- Delphi, Greece
Natural Wonders (22)
- Byron Bay, Australia
- Uluru, Australia
- Little Manitou Lake, Canada
- Nan Madol, Eastern Micronesia
- Huahine, French Polynesia
- Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
- Saut D’eau, Haiti
- Snaefellsjokull Glacier, Iceland
- Sulaiman-Too, Kyrgyzstan
- Kathmandu, Nepal
- Sossusvlei, Namibia
- Cape Reinga, New Zealand
- Lake Titicaca, Peru/Bolivia
- Nazaré Canyon, Portugal
- Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa
- Es Vedrà, Ibiza, Spain
- Adam’s Peak, Sri Lanka
- Mount Kailash, Tibet
- Crater Lake, USA
- Joshua Tree National Park, USA
- Monument Valley, USA
- Cenote Sagrado, Mexico
Places of Worship (21)
- Medjugorje, Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Al Farooq Omar Ibn Al Khattab Mosque, Dubai
- Aachen Cathedral, Germany
- Dresden Frauenkirche, Germany
- Nasir-Al-Mulk Mosque, Iran
- Dome of the Rock, Israel
- St Mark’s Basilica, Venice, Italy
- Yamoussoukro Basilica, Ivory Coast
- Great Mosque of Djenne, Mali
- The Seven Saints of Marrakesh, Morocco
- The Church of the Nativity, Palestine
- Jasna Göra Monastery, Poland
- Sanctuary of Fatima, Portugal
- St Basil’s Cathedral, Russia
- Al-Masjid an-Nabawī, Saudi Arabia
- Sagrada Familia, Spain
- St Sophia’s Cathedral, Ukraine
- St John The Divine, USA
- St Peter’s, Vatican City
- Hagia Sophia, Turkey
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Centres of Enlightenment (9)
- Tiger’s Nest, Paro Taktsang Monastery, Bhutan
- Yungang Grottoes, China
- Kyoto, Japan / Koya-San, Japan
- Khamar Monastery, Mongolia
- Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Boudhanath, Nepal
- Haedong Yonggung Temple, South Korea
- Fo Guang Shan, Taiwan
- Chiu Gompa Monastery, Tibet
Pilgrimage (12)
- Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, Bolivia
- Mount Sinai, Egypt
- Lourdes, France
- Garden Tomb, Israel
- Shikoku, Japan
- Batu Caves, Malaysia
- Lumbini, Nepal
- Bethlehem, Palestine
- Mecca, Saudi Arabia
- Santiago De Compostela, Spain
- Glastonbury, England
- Reims Cathedral, France
Living Landmarks (13)
- Christ The Redeemer, Brazil
- Christiania, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Quito, Ecuador (multi-faith)
- Church of St George, Ethiopia
- Mont St Michel, France
- Meteora, Greece
- Bodh Gaya, India
- Golden Temple, Amritsar, India
- Taj Mahal, India
- Varanasi, India
- Western Wall, Israel
- Hill of Crosses, Lithuania
- Wat Rong Khun, (White Temple), Thailand
About the author
Malcolm Croft is the author of more than 50 humour, reference and popular culture titles, including Lonely Planet's Travel Book, 50 Years of Glastonbury, Coldplay: Life In Technicolour, and many others. Malcolm is also an editor, copywriter, and a journalist for magazines and newspapers. He lives in Bristol with his wife, two children and cat.
Summary
The Planet's Most Spiritual Places presents the 100 most important faith and spiritual sites from all over the world.
