Sacred Spaces

The most sacred Jewish shrine in Iran and a fine example of restoration works gone wrong.

Hidden in a high mountain cave, this hermitage dates back to the ninth century.

A solemn, monumental, kitschy palace of worship honoring victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Christianity and Islam have clashed, yet here a Serbian Orthodox church and a mosque stand together.

A pair of mysterious, unusually polished cave temples with an ancient gold legend.

Next to the Malaysian Prime Minister’s office stands this rose-colored mosque.

The collar worn by a fourth-century saint resides in this church, and is still used for blessings to this day.

Magnificent frescoes decorate the interior of this Romanesque church, which also showcases an unusual phenomenon during winter solstice.

An amazing example of early-20th-century architecture, this church features marble transported from Utah.

A monk spent 14 years carving steps through tuff to make this religious site more accessible to pilgrims.

This metal church may or may not have been designed by Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel.

Knights Templar are visible inside this stunning Cistercian abbey.

The ruins of this once gorgeous medieval church are still standing, despite the region's constant flooding.

At one of Berlin’s oldest churches, visitors can place mosaic tiles to help restore a medieval mural.

Ancient, mysterious stone altars are hidden among wild woods in central Italy.

After the construction of a nearby cathedral obstructed the view, the oldest belfry in Belgium was more than doubled in height.

This equestrian statue of Constantine the Great has been the subject of criticism for centuries.