Religion in the Cultural Landscape

Religious beliefs

shape spatial features

in the real world.

The Impact of Religionon the Cultural Landscape

Structures Sacred Places Pilgrimages

Structures - Places of worship

Hinduism – temples Judaism –synagogues Buddhism –pagodas and stupas Christianity – churches Islam – mosques Sikhism – gurdwara

Shiva Temple, Indonesia

Plzen Synagogue, Czech Republic

Nara Pagoda, Japan

Mariner’s Church, USA

Shiraz Mosque, Iran

Harmandir Gurdwara, India

Sacred Places

From the Latin sacer – holy(sacrifice, consecrate, sacrilege, sacrum)

Sites of sacred buildings Places associated with the dead Religious rituals Landscape features

Cemetery in Hoctun, Yucatan

The beautiful cemeteries in the

Yucatan reflect the blending of Catholic

and indigenous religions.

The Taj Majal, India

The Taj Majal is a Muslim tomb built for a Mogul Emperor’s favorite wife in 1629.

The Cremation Ghat, Varanasi

Mount Shasta, California

Mountain peaks, such as Mount Shasta, and other high places are often revered. Mount Shasta is considered holy by 30 New Age cults as well as

some Indian groups.

Holy Water

Water is seen as holy in several religions.

Many rivers, such as the Ganges for Hindus

and the Jordan for Christians, are

considered holy.

Pilgrimages

Religious journey to a sacred place

The Western Wall, Israel

The Western, or Wailing, Wall is the last remaining part of the most important Jewish temple in Jerusalem.

The Bodhi Tree, India

Buddhists believe this is where Siddhartha became enlightened.

The Via Dolorosa, Israel

Many Christians want to follow in the path that Jesus took in Jerusalem.

The Kaaba, Saudi Arabia

In Islam making a pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the 5 Pillars of Faith.

Religion has a Large Impact on the Cultural Landscape

Structures Sacred Places Pilgrimages