Churches, temples & shrines worth the detour
There are 19,074 churches, temples & shrines on Detourmap, spread over 206 countries — churches, temples, monasteries, mosques and shrines. The most famous is Hagia Sophia in Turkey; Italy has the deepest bench (2,121). The 96 best known are below.
-
1.Hagia Sophia
Sacred sites · 6th century · Iconic
Mosque, museum, and former church in Istanbul, Turkey
-
5.Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family
Sacred sites · 19th century · Iconic
Basilica under construction since 1882 in Barcelona, Spain
-
6.Al-Aqsa Mosque
Sacred sites · 8th century · Iconic
The main prayer hall of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem
-
8.Sultan Ahmed Mosque
Sacred sites · 17th century · Iconic
Historic mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey, also known as Blue Mosque
-
11.Cologne Cathedral
Sacred sites · 13th century · Iconic
Roman-Catholic cathedral in Cologne, Germany
-
12.Potala Palace
Sacred sites · 7th century · Iconic
7th-century Tibetan fortress and palace in Lhasa, rebuilt in the 17th century as the winter seat of the Dalai Lamas
-
13.Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Sacred sites · 16th century · Iconic
Monastery and historical residence of the King of Spain
-
14.Temple in Jerusalem
Sacred sites · Iconic
Structures on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem serving as Israelite religious centers
-
18.Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Sacred sites · 4th century · Iconic
Church in Jerusalem, containing the two holiest sites in Christianity
-
20.St Paul's Cathedral
Sacred sites · 17th century · Iconic
Cathedral in the City of London, England, UK
-
21.Saint Catherine Monastery
Sacred sites · Iconic
Greek Orthodox monastery (the oldest) at the foot of Mount Sinai, Egypt
-
22.Notre-Dame de Chartres
Sacred sites · 12th century · Iconic
Medieval Roman Rite Catholic cathedral
-
23.Prambanan Temple
Sacred sites · 9th century · Renowned
Hindu temple in Yogyakarta and Central Java, Indonesia
-
24.Florence Cathedral
Sacred sites · 13th century · Renowned
13th-century cathedral in Florence, Italy
-
28.Temple of Heaven
Sacred sites · Renowned
Imperial complex of religious buildings in Beijing, China
-
31.Canterbury Cathedral
Sacred sites · 6th century · Renowned
Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, England, founded in 597
-
32.Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
Sacred sites · 9th century · Renowned
Roman Catholic cathedral of the archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain
-
33.Aachen Cathedral
Sacred sites · 9th century · Renowned
Roman-Catholic cathedral in Aachen, Germany
-
34.Seville Cathedral
Sacred sites · 15th century · Renowned
Catholic Cathedral in Seville (Formerly a Mosque), Spain
-
35.Kyiv Pechersk Lavra
Sacred sites · 11th century · Renowned
Historic Orthodox Christian monastery in Kyiv
-
39.Shaolin Monastery
Sacred sites · 5th century · Renowned
Chan Buddhist temple in Dengfeng county, Henan, China
-
40.Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
Sacred sites · 20th century · Renowned
Russian Orthodox cathedral in Moscow, Russia
-
41.Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba
Sacred sites · 8th century · Renowned
Cathedral (former mosque) in Cordoba, Spain
-
43.Panthéon
Sacred sites · 18th century · Renowned
Mausoleum in Paris for the most distinguished French people
-
44.Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
Sacred sites · 16th century · Renowned
Cathedral in Mexico City
-
45.Basilica of Saint-Denis
Sacred sites · 12th century · Renowned
Basilica located in Seine-Saint-Denis, in France
-
49.Reims Cathedral
Sacred sites · 13th century · Renowned
Roman Catholic cathedral of Reims in France
-
51.Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Sacred sites · 5th century · Renowned
Largest Catholic Marian church in Rome
-
52.Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls
Sacred sites · 4th century · Renowned
Church in Rome, Italy
-
59.Burgos Cathedral
Sacred sites · 13th century · Renowned
Cathedral and World Heritage Site in Castile, Spain
-
63.Prahadisvarar Temple
Sacred sites · 11th century · Renowned
11th century Tamil Chola Dynasty Temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site
-
65.Jameh Mosque of Isfahan
Sacred sites · Renowned
Mosque in Isfahan, Iranian national heritage site and World heritage site
-
69.Jerónimos Monastery
Sacred sites · 16th century · Renowned
Building in Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon District, Portugal
-
70.Rouen Cathedral
Sacred sites · 11th century · Renowned
Cathedral located in Seine-Maritime, in France
-
74.Helsinki Cathedral
Sacred sites · 19th century · Renowned
Cathedral in Helsinki, Church of Finland
-
77.Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Sacred sites · 19th century · Renowned
Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria
-
80.Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg
Sacred sites · 11th century · Renowned
Cathedral located in Bas-Rhin, in France
-
83.Monastery of Saint John of Rila
Sacred sites · 10th century · Renowned
Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria
-
84.Salisbury Cathedral
Sacred sites · 13th century · Renowned
Church of England cathedral in Salisbury, England, UK
-
85.Urnes Stave Church
Sacred sites · 12th century · Renowned
Church building in Luster, Vestland, Norway
-
88.Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi
Sacred sites · 13th century · Renowned
Church in Assisi, Italy
-
89.Shah Mosque
Sacred sites · 17th century · Renowned
Mosque in Isfahan, Iranian national heritage site
-
91.Etchmiadzin Cathedral
Sacred sites · 4th century · Renowned
Cultural heritage monument of Armenia
-
92.Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius
Sacred sites · 14th century · Renowned
Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church
-
93.Poblet Monastery
Sacred sites · 12th century · Renowned
Monastery in Prades mountains, Catalonia. Spain
-
94.Roskilde Cathedral
Sacred sites · 13th century · Renowned
Cathedral in Denmark (Church of Denmark)
-
96.La Madeleine
Sacred sites · 19th century · Renowned
Roman Catholic church in the 8th arrondissement of Paris
Churches, temples & shrines by country
Every country with at least one. Those with eight or more have their own page.
- Italy2,121
- France1,405
- India1,405
- Germany891
- Japan830
- Spain827
- United States670
- Russia642
- United Kingdom609
- China597
- Poland435
- Ukraine347
- Turkey339
- Norway292
- Greece255
- Iran252
- Sweden232
- Czech Republic230
- Belgium194
- Romania182
- Serbia181
- Indonesia178
- Austria177
- Thailand176
- Brazil174
- Portugal172
- Netherlands170
- Canada147
- Belarus146
- Azerbaijan143
- Egypt135
- Finland135
- Georgia132
- Armenia124
- Bosnia and Herzegovina123
- Switzerland123
- Mexico122
- Ireland119
- Sri Lanka113
- Israel111
- Denmark110
- South Korea104
- Slovakia102
- Bulgaria98
- Croatia98
- Philippines97
- Malaysia95
- Bangladesh92
- Lithuania91
- Hungary87
- Vietnam80
- Australia78
- Palestine74
- Syria72
- Argentina67
- Iraq65
- North Macedonia65
- Taiwan65
- Myanmar64
- Singapore64
- Pakistan63
- Tunisia63
- Albania61
- Chile59
- Malta58
- Morocco55
- Colombia54
- Nepal51
- Venezuela51
- Algeria45
- Uzbekistan45
- Cyprus44
- Latvia43
- Peru43
- Slovenia43
- Estonia42
- Montenegro34
- Bhutan31
- Saudi Arabia31
- Lebanon30
- Moldova29
- Ethiopia23
- Kosovo23
- New Zealand23
- South Africa23
- Ecuador22
- Kazakhstan20
- Laos20
- Mongolia19
- Uruguay19
- Yemen18
- Cuba16
- Iceland15
- Afghanistan13
- Cambodia13
- Ghana13
- Nigeria13
- North Korea13
- Libya12
- United Arab Emirates12
- Guatemala11
- Jordan11
- Vatican City11
- Ivory Coast10
- Northern Cyprus10
- Bolivia9
- Mali9
- Nicaragua9
- Uganda9
- Abkhazia8
- Benin8
- Honduras8
- Luxembourg8
- Senegal8
- Bahrain7
- Democratic Republic of the Congo7
- El Salvador7
- Eritrea7
- Faroe Islands7
- Haiti7
- Mozambique7
- Tanzania7
- Timor-Leste7
- Trinidad and Tobago7
- Angola6
- Dominican Republic6
- Oman6
- Paraguay6
- Burkina Faso5
- Mauritania5
- Monaco5
- Panama5
- Qatar5
- Suriname5
- The Gambia5
- Aruba4
- Brunei4
- Cameroon4
- Costa Rica4
- Curaçao4
- Djibouti4
- Jersey4
- Kenya4
- Kuwait4
- Madagascar4
- Mauritius4
- Niger4
- Somalia4
- South Ossetia4
- South Sudan4
- Sudan4
- Tajikistan4
- Togo4
- Turkmenistan4
- Andorra3
- Barbados3
- Chad3
- Equatorial Guinea3
- Fiji3
- Greenland3
- Guinea-Bissau3
- Guyana3
- Malawi3
- Maldives3
- San Marino3
- Seychelles3
- Zambia3
- Zimbabwe3
- Antigua and Barbuda2
- Belize2
- Burundi2
- Cape Verde2
- Central African Republic2
- Gabon2
- Guinea2
- Isle of Man2
- Kyrgyzstan2
- Liechtenstein2
- Namibia2
- Papua New Guinea2
- Republic of Artsakh2
- Republic of the Congo2
- Rwanda2
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines2
- Sierra Leone2
- The Bahamas2
- Western Sahara2
- Botswana1
- Cook Islands1
- Dominica1
- Falkland Islands1
- Grenada1
- Guernsey1
- Hong Kong1
- Jamaica1
- Kiribati1
- Lesotho1
- Marshall Islands1
- Puerto Rico1
- Saint Kitts and Nevis1
- Saint Lucia1
- São Tomé and Príncipe1
- Solomon Islands1
- Somaliland1
- Transnistria1
- Vanuatu1