Holy city

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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]

Contents

List of holy cities in the world

Africa

CityCountryReligion(s)
Axum Flag of Ethiopia.svg Ethiopia Christianity
Alexandria Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt Christianity [2]
Ewu Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria Christianity
Ifẹ Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria Yoruba religion
Lalibela Flag of Ethiopia.svg EthiopiaChristianity
Nkamba Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Democratic Republic of the Congo Kimbanguism
Zion City Moria Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa Christianity

Asia

Varanasi, one of the oldest and holiest cities of Hinduism Varanasi Munshi Ghat3.jpg
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 Temple mount.JPG
Haram-e-Sharif, or Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a holy city in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Nazareth a holy city in Christianity PikiWiki Israel 17818 Cities in Israel.jpg
Nazareth a holy city in Christianity
Kaaba in Mecca, the holiest city of Islam The Kaaba during Hajj.jpg
Kaaba in Mecca, the holiest city of Islam
CityCountryReligion(s)
Amritsar Flag of India.svg India Sikhism
Anandpur Sahib Flag of India.svg India Sikhism
Ayodhya Flag of India.svg India Hinduism
Balkh Flag of the Taliban.svg Afghanistan Islam [3] (Shia)
Beirut Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon Christianity
Bethlehem Flag of Palestine.svg Palestine Islam, Christianity, Judaism [4]
Bodh Gaya Flag of India.svg India Buddhism, Hinduism
Dwarka Flag of India.svg India Hinduism
Haifa Flag of Israel.svg Israel Baháʼí Faith
Hebron Flag of Palestine.svg Palestine Judaism, [5] Islam
Hittin Flag of Israel.svg Israel Druze faith [6]
Jerusalem Contested Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Kanchipuram Flag of India.svg India Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism
Haridwar Flag of India.svg India Hinduism
Karbala Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq Islam (Shia)
Kathmandu Flag of Nepal.svg Nepal Hinduism
Khalwat al-Bayada Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon Druze faith [7]
Kufa Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq Islam (Shia)
Lahore Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan Islam, Sikhism
Lumbini Flag of Nepal.svg Nepal Buddhism
Mashhad Flag of Iran.svg Iran Islam (Shia)
Mathura Flag of India.svg India Hinduism
Mecca Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia Islam
Medina Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia Islam
Meron Flag of Israel.svg Israel Judaism [8]
Mtskheta Flag of Georgia.svg Georgia Christianity [9]
Nashik Flag of India.svg India Hinduism, Buddhism
Nablus Flag of Palestine.svg Palestine Judaism, [10] Samaritanism [11]
Najaf Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq Islam (Shia)
Nankana Sahib Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan Sikhism
Nazareth Flag of Israel.svg Israel Christianity [12]
Prayagraj Flag of India.svg India Hinduism
Qom Flag of Iran.svg Iran Islam (Shia)
Safed Flag of Israel.svg Israel Judaism
Tiberias Flag of Israel.svg Israel Judaism
Vagharshapat Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia Christianity
Varanasi Flag of India.svg IndiaHinduism, Buddhism

Central and East Asia

CityCountryReligion(s)
Beigang Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taiwan Folk religion
Dajia Flag of the Republic of China.svg TaiwanFolk religion
Ise Flag of Japan.svg Japan Shinto
Kyoto Flag of Japan.svg Japan Buddhism, Shinto
Lhasa Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Buddhism
Turkistan Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan Sufism

Southeast Asia

Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, symbol of Islamic sharia law's application in Aceh Meuseujid Raya Baiturrahman, Aceh.jpg
Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, symbol of Islamic sharia law's application in Aceh
CityCountryReligion(s)
Antipolo Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines Christianity
Bali Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia Hinduism
Cebu City Flag of the Philippines.svg PhilippinesChristianity [13]
El Salvador, Misamis Oriental Flag of the Philippines.svg PhilippinesChristianity [14]
Naga, Camarines Sur Flag of the Philippines.svg PhilippinesChristianity/Roman Catholicism
Siem Reap Flag of Cambodia.svg Cambodia Buddhism, Hinduism
Valenzuela, Metro Manila Flag of the Philippines.svg PhilippinesChristianity
Zamboanga City Flag of the Philippines.svg PhilippinesChristianity

Europe

St Peter's Square, Vatican City. St Peter's Square, Vatican City - April 2007.jpg
St Peter's Square, Vatican City.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. Turkey-3019 - Hagia Sophia (2216460729).jpg
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.
Canterbury Cathedral. Canterbury-cathedral-wyrdlight.jpg
Canterbury Cathedral.
CityCountryReligion(s)
Assisi Flag of Italy.svg Italy Christianity
Athens Flag of Greece.svg Greece Hellenism, Christianity
Avila Flag of Spain.svg Spain Christianity
Barcelona Flag of Spain.svg SpainChristianity [15]
Canterbury Flag of England.svg England Christianity
Caravaca de la Cruz Flag of Spain.svg Spain Christianity
Cologne Flag of Germany.svg Germany Christianity
Corinth Flag of Greece.svg GreeceChristianity
Częstochowa Flag of Poland.svg Poland Christianity
Fátima Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal Christianity
Istanbul Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey Islam, Christianity [16] [17]
Kilkenny Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland Christianity [18] [19]
Kraljevo Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia Christianity
Leeds Flag of England.svg EnglandChristianity
Madrid Flag of Spain.svg SpainChristianity
Marija Bistrica Flag of Croatia.svg CroatiaChristianity
Medjugorje Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia and Herzegovina Christianity
Milan Flag of Italy.svg ItalyChristianity
Munich Flag of Germany.svg GermanyChristianity
Ohrid Flag of North Macedonia.svg North Macedonia Christianity
Paris Flag of France.svg France Christianity
Prague Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic Christianity
Rome Flag of Italy.svg ItalyChristianity
Santiago de Compostela Flag of Spain.svg SpainChristianity [20]
Santo Toribio de Liébana Flag of Spain.svg Spain Christianity
Thessaloniki, Mount Athos Flag of Greece.svg GreeceChristianity
Toledo Flag of Spain.svg SpainChristianity
Trondheim Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Christianity
Uman Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine Breslov Hasidic Judaism [21]
Uppsala Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden Christianity
Vatican City Flag of the Vatican City (2023-present).svg Vatican CityChristianity
Walsingham Flag of England.svg EnglandChristianity
Warsaw Flag of Poland.svg PolandChristianity
Wittenberg Flag of Germany.svg GermanyChristianity

North America

The Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake Temple, Utah - Sept 2004-2.jpg
The Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City.
The Flag Building in Clearwater, Florida. Super Power building.jpg
The Flag Building in Clearwater, Florida.
CityCountryReligion(s)
Clearwater, Florida Flag of the United States.svg United States Church of Scientology
Mexico City Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico Christianity
Quebec City Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada Christianity
Salt Lake City Flag of the United States.svg United States Latter Day Saint movement
Siparia Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Trinidad and Tobago Christianity, Hinduism, Islam [22]

South America

CityCountryReligion(s)
Aparecida Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil Christianity [23]
Luján Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina Christianity [24]

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