Temples

To gaze upon the visage of Sri Lanka's biggest Buddha, one must first pass through the Tunnel of Hell.

A peculiar idol to the Hindu King of Ghosts demands fine leather footwear in exchange for warding off evil.

High atop a Mexican rainforest mountain, this ancient pyramid once drew pilgrims countries away.

This Balinese sea temple is thought to be guarded by the hundreds of monkeys that live around it.

This sensational Chinese temple walks visitors through the 76 weird departments of the afterlife.

This Buddhist temple is home to the graves of the Japanese national legends, the 47 Ronin.

This remote Himalayan temple is in danger of being completely washed away by a melting glacier.

This domed temple was built in a hidden cave mouth as a refuge for sinners seeking absolution.

A waterfall runs right through the middle of this Taiwanese shrine to the hundreds of workers killed while building a nearby highway.

This collection of lakeside pagodas and temples are flanked by giant lions, tigers, and dragons as well as their welcoming maws.

This tiny lake temple dedicated to a water goddess seems to float on the surface.

Riding on a pair of architectural dragons, this Thailand temple holds murals full of lurid imagery.

This serene oasis in an affluent Los Angeles neighborhood holds some of Gandhi's ashes and got Elvis into Eastern Philosophy.

The Uyghur settlement in the middle of a lake continues to raise questions.

This military mausoleum captures the solemn grandeur that most memorials only aspire to.

Isolated atop this Balinese sea crag is a lovely Hindu temple that is said to be guarded by sea snakes.

This Italian-style temple replica has been threatening to fall off the Irish coast for hundreds of years.