Sacred Spaces

A deserted island in southwest Japan that once sheltered persecuted Christians.

The abandoned ruins of a beautiful medieval castle just outside Barcelona.

This lonely metal cross may hint at the true location of a medieval showdown between Christian and Pagan kingdoms.

This 1,300-year-old marker is one of the finest and most complete early Christian crosses in Scotland.

A desert settlement founded and later abandoned by Hawaiian members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah's Skull Valley.

A nondescript dirt lot hides an intriguing center of shamanic healing.

A sprawling ancient Jewish cemetery with over 30 rock-hewn burial caves.

The mosaic floor of a 4th-century synagogue features a pagan zodiac wheel alongside traditional images of a Torah ark and menorahs.

Why a column on the entrance is inscribed with a verse from the Quran is one of Sicily's many mysteries.

A gem in the small Missouri town where Winston Churchill coined the term "Iron Curtain" and effectively began the Cold War.

A small etching on the white marble parapet was written in runic script by a Viking mercenary.

This ancient goddess temple inspired the design of India’s Parliament House.

Perched atop the highest hill in Cartagena, this 17th-century convent offers spectacular views of the city.

One of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in the United States.