Holy city

"Holy City" redirects here. For other uses, see Holy City (disambiguation).

A holy city is a city important to the history or faith of a specific religion. Such cities may also contain at least one headquarters complex (often containing a religious edifice, seminary, shrine, residence of the leading cleric of the religion and/or chambers of the religious leadership's offices) which constitutes a major destination of human traffic, or pilgrimage to the city, especially for major ceremonies and observances. A holy city is a symbolic city, representing attributes beyond its natural characteristics. Marketing experts have suggested that holy cities may be the oldest brands, and more specifically, place brands because they have value added via the perception of religious adherents.[1]

List of holy cities in the world

Africa

City Country Religion(s)
Axum Ethiopia Ethiopia Christianity
Alexandria Egypt Egypt Christianity[2]
Ewu Nigeria Nigeria Christianity
Harar Ethiopia Ethiopia Islam
Ifẹ Nigeria Nigeria Yoruba religion
Lalibela Ethiopia Ethiopia Christianity
Nkamba Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo Kimbanguism
Kairouan Tunisia Tunisia Islam
Nri-Igbo Nigeria Nigeria Odinala
Point of Sangomar Senegal Senegal Serer religion
Yaboyabo Senegal Senegal Serer religion

Asia

Varanasi, a major pilgrimage site for millions of Hindus
Varanasi, one of the oldest and holiest cities of Hinduism

Western and South Asia

Haram-e-Sharif, or Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a holy city in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Nazareth a holy city in Christianity
Kaaba in Mecca, the holiest city of Islam
City Country Religion(s)
Amritsar India India Sikhism
Anandpur Sahib India India Sikhism
Antakya (Antioch) Turkey Turkey Christianity
Ayodhya India India Hinduism
Balkh Afghanistan Afghanistan Islam (Shia)[3]
Beirut Lebanon Lebanon Christianity
Bethlehem Palestine Palestine Christianity, Judaism[4]
Bodh Gaya India India Buddhism, Hinduism
Dwarka India India Hinduism
Haifa Israel Israel Baháʼí Faith
Hebron Palestine Palestine Judaism,[5] Islam
Hittin Israel Israel Druze faith[6]
Jerusalem Israel Israel / Palestine Palestine
(Status of Jerusalem) 		Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Kanchipuram India India Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism
Haridwar India India Hinduism
Karbala Iraq Iraq Islam (Shia)
Kathmandu Nepal Nepal Hinduism
Khalwat al-Bayada Lebanon Lebanon Druze faith[7]
Kufa Iraq Iraq Islam (Shia)
Lahore Pakistan Pakistan Islam, Sikhism
Lumbini Nepal Nepal Buddhism
Mashhad Iran Iran Islam (Shia)
Mathura India India Hinduism
Mecca Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Islam[8]
Medina Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Islam[9]
Meron Israel Israel Judaism[10]
Mtskheta Georgia (country) Georgia Christianity[11]
Nashik India India Hinduism, Buddhism
Nablus Palestine Palestine Judaism,[12] Samaritanism[13]
Najaf Iraq Iraq Islam (Shia)
Nankana Sahib Pakistan Pakistan Sikhism
Nazareth Israel Israel Christianity[14]
Prayagraj India India Hinduism
Qom Iran Iran Islam (Shia)
Safed Israel Israel Judaism
Tiberias Israel Israel Judaism
Vagharshapat Armenia Armenia Christianity (Armenian Apostolic Church)
Varanasi India India Hinduism, Buddhism

Central and East Asia

City Country Religion(s)
Beigang Taiwan Taiwan Folk religion
Dajia Taiwan Taiwan Folk religion
Ise Japan Japan Shinto
Kyoto Japan Japan Buddhism, Shinto
Tenri Japan Japan Tenrikyo
Lhasa China China Buddhism
Turkistan Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Sufism

Southeast Asia

Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, symbol of Islamic sharia law's application in Aceh
City Country Religion(s)
Cebu City Philippines Philippines Christianity[15]
El Salvador, Misamis Oriental Philippines Philippines Christianity[16]
Iloilo City Philippines Philippines Christianity[17]
Naga, Camarines Sur Philippines Philippines Christianity (Roman Catholicism)
Siem Reap Cambodia Cambodia Buddhism, Hinduism

Europe

St Peter's Square, Vatican City.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.
Canterbury Cathedral.
City Country Religion(s)
Assisi Italy Italy Christianity
Athens Greece Greece Hellenism, Christianity
Avila Spain Spain Christianity
Barcelona Spain Spain Christianity[18]
Canterbury England United Kingdom England, United Kingdom Christianity (Anglicanism)
Caravaca de la Cruz Spain Spain Christianity
Cologne Germany Germany Christianity
Corinth Greece Greece Christianity
Częstochowa Poland Poland Christianity (Roman Catholicism)
Fátima Portugal Portugal Christianity
Glastonbury England United Kingdom England, United Kingdom Christianity, Druidry
Istanbul (Constantinople) Turkey Turkey Christianity (Eastern Orthodoxy)[19][20]
Kilkenny Republic of Ireland Ireland Christianity[21][22]
Kraljevo Serbia Serbia Christianity
Madrid Spain Spain Christianity
Marija Bistrica Croatia Croatia Christianity
Medjugorje Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Christianity
Milan Italy Italy Christianity
Moscow Russia Russia Christianity (Russian Orthodox Church)
Munich Bavaria Germany Bavaria, Germany Christianity
Veliky Novgorod Veliky Novgorod Russia Christianity
Ohrid North Macedonia North Macedonia Christianity
Paris France France Christianity
Prague Czech Republic Czech Republic Christianity
Rome Italy Italy Christianity
Santiago de Compostela Spain Spain Christianity[23]
Santo Toribio de Liébana Spain Spain Christianity
Sergiyev Posad Russia Russia Christianity
Thessaloniki, Mount Athos Greece Greece Christianity (Greek Orthodox Church)
Toledo Spain Spain Christianity
Trondheim Norway Christianity
Uman Ukraine Ukraine Breslov, Hasidic, Judaism[24]
Uppsala Sweden Sweden Christianity, Norse Paganism
Vatican City Vatican City Vatican City Christianity (Roman Catholicism)
Varallo Sesia PiedmontItaly Piedmont, Italy Christianity (Roman Catholicism)[25]
Vladimir Russia Russia Christianity
Walsingham England United Kingdom England, United Kingdom Christianity
Warsaw Poland Poland Christianity
Wittenberg Germany Germany Christianity (Lutheranism)
York England United Kingdom England, United Kingdom Christianity (Anglicanism)

North America

The Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City.
The Flag Building in Clearwater, Florida.
City Country Religion(s)
Clearwater, Florida United States United States Church of Scientology
Mexico City Mexico Mexico Christianity
Quebec City Canada Canada Christianity
Salt Lake City United States United States Latter Day Saint movement
Siparia Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Christianity, Hinduism[26]

South America

City Country Religion(s)
Aparecida Brazil Brazil Christianity[27]
Luján Argentina Argentina Christianity[28]

See also

References

  1. ^ Metti, Michael Sebastian (1 June 2011). "Jerusalem – the most powerful brand in history". Stockholm University School of Business. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
  2. ^ Trigilio, Rev John Jr.; Brighenti, Rev Kenneth; Cafone, Rev Monsignor James (10 May 2011). Catholic Mass For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9780470767863 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Visit Mazar-i-Sharif Afghanistan • The City Of The Noble Shrine". www.joaoleitao.com. 17 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Bethlehem". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Four Holy Cities of Israel: What and Why?". Chabad.
  6. ^ Dana, Nissim. (2003). The Druze in the Middle East: Their Faith, Leadership, Identity and Status, Sussex Academic Press, pp. 28–30.
  7. ^ Nissîm Dānā (2003). The Druze in the Middle East: Their Faith, Leadership, Identity and Status. Sussex Academic Press. pp. 38–. ISBN 978-1-903900-36-9. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  8. ^ "Makkah". www.visitsaudi.com. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  9. ^ www.nusuk.sa https://www.nusuk.sa/destination/madina. Retrieved 3 May 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ "Meron: Tomb of Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai".
  11. ^ "Historical city Mtskheta becomes "Holy City"". Agenda.ge. 7 April 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Shechem (Nablus)". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  13. ^ UNESCO World Heritage Centre (11 October 2017). "Mount Gerizim and the Samaritans". Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  14. ^ Jeffrey, David L. (1992). A Dictionary of biblical tradition in English literature. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 538–40. ISBN 978-0-85244-224-1. Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Pilgrimage to the Philippines for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress, 2016".
  16. ^ BusinessWeek Mindanao 26 August 2011: "Divine Mercy Shrine in Misamis Oriental celebrates Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary" Archived 2018-03-16 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "Marian devotees flock to 'Our Lady of Candles' feast". www.pna.gov.ph. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  18. ^ "10 Destinos únicos para todo o peregrino católico visitar".
  19. ^ Parry, Ken (2009). Christianity: Religions of the World. Infobase Publishing. p. 139. ISBN 9781438106397.
  20. ^ Parry, Ken (2010). The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity. John Wiley & Sons. p. 368. ISBN 9781444333619.
  21. ^ "The Kilkenny Cats - Popular Rhymes and Sayings of Ireland". www.libraryireland.com.
  22. ^ "St Canice's Cathedral is Kilkenny's Sacré Coeur - except that it has ghosts". www.kilkennypeople.ie. 15 February 2013.
  23. ^ Encyclopaedia Britannica; Or A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature. Archibald Constable. 1823. p. 500.
  24. ^ "Pilgrimage to Uman • Abbas • Patrick Zachmann • Magnum Photos Magnum Photos". Magnum Photos. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  25. ^ "Le "Gerusalemme" del Piemonte". Il Torinese. 9 April 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
    "Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  26. ^ Keith McNeal (March–April 2002). "Miracle Mother — Siparee Mai, La Divina Pastora". Caribbean Beat Magazine.
  27. ^ Humanas, Alexandre De Freitas-Graduado E. Pós-graduado Em Ciências (16 July 2012). "Cidades e Lugares: Cidades sagradas para o Cristianismo".
  28. ^ Martin Gray (2022). "Luján". Sacred Sites.
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