In This Biography

Interesting Holy Places to Visit/Tour

NUMBER ONE

First Holy Place is; Jerusalem

Jerusalem was named Urusalim on ancient Egyptian tablets, probably meaning “City of Shalem” after a Canaanite deity. During the Israelite period, significant construction activity in Jerusalem began in the 9th century BCE (Iron Age II), and in the 8th century BCE, the city developed into the religious and administrative center of the Kingdom of Judah. [16] In 1538, the city walls were rebuilt for the last time around Jerusalem under Suleiman the Magnificent. Today those walls define the Old City, which has been traditionally divided into four-quarters—known since the early 19th century as the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Quarters

Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, a Palestinian town south of Jerusalem.

What makes Jerusalem interesting to visit??

Here are some of the places that make Jerusalem an interesting holy place to visit

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

For Christian pilgrims, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is in Jerusalem’s holiest site and is said to have been built on the site where Jesus was crucified.

Christian Quarter

The Christian Quarter of the Old City runs north from the Jaffa Gate and is centered around the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

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Within this tangle of alleyways are some of the Old City’s most popular tourist souvenir souks and a whole caboodle of churches that are well worth exploring.

Muslim Quarter

The most bustling and alive district is the Muslim Quarter, which is home to the best Souk shopping in the Old City.

This district roughly runs from Damascus Gate through the northeast chunk of the Old City.

Mount of Olives

Overloaded with churches and home to the oldest continually used cemetery in the world, the Mount of Olives holds particular interest to religious pilgrim travelers to Jerusalem, but even the non-devout can appreciate the spectacular Old City panoramas from the peak.

This sacred hill is believed to be the place where God will begin rising the dead on Judgement Day. For Christian believers, this is also where Jesus ascended to heaven after his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection.

Mount Zion

Mount Zion (the small hill immediately south of the Old City’s Zion Gate) is home to Jewish and Muslim shrines as well as a number of churches.

NUMBER TWO

2, Second holy place to visit; Mecca

Location: Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Religion: Islam

Significance: birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad

Non-Muslims are not allowed inside Mecca, the holiest place in Islam, so this excursion is only for believers. Every year, millions of Muslims embark on a journey to Mecca, called the Hajj. The pilgrimage is meant to promote unity among followers of Islam. It is so central to Islam that one of the religion’s Five Pillars is for every able-bodied adult to carry out the Hajj at least once in their lifetime, providing they can afford to. Mecca is where Muhammad, the prophet who founded Islam, was born, and where he received the first revelation of the Qur’an. Pilgrims visit the Grand Mosque in order to praise Allah before the Kaaba, Islam’s most sacred building.

Interesting facts about Mecca

Mecca is the holiest city of the Islamic religion

People of Islam believe that Mecca was first inhabited by the descendants of Ishmael (the first son of Abraham). Muhammad, the founder of Islam and the proclaimer of the Qur’an, was born in Mecca in 570. Because Mecca is a city of Islam, strict laws are enforced and the government of Saudi Arabia forbids all non-Muslims from entering the holy city of Mecca.

Mecca is home to the world’s largest Mosque

Al-Masjid al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque), also known as the Grand Mosque of Mecca, is the largest mosque in the world. Al-Masjid al-Haram has nine minarets and construction began on the mosque during the reign of Caliph Omar Ibn al-Khattab (634-644). The mosque was built around the Kaaba (Ka’bah or Kabah). This shrine predates Islam and Muslims believe it was built by the prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail as a place of worship.

Mecca is home to the sacred Kaaba

The Kaaba is located near the center of the Great Mosque. Muslims face the direction of the Kaaba during prayer

The world’s largest human gathering

All devout and able Muslims must attempt a Hajj (pilgrimage) to the Kaaba, the “House of God” at least once in their lifetime. The annual Hajj made to the city of Mecca is the world’s largest human gathering. The average number of attendees is 2,269,145 per year

NUMBER THREE

3, The third holy place to visit is; Sri Pada

Location: Sri Lanka

Religion: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism

Significance: religious destination for four major religious groups

Anyone in the world can appreciate the beauty of the holy mountain Sri Pada. Perhaps that is why four different religions consider the peak a sacred site worthy of pilgrimage.

Sri Pada Facts

Sri Pada is also known as Adam’s Peak.
Sri Pada is a 2,243 m (7,359 ft.) tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka.
The mountain is located in the southern reaches of the Central Highlands in the Ratnapura District and Nuwara Eliya district of the Sabaragamuwa Province and Central Province lying about 40 km northeast of Ratnapura and 32 km southwest of Hatton.
Adam’s Peak is important as a watershed.

NUMBER FOUR

4, Fourth interesting holy place to visit is; Golden Temple

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Location: Amritsar, India

Religion: Sikhism

Significance: The Holiest place of worship for Sikhs.

Who are the Sikhs??

The term Sikh has its origin in the word śiṣya, meaning ‘disciple’ or ‘student.

Sikhism or Sikhi is an Indian religion that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE.

1. Lord Buddha Meditated at the Sacred Site

Records show that Lord Buddha stayed at the sacred site of the Golden Temple for quite some time. In those times, the spot was a lake surrounded by thick forests. Buddha declared this site as an ideal meditation ground for sadhus and saints.

2. Named After the Gold Covering

Golden Temple was named after the outer layer of gold foil that covers the entire temple. After the death of Guru Govind Singh, this gurudwara was constantly attacked and destroyed by the Islamic rulers. In the year 1762, this religious heritage was completely blown away with gunpowder. After the devastation, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, a brave Sikh ruler rebuilt the rich heritage with marble and adorned it with gold. He took over the entire complex and appointed Desa Singh to look after its operation and maintenance.

3. Open to all Religions, Caste, and Creed

The foundation stone of the auspicious Golden Temple was laid by a famous Sufi saint Mian Mir. This was done to spread a message that this sacred gurudwara is open to all faiths. There are four entrances to the temple which shows openness to all devotees irrespective of caste, creed, and religion.

NUMBER FIVE

The fifth interesting holy place to visit is; Lumbini

Lumbini

Location: Rupandehi, Nepal

Religion: Buddhism

Significance: birthplace of the Lord Buddha

Siddhartha Gautama, who eventually became the Lord Buddha, is said to have been born in a garden in Lumbini, Nepal, in 623 BC. Siddhartha was a prince who left his palace at the age of 29 to seek enlightenment. Lumbini began attracting pilgrims after 249 BC when the Indian emperor King Ashoka first traveled there.

Interesting facts about Lumbini

After the death of the Buddha, the beautiful garden of Lumbini changed into a place of pilgrimage
In 1997, Lumbini was listed in the list of the world’s heritage sites.
Today pilgrims and visitors from all over the world come to Lumbini, the timeless place where ancient monuments mark the authenticity of the birthplace.

NUMBER SIX

The sixth interesting holy place to visit is; Western Wall

Location: Jerusalem, Israel

Religion: Judaism

Significance: the holiest of Jewish sites.

After the First Temple had been destroyed by the Babylonians, the Second Temple (built to replace the first) was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Subsequently, the remaining wall, Kotel, or Western Wall, became a place of worship and mourning for the old temples. As a result, it is often called the Wailing Wall.

1. The Western Wall is a retaining wall of the Temple Mount compound

The Western Wall is a pilgrimage site in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount compound. The Temple Mount is the holiest site for Jewish believers and was the site of the First and Second Temples of Jerusalem.

2. The term the ‘Wailing Wall’ is offensive

The term the ‘Wailing Wall’ came into use as it described the Jews who wept at the site over the destruction of the temples.

3. The Western Wall was off-limits to Jews for 19 years

For nineteen years, from 1948 to 1967, Jerusalem was cut in half and east Jerusalem was under Jordanian rule. Eastern Jerusalem contained the Old City, including the Temple Mount and the Western Wall. During these 19 years, the Western Wall was off-limits to Jews.

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There are many more interesting holy places to visit but these are the ones we could discuss for now; we hope you enjoyed reading through them?? Please drop your comment for us