Types of temples of different religions. Features of temples of different faiths

Religion occupies a vital place in the life and history of mankind. It is not surprising that religious monuments have always been distinguished by their beauty and scale. Temples and churches, mosques and cathedrals, chapels and synagogues - no matter what religion is professed in them - they are all architectural landmarks, interesting for their centuries-old history or modern ideas. Most of them are included in the lists of world cultural heritage and are protected by the state. It is the temples that exist in any city in the world that primarily attract the attention of tourists. We invite you to get acquainted with the most beautiful and most impressive temples in the world.

1. Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Israel

One of the greatest and most beautiful shrines for the entire Christian world is considered the Jerusalem Temple of the Resurrection of Christ, better known as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, Israel. It is here that every year during the bright holiday of Easter the miracle of the Descent of the Holy Fire takes place, which is transported to all corners of the globe. According to legend, the temple was built on the site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ. Today it is a large complex containing many Christian relics, for example, the stone of anointing, the Cave of the Holy Sepulcher, the funeral bed, Golgotha and many others. Inside, the temple is divided between numerous denominations: Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Syrian, Coptic and Ethiopian. Liturgies at the Holy Sepulcher are served in turns, and the keys to the temple are kept in the Muslim family to avoid conflicts between faiths.

2. Hagia Sophia, Türkiye

Hagia Sophia - the Wisdom of God - is an ancient Orthodox church in Istanbul, Türkiye. The church is a world-famous architectural monument of Byzantine architecture; at one time it was both a mosque and an Orthodox church, and today there is a museum inside. The first church on the site of the modern cathedral was built at the beginning of the 4th century under Emperor Constantine. The temple we see today was built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, its construction consumed three annual revenues of the entire (!) Byzantine Empire, and for many centuries it remained the largest church in the world. The appearance of the temple still amazes with its scale, and the interior decoration with its luxury and richness. In addition to Orthodox images, here you can find quotes from the Koran, as well as runic inscriptions.

3. Notre Dame de Paris, France

Notre Dame Cathedral or Notre Dame de Paris is one of the most ancient monuments of religious architecture. The location of the temple on the Ile de la Cité in Paris is by no means accidental. In ancient times, there was a pagan temple of Jupiter here, later - the first Christian church of the city - St. Stephen's Basilica, and in 1163 the construction of Notre Dame Cathedral began, which lasted more than 2750-0_bgblur_00 years. The main architectural style of the temple is Gothic, but the towers are very different in appearance, this is explained by the participation of many architects in the construction. The cathedral houses the greatest Christian relic - the Crown of Thorns of Jesus Christ - transported here from Jerusalem. There are no paintings on the walls inside, but the largest stained glass windows at the time of construction illustrate scenes from the Bible. An interesting legend is the story of the casting of the Emmanuel bell, weighing 13 tons: it was created from melted women's jewelry. The famous book by Victor Hugo about the Hunchback of Notre Dame and the beautiful Esmeralda brought particular popularity to the cathedral.

4. St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican

St. Peter's Cathedral or Basilica is considered the largest Christian church in the whole world, capable of accommodating up to 60 thousand people at a time. It is also the central and largest building of the Vatican. In 324 AD. On the site of the cathedral, Emperor Constantine built a church, which stood for about 12750-0_bgblur_00 years. In 15750-0_bgblur_06 they decided to convert the church into the largest Christian cathedral. The most outstanding artists and architects of the Renaissance took part in this: Bramante was the first architect, after his death Raphael led the construction work; Michelangelo designed the dome and vaults of the cathedral, and Bernini designed the main square. The interior of the cathedral is striking in its harmony and beauty: there are many statues and sculptures, tombstones and altars, and wonderful works of art.

5. Paraportiani Church, Greece

Residents of the island of Mykonos in Greece claim that there are exactly 365 churches on its territory - one for every day of the year, and the most beautiful is the Paraportiani Church, the construction of which dates back to the 15th-17th centuries. The snow-white structure, which has survived to this day, looks especially impressive against the backdrop of the azure sea and the bottomless blue of the sky. The temple consists of four churches, standing with their foundations on the ground. And the fifth church is located on the next floor above them. The temple was built of stone, strictly adhering to the canons of Byzantine architecture. The absence of external decorations gives it a certain severity and special holiness. They say that the beautiful streamlined shapes of this particular church inspired the great Gaudi to create his famous masterpieces.

6. Sagrada Familia, Spain

By the way, about Antonio Gaudi. The magnificent Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family or Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, designed by the great Spanish architect, is considered one of the hallmarks of this country. The construction of the temple lasted 40 years under the leadership of Gaudi, and is not completed to this day. According to one version, the initiators of the construction stipulated that the temple be built exclusively with donations from parishioners. Modern masters assume that construction work will be completely completed by 2750-0_bgblur_026, but the local population called the church “The Cathedral that will never be completed.” The plan of the temple is made in the shape of a Latin cross, the facade is decorated with sayings from the Bible, and such a long construction of the temple is also explained by the length of time it took to manufacture the stone blocks, which form the bizarre shape of the church.

7. St. Basil's Cathedral, Russia

The most beautiful Orthodox church on Red Square in Moscow is named after the holy fool Vasily, who dared to express his dissatisfaction with his rule to the great Tsar Ivan the Terrible. Another well-known name is also the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin, and until the 17th century the temple was called Trinity. The cathedral was built in the mid-16th century; according to legend, the architect who built it was blinded by order of Ivan the Terrible, so as never to create anything more beautiful. The temple is considered the hallmark of Moscow and all of Russia; it is included in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. Today, a branch of the State Historical Museum is located inside. The height of the cathedral is 65 meters, and the total number of domes is 11.

8. Las Lajas, Colombia

The Catholic Cathedral of Las Lajas is located in the department of Nariño, Colombia, and is one of the most visited cathedrals in the country, not only by church parishioners, but also by numerous tourists. The church was built directly on a bridge over the Guaitara River. The construction of the cathedral dates back to 1916-1949, and the main architectural style of the building is neo-Gothic. There is a beautiful legend associated with the construction of the cathedral: there was a cave here, which enjoyed a bad reputation among the local population. One day a mother and a deaf-mute daughter passed through it, and a miracle happened: the Mother of God healed the sick girl, and her mother Maria, as a sign of gratitude, painted a beautiful portrait of the Mother of God on the walls of the cave. By the way, experts still cannot determine what kind of paint was applied to the walls of the temple. The only thing that could be found out was that the stones were soaked through with paint.

9. Taj Mahal, India

In addition to Christian religious monuments, it is worth mentioning architectural masterpieces belonging to the Muslim world. One of these is the Taj Mahal mausoleum in Agra, India. It was built in the 17th century by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum-mosque is considered the most outstanding example of Mughal architecture, combining elements of Islamic, Persian and Indian styles. The Taj Mahal is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List and represents not only the mausoleum itself, but also the whole complex around it. Translucent marble was used in the construction, which makes the mosque multi-colored at different times of the day, as well as beautiful inlays of gems - turquoise, agate, carnelian, malachite and others.

750-0_bgblur_10. Crystal Cathedral, USA

The most valuable from the point of view of architectural attractions are ancient churches and cathedrals, which have amazingly survived to this day. However, we cannot fail to mention the modern attempt to combine the latest trends with religion. The result of this can be considered the Crystal Cathedral in California, USA, built in the late 80s of the 20th century. This Protestant church of amazing size is made almost entirely of glass blocks, of which there are more than 750-0_bgblur_10 thousand. The exterior of the church is a four-pointed crystal star, but the cathedral is most striking from the inside, especially when the sun's rays penetrate through the glass. One of the special attractions of the church is a huge organ with 16 thousand pipes, and the room itself can accommodate about 3 thousand parishioners.

Since the dawn of civilization, humanity has been obsessed with the desire to understand what is above them. People believed in different gods and life after death, followed one or another tradition. With the rise of civilization, religion has become a major motivating factor for humanity - both good and bad. To pay tribute to God, people created simply amazing places of worship.

Since the birth of the first religions, nothing has changed fundamentally. Religious religious buildings are not just buildings, but original houses of gods and goddesses. So they just have to be great! Thanks to the need to glorify the gods, tourists have been given the opportunity to visit the most beautiful and inspiring places around the world.

When it comes to constructing religious buildings, the Catholic Church is the real expert. The architecture of cathedrals has changed a bit in recent years, but the only thing that has remained the same over the centuries is that they were built purely for inspiration. Most Catholic cathedrals are very tall, pointing upward towards God.

One of the most famous cathedrals is, of course, Notre Dame. This is an early example of French Gothic architecture. Rejecting the simpler style of Romanesque cathedrals, Notre Dame features flying buttresses, beautiful stained glass windows, skyward spiers, and impressive sculptures. It took 200 years to complete the construction of the cathedral.

Baha'i is a little-known religion, although one of the fastest growing in the world with more than five million adherents. Due to their lack of worldwide fame, Baha'i religious buildings are often forgotten. But this is a huge mistake, because the places of worship dedicated to her impress with their solemnity and grandeur.

Baha'i religious sites can be found throughout the world. However, the two largest shrines are located in the northern part of Israel. Both the Temple of Bahá'u'lláh and the Temple of the Báb are the resting places of the remains of the early founders of the religion. There is a garden around the tomb of Bahá'u'lláh, forming a circle around the mansion. It was in this place, according to believers, that the saint stayed in the last years of his life. Israel's third largest city, Haifa, is home to the enormous domed Shrine of the Bab. Around it there are nineteen terraces with gardens stretching along the mountainside and reminiscent of the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Built in the 17th century, Harmandir Sahib is the center of worship for all people professing the Sikh faith. Their fifth guru and religious leader built the temple as a place of spirituality for all monotheistic religions. As a sign of welcome to any person, the doors are open to all four cardinal directions. In the nineteenth century, the upper part of the temple was covered with gold, making the temple even more solemn, and giving it the nickname “Golden Temple”. Those who visit it will be able to see the Guru Sahib, the holy text of Sikhism.

One of the first religious sites known to mankind is Stonehenge, a mystical place surrounded by mystery. Scientists suggest that it may have been built 4-5 thousand years ago. Huge stones, installed according to some principle in the shape of a ring, simply amaze the world. Without modern technology and machines, moving and installing such huge boulders from the point of view of a modern person seems almost impossible. Today there are a huge number of assumptions regarding who, how, when and most importantly why Stonehenge was built. After ancient burials were found in this place, the idea of Stonehenge religiosity found even more fans. Although the cultic meaning of the site was lost due to the spread of Christianity in England, the revival of pagan and Druid beliefs restores the religious significance and sanctity of the site.

In the sixth century, Hagia Sophia, the seat of power of the Eastern Orthodox Church, was built in Constantinople, the former capital of Byzantium. For almost a thousand years it was the largest cathedral in the world. Unfortunately for the church and especially for the Byzantine Empire, in the 15th century Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. The city became Turkish and was renamed Istanbul, and the cathedral was turned into a mosque. Later, four minarets were added, which today form an integral part of the structure of the building. And only in 1935 a secular museum was opened here.

The most widespread religion in the world, with more than 2 billion people professing it, is Christianity. Approximately half of all Christians are Catholics. For many years the Catholic Church had great power. In the past it was one of the most powerful organizations in Europe, and although it has subsequently lost much of its control, it still retains an important place on the world stage.

In the center of the Italian capital of Rome is the independent city-state of Vatican City. It is the center of power of the Catholic Church, the home of the Pope and a simply stunning historical monument. It is impossible to choose just one place that is worth seeing in the Vatican, because both the Apostolic Palace and the house of the Pope, built in the sixteenth century, are located here. It is here that you can see the famous Sistine Chapel with frescoes created by the famous artist Michelangelo. It is also home to one of the holiest places for Christians - St. Peter's Basilica, the burial place of the first Pope, St. Peter.

On the banks of the Nerenyana River lies Bodh Gaya, the home of an ancient tree known as the Mahabodhi Tree, as well as the Mahabodhi Temple. It was under the ancestor of this tree that Gautama Siddhartha sat and meditated until he achieved enlightenment, becoming the Buddha. Of the four Buddhist pilgrimage sites, Bodh Gaya is the holiest. According to Buddhist teachings, Bodh Gaya is the holiest place on Earth and is considered the navel of the world. When visiting Bodh Gaya, you can also see the amazing Mahabodhi Pyramid, covered with gold.

Built on the banks of the Ganges River, Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world. For Hindus and Jains it is sacred. The spiritual capital of India is considered the city of the main Hindu deity, Shiva. The settlement is also closely connected with Buddhism, as it was here that Buddha preached his first sermon.

Buddha is not the only famous person associated with the city, as many great spiritual leaders lived in Varanasi and important sacred texts were written here. This is a city of temples. Here, visitors can visit Kashi Vishwanath, the famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, as well as Vishalakshi, the temple of the main female deity of Hinduism. The Ganges River, on which the city is built, is itself a sacred place for the god Ganges. However, despite such popularity, you cannot swim in the river, because it is one of the dirtiest in the world.

Each year, Muslims around the world gather in the holy city of Mecca for a religious pilgrimage known as the Hajj, in honor of Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, and the Muslim prophet, Muhammad. At the end of the journey, the pilgrims arrive at the holy city, a place where they all offer prayer. The main attribute of Mecca is the Kaaba - a cube-shaped building, the Islamic mosque Al-Masjid al-Haram. Muslims believe that the Kaaba was built by Ibrahim (Abraham) as the first place of worship of Allah.

Many ancient maps show Jerusalem as the center of the world. From this we can judge how important the city was in those days. It is a holy place for the three major monotheistic religions of the world. It was there that Abraham tried to sacrifice Isaac, Solomon built the Jewish Temple, Muhammad went to Mecca, and Jesus preached and was crucified.

Visitors to Jerusalem can see several holy sites. For Jews, this is the city of King David. They can visit the Western Wall, the ruins of Solomon's Temple, which the Romans destroyed two thousand years ago. At the city's highest point, you can see the Muslim Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, associated with the night of Muhammad's flight. Just a few blocks from these holy sites, Christian pilgrims can visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site of Jesus' crucifixion. And in Israel there is an amazing woman who managed to raise

Nowadays, we have more and more opportunities to visit different countries. Each country has its own attractions, which can also be temples. Every religion contains a set of etiquette rules and regulations. They are closely related to other religious tenets. To a person. who does not seek to join one or another confession, it is enough to know how to behave so as not to offend the feelings of believers, to be able to communicate with representatives of different religions.

Islam.

A mosque is not a temple. and its functions extend beyond the boundaries of the house of worship. Not only religious but also secular holidays, performances by Islamic scholars, and Koran recitation competitions are held there. According to tradition, a traveler can always find shelter for the night in the mosque. Prayers are performed five times a day at strictly defined times and are preceded by a call to prayer. To visit a mosque for non-religious purposes, it is better to choose the time between prayers.

Everyone must be dressed in casual clothing. A woman's dress should cover everything except her face, hands and feet, her hair should be completely hidden under the scarf. A woman should not visit a mosque on critical days.

When entering the mosque you must take off your shoes. In some places they rent it out to employees. Women and men pray separately, and in some places there are separate entrances for women. Those who do not participate in prayer may remain in the mosque.

Buddhism

You need to enter the Buddhist temple from the side entrance. Before entering, believers bow and open the door with their right hand, supporting it with their left. They enter the left door with their left foot, and the right door with their right foot, and exit in exactly the same way. This is done so as not to turn your back on the Buddha statue. Sometimes when entering a temple you are required to take off your shoes.

Usually people in the temple meditate, sitting on the floor, some people sing. Tourists should not walk between believers so as not to disturb them. For meditation, choose a quiet place and sit in the lotus position. The center of the hall is intended for monks. If you meet a monk on the territory of a Buddhist monastery, it is recommended to greet him with a half-bow. In guidebooks, Buddhist monasteries are designated with a swastika, the ancient sign of the sun.

Judaism.

A synagogue is not a temple, like a church in Christianity. This is a house of prayer. which does not have the status of a holy place. Men must cover their heads in the synagogue, women must wear modest clothing. Jews pray standing or sitting, holding a prayer book in their hands.

Women in the synagogue pray separately from men. Usually the women's half is located on the second floor or to the side of the men's. Men are allowed to enter the women's section, but only girls under 12 years old can be present in the men's section during prayer.

A person of any faith and nationality has the right to come to the synagogue and attend the service without taking part in it. On the men's side you should stand and turn around with everyone else when required. This is not necessary in the women's department.

Religion is a certain worldview that seeks to understand the higher mind, which is the root cause of everything that exists. Any belief reveals to a person the meaning of life, his purpose in the world, which helps him find a goal, and not an impersonal animal existence. There have always been and will be many different worldviews. Thanks to the eternal human search for the root cause, the religions of the world were formed, the list of which is classified according to two main criteria:

How many religions are there in the world?

The main world religions are Islam and Buddhism, each of which is divided into numerous large and small branches and sects. It is difficult to say how many religions, beliefs and convictions there are in the world, due to the regular creation of new groups, but according to some information, there are thousands of religious movements at the present stage.

World religions are called so because they have gone far beyond the borders of the nation, country, and have spread to a huge number of nationalities. Those who are not worldly confess within a smaller number of people. The monotheistic view is based on the belief in one God, while the pagan view assumes the existence of several deities.

The world's largest religion, which arose 2,000 years ago in Palestine. It has about 2.3 billion believers. In the 11th century there was a division into Catholicism and Orthodoxy, and in the 16th century Protestantism also separated from Catholicism. These are three large branches, there are more than a thousand other small ones.

The basic essence of Christianity and its distinctive features from other religions are as follows:

Orthodox Christianity has adhered to a tradition of faith since apostolic times. Its foundations were formulated by the Ecumenical Councils and dogmatically enshrined in the Creed. The teaching is based on Holy Scripture (mainly the New Testament) and Holy Tradition. Divine services are performed in four circles, depending on the main holiday - Easter:

Daily.
Sedmichny.
Mobile annual.
Fixed annual.

In Orthodoxy there are seven main Sacraments:

Baptism.
Confirmation.
Eucharist (Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ).
Confession.
Unction.
Wedding.
Priesthood.

In the Orthodox understanding, God is one in three persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The Ruler of the world is interpreted not as an angry avenger for the misdeeds of people, but as a Loving Heavenly Father, caring for his creation and bestowing the grace of the Holy Spirit in the Sacraments.

Man is recognized as the image and likeness of God, with free will, but fallen into the abyss of sin. The Lord helps those who want to restore their former holiness and get rid of passions on this path.

Catholic teaching is a major movement in Christianity, widespread mainly in Europe, Latin America and the USA. This doctrine has much in common with Orthodoxy in its understanding of God and the relationship between the Lord and man, but there are fundamental and important differences:

the infallibility of the head of the church, the Pope;
The Holy Tradition is formed from 21 Ecumenical Councils (the first 7 are recognized in Orthodoxy);
the distinction between the clergy and the laity: people in the rank are endowed with Divine Grace, they are assigned the role of shepherds, and the laity - the herd;
the doctrine of indulgences as a treasury of good deeds performed by Christ and the Saints, and the Pope, as the vicar of the Savior on earth, distributes forgiveness of sins to whomever wants and who needs it;
adding your understanding to the dogma of the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son;
introducing dogmas about the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary and Her bodily ascension;
the doctrine of purgatory as the average state of the human soul, cleansed of sins as a result of difficult trials.

There are also differences in the understanding and performance of some Sacraments:

It arose as a result of the Reformation in Germany and spread throughout Western Europe as a protest and desire to transform the Christian Church, getting rid of medieval ideas.

Protestants agree with Christian ideas about God as the Creator of the world, about human sinfulness, about the eternity of the soul and salvation. They share the understanding of hell and heaven, while rejecting Catholic purgatory.

Distinctive features of Protestantism from Catholicism and Orthodoxy:

minimizing church sacraments - until Baptism and Communion;
there is no division between clergy and laity, every well-prepared person in matters of Holy Scripture can be a priest for himself and for others;
the service is held in the native language and is based on joint prayer, reading psalms, and sermons;
there is no veneration of saints, icons, relics;
monasticism and the hierarchical structure of the church are not recognized;
salvation is understood only by faith, and good works will not help to justify oneself before God;
recognition of the exclusive authority of the Bible, and each believer interprets the words of Scripture at his own discretion, the criterion being the point of view of the founder of the church organization.

The main directions of Protestantism: Quakers, Methodists, Mennonites, Baptists, Adventists, Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons.

The world's youngest monotheistic religion. The number of believers is about 1.5 billion people. The founder is the prophet Muhammad. Holy book - Koran. For Muslims, the main thing is to live according to the prescribed rules:

pray five times a day;
observe the fast of Ramadan;
give alms 2.5% per year of income;
make a pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).

Some researchers add a sixth duty of Muslims - jihad, which manifests itself in the struggle for faith, zeal, and diligence. There are five types of jihad:

internal self-improvement on the path to God;
armed struggle against non-believers;
struggle with your passions;
separation of good and evil;
taking action against criminals.

Currently, extremist groups use jihad of the sword as an ideology to justify their murderous activities.

A world pagan religion that denies the existence of the Divine. Founded in India by Prince Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha). Briefly summarized by the teaching of the Four Noble Truths:

All human life is suffering.
Desire is the cause of suffering.
To overcome suffering, you need to get rid of desire with the help of a specific state - nirvana.
To free yourself from desire, you need to follow eight basic rules.

According to the teachings of the Buddha, acquiring a calm state and intuition and clearing the mind will help:

a correct understanding of the world as a lot of suffering and sorrow;
acquiring a firm intention to curtail your wishes and aspirations;
control of speech, which should be friendly;
performing virtuous actions;
trying not to harm living beings;
expulsion of evil thoughts and a positive attitude;
the realization that human flesh is evil;
perseverance and patience in achieving the goal.

The main branches of Buddhism are Hinayana and Mahayana. Along with it, there are other religions in India, widespread to varying degrees: Hinduism, Vedism, Brahmanism, Jainism, Shaivism.

What is the oldest religion in the world?

The ancient world was characterized by polytheism (polytheism). For example, Sumerian, ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman religions, Druidism, Asatru, Zoroastrianism.

One of the ancient monotheistic beliefs is Judaism - the national religion of the Jews, based on the 10 commandments given to Moses. The main book is the Old Testament.

Judaism has several branches:

Litvaks;
Hasidism;
Zionism;
orthodox modernism.

There are also different types of Judaism: Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, Humanistic and Renovationist.

Today it is difficult to give a definite answer to the question “What is the oldest religion in the world?”, since archaeologists regularly find new data to confirm the emergence of different worldviews. We can say that beliefs in the supernatural have been inherent in humanity at all times.

The huge diversity of worldviews and philosophical beliefs since the emergence of mankind does not make it possible to list all the religions of the world, the list of which is regularly updated with both new movements and branches from already existing world and other beliefs.