Temples

The flower-shaped temple in Virginia aims to transcend the boundaries of the world’s religions.

America's original house of worship for Spiritualism, the religious movement based on communing with the dead.

This tiny, charming synagogue in the Cayman Islands was built by a man as a present for his Jewish wife.

The pyramid and dome deep inside the Dzūkija forest are believed to channel divine energy.

A shrine contains nearly 200 statues of the Buddhist deity Jizo, dressed in bibs by parents who have lost a child.

Home to what locals claim is the largest whale skeleton in Southeast Asia, which is worshiped yearly.

The largest Chinese cemetery in the world outside of China dates back to the 15th century.

This abandoned palace and the stupas around it conceal beautiful Buddhist frescoes, statues, and silk paintings.

This temple is steeped in local folklore involving a teakettle and a raccoon dog.

The oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia has survived centuries of invasions, political shifts, and religious purges.

A Himalayan monastery claims to have a piece of a centuries-old abominable snowman.

Modern design and unusual architecture make this mountaintop temple no ordinary Buddhist retreat.

The painted and decorated towers of this Hindu shrine were once the tallest structures in one of the oldest cities in India.

The skeletons, demons, and corpses serve as a warning of the terrors of Buddhist Hell.

A ruined Maya city that suffered a years-long case of mistaken identity.

This otherworldly church spire reaches up toward the heavens.