Nearly every culture in human history has sought to honor the divine, the mysterious, the supernatural or the extraordinary in some way, and this tends to happen at sacred sites - special places where the physical world seems to meet the spiritual world. These might include awe-inspiring natural places, sites connected to a god, saint or hero, places where miracles occurred, or buildings made sacred for worship or ritual.

Sacred sites are spiritually meaningful to millions today and the ancient practice of pilgrimage is as popular as it ever was. But you don't have to be a believer to recognize that holy places, religious buildings, and sacred art are some of the most beautiful and fascinating sights you'll encounter in your travels. Because of the great importance of the sacred, they have received the very best in artistic skill, funding, time, materials and labor.

Sacred Destinations is an ecumenical guide to more than 1,100 sacred sites, holy places, pilgrimage destinations, religious architecture and sacred art in 55 countries around the world. Along with our richly illustrated articles, you can explore galleries of over 15,000 high-quality images, view city and country maps, and find lots of practical travel information.

Happy exploring!