Holy city

Last updated January 18, 2026

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.

List of holy cities in the world

Africa


City	Country	Religion(s)
Axum	Ethiopia	Christianity
Alexandria	Egypt	Christianity^[1]
Ewu	Nigeria	Christianity
Harar	Ethiopia	Islam
Ifẹ	Nigeria	Yoruba religion
Lalibela	Ethiopia	Christianity
Nkamba	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Kimbanguism
Kairouan	Tunisia	Islam
Nri-Igbo	Nigeria	Odinala
Point of Sangomar	Senegal	Serer religion
Yaboyabo	Senegal	Serer religion

Asia

Western and South Asia

City	Country	Religion(s)
Amritsar	India	Sikhism
Anandpur Sahib	India	Sikhism
Antakya (Antioch)	Turkey	Christianity
Ayodhya	India	Hinduism
Balkh	Afghanistan	Islam (Shia)^[2]
Beirut	Lebanon	Christianity
Bethlehem	Palestine	Christianity, Judaism ^[3]
Bodh Gaya	India	Buddhism, Hinduism
Dwarka	India	Hinduism
Haifa	Israel	Baháʼí Faith
Hebron	Palestine	Judaism,^[4] Islam
Hittin	Israel	Druze faith ^[5]
Jerusalem	Israel / Palestine (Status of Jerusalem)	Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Kanchipuram	India	Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism
Haridwar	India	Hinduism
Karbala	Iraq	Islam (Shia)
Kathmandu	Nepal	Hinduism
Khalwat al-Bayada	Lebanon	Druze faith ^[6]
Kufa	Iraq	Islam (Shia)
Lahore	Pakistan	Islam, Sikhism
Lumbini	Nepal	Buddhism
Mashhad	Iran	Islam (Shia)
Mathura	India	Hinduism
Mecca	Saudi Arabia	Islam ^[7]
Medina	Saudi Arabia	Islam ^[8]
Meron	Israel	Judaism ^[9]
Mtskheta	Georgia	Christianity ^[10]
Nashik	India	Hinduism, Buddhism
Nablus	Palestine	Judaism,^[11] Samaritanism ^[12]
Najaf	Iraq	Islam (Shia)
Nankana Sahib	Pakistan	Sikhism
Nazareth	Israel	Christianity ^[13]
Prayagraj	India	Hinduism
Qom	Iran	Islam (Shia)
Safed	Israel	Judaism
Tiberias	Israel	Judaism
Vagharshapat	Armenia	Christianity (Armenian Apostolic Church)
Varanasi	India	Hinduism, Buddhism

Central and East Asia

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

Southeast Asia

City	Country	Religion(s)
Besakih	Indonesia	Balinese Hinduism
Cebu City	Philippines	Christianity^[14]
Cigugur	Indonesia	Sunda Wiwitan^[15]
El Salvador, Misamis Oriental	Philippines	Christianity^[16]
Iloilo City	Philippines	Christianity^[17]
Mandalay	Myanmar	Buddhism
Naga, Camarines Sur	Philippines	Christianity (Roman Catholicism)
Siem Reap	Cambodia	Buddhism, Hinduism

Europe

Canterbury Cathedral. Canterbury-cathedral-wyrdlight.jpg — Canterbury Cathedral.

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

North America

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

South America

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

References

↑ 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.
↑ "Visit Mazar-i-Sharif Afghanistan • The City Of The Noble Shrine". www.joaoleitao.com. 17 January 2020.
↑ "Bethlehem". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
↑ "Four Holy Cities of Israel: What and Why?". Chabad.
↑ Dana, Nissim. (2003). The Druze in the Middle East: Their Faith, Leadership, Identity and Status, Sussex Academic Press, pp. 28–30.
↑ 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.
↑ "Makkah". www.visitsaudi.com. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
↑ "نسك بوابتك لرحلة إيمانية" [Nusuk is your gateway to a journey of faith]. www.nusuk.sa. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
↑ "Meron: Tomb of Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai".
↑ "Historical city Mtskheta becomes "Holy City"". Agenda.ge. 7 April 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
↑ "Shechem (Nablus)". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
↑ UNESCO World Heritage Centre (11 October 2017). "Mount Gerizim and the Samaritans" . Retrieved 24 December 2020.
↑ 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.
↑ "Pilgrimage to the Philippines for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress, 2016".
↑ "Cigugur is home to Sunda Wiwitan shrines".
↑ 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
↑ "Marian devotees flock to 'Our Lady of Candles' feast". www.pna.gov.ph. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
↑ "10 Destinos únicos para todo o peregrino católico visitar".^{[ permanent dead link ]}
↑ Parry, Ken (2009). Christianity: Religions of the World. Infobase Publishing. p. 139. ISBN 9781438106397.
↑ Parry, Ken (2010). The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity. John Wiley & Sons. p. 368. ISBN 9781444333619.
↑ "The Kilkenny Cats - Popular Rhymes and Sayings of Ireland". www.libraryireland.com.
↑ "St Canice's Cathedral is Kilkenny's Sacré Coeur - except that it has ghosts". www.kilkennypeople.ie. 15 February 2013.
↑ Encyclopaedia Britannica; Or A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature. Archibald Constable. 1823. p. 500.
↑ "Pilgrimage to Uman • Abbas • Patrick Zachmann • Magnum Photos Magnum Photos". Magnum Photos. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
↑ "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.
↑ Keith McNeal (March–April 2002). "Miracle Mother — Siparee Mai, La Divina Pastora". Caribbean Beat Magazine.
↑ Humanas, Alexandre De Freitas-Graduado E. Pós-graduado Em Ciências (16 July 2012). "Cidades e Lugares: Cidades sagradas para o Cristianismo".
↑ Martin Gray (2022). "Luján". Sacred Sites.

External links

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[1] 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.

[2] "Visit Mazar-i-Sharif Afghanistan • The City Of The Noble Shrine". www.joaoleitao.com. 17 January 2020.

[3] "Bethlehem". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 12 July 2021.

[4] "Four Holy Cities of Israel: What and Why?". Chabad.

[5] Dana, Nissim. (2003). The Druze in the Middle East: Their Faith, Leadership, Identity and Status, Sussex Academic Press, pp. 28–30.

[6] 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.

[7] "Makkah". www.visitsaudi.com. Retrieved 3 May 2024.

[8] "نسك بوابتك لرحلة إيمانية" [Nusuk is your gateway to a journey of faith]. www.nusuk.sa. Retrieved 30 August 2025.

[9] "Meron: Tomb of Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai".

[10] "Historical city Mtskheta becomes "Holy City"". Agenda.ge. 7 April 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014.

[11] "Shechem (Nablus)". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 12 July 2021.

[12] UNESCO World Heritage Centre (11 October 2017). "Mount Gerizim and the Samaritans" . Retrieved 24 December 2020.

[13] 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.

[14] "Pilgrimage to the Philippines for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress, 2016".

[15] "Cigugur is home to Sunda Wiwitan shrines".

[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".^{[ permanent dead link ]}

[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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