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53 comments to "10 Most Amazing Temples in the World"

samantha
September 19th, 2007 at 12:06 am
aaaaaaaaamazing.

i also have a fascination with eastern temples.
Ajan
September 19th, 2007 at 1:35 am
idiot! you forgot the main temple… Its in Tirupati,Andhra Pradesh,India. It is the most functioning temple. It is The temple of Lord Venkateshwara,the richest Hindu temple and the most visited religious center in the world followed by the Vatican.

for your info..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirupathi_Venkateshwara_Temple

wish you can redesign the 10 Temples to 11 temples or something like that.
Ajan
September 19th, 2007 at 1:45 am
Sorry! Guess I was rude. Anyways,there are more Hindu temples than anyone can guess. India is a land famous for its Mythology remember?? Tamil Nadu,India has the most temples in Southern Part of India. I’m sorry to say this. But you need to research more. Bali is known as the Land of Temples and I guess it has more interesting tepmles.
deputydog
September 19th, 2007 at 3:25 am
hey,

brilliant list, they’re all absolutely stunning.

those hands of hell are beyond creepy.
Miss Cellania
September 19th, 2007 at 6:44 am
Wow, talk about beautiful!
Rohin
September 19th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Read neatorama for years and only feel the need to comment occasionally - this is one such post, inspiring and superbly-constructed. I have only visited two of these, there is much left to do! Amazing.
Padma
September 19th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Ajan is being overly aggressive, but I have to agree with him that in terms of both its construction and the sheer vibrancy of its current practice, the Venkateshwara and Padmavati temples at Tirupati are absolutely astonishing. (The two temples are dedicated to form of Vishnu and his consort Padmavati, or Alamelu in Tamil.) The Padmavati temple is at the foot of the seven hills in Tirupati, and the Venkateshwara temple is sits on the top hill. It’s a huge and ancient temple and because the form of Vishnu within it is known as a boon-giving deity, it’s also a hugely popular site with pilgrims. According to the wikipedia entry, over 50,000 people visit the temple everyday. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirumala_Venkateswara_Temple) Yikes! Along with Srirangam (which was included on this list), Tirupati is one of the most important temples in South India and is one of the 108 Divya Desams, or holy shrines that were canonized by the twelve Tamil Iyengar saints. (It should be pretty clear from this post that I have a special attachment to this particular temple–it’s one of my all-time favorites!)
Padma
September 19th, 2007 at 9:21 am
It’s a mosque, not a temple, but I also love the Nizamuddin Dargah in old Delhi. Again, it’s a very important site for Muslims and non-Muslims alike, contains a vibrant and expansive religious practice, and is absolutely gorgeous, architecturally speaking.
Ajan
September 19th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
heeey! I apologised!
biltmore
September 19th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
I’ve always wanted to visit the Tigerâ€™s Nest Monastery. Such a beautiful place. Perhaps I will retreat to there someday.
Sia
September 19th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
I couldn’t even begin to write how envious I am of all you people who have had the chance to visit these beautiful works of love. I had only one such opportunity to visit The Meteora (monasteries) in Greece when I was just a child. The magic of these monasteries was wasted on me back then. Today would be the making of wonderful memories to keep forever. Thanks for sharing.
sl
Chip Overclock
September 19th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Very impressive list. Nice work.

I’ve been in the Temple of Heaven. It’s a sight for sure, but more impressive I think is the Hanging Monastery in Datong, China, which seems to hang on a sheer cliff wall.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnlsloan/1051940712/in/set-721576013073 21881/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnlsloan/1051082485/in/set-721576013073 21881/
Adam Stanhope
September 19th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
I have been to a number of these temples. Asia is so wonderful for this sort of thing.

I have a few that I’d add to the list:

Man Mo Temple, Hong Kong Island
Wat Pho, Bangkok
Wat U-Mon, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Panom Rung, Buriram, Thai/Cambodian border
Phyang and Spituk Monasteries, Ladakh, India
ted
September 20th, 2007 at 7:08 am
Nice temples.

Hopefully, you won’t get the same bitter atheistic comments like you did when you posted about the Christian churches.

All religions seem to have that common thread - inspiring long-lasting beautiful works of art.
Mike
September 20th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Tikal, the ancient Maya city in Guatemala, also bears mention here.
Claire Walter
September 21st, 2007 at 2:03 pm
What a fabulous photographic list. I’ve only been to one of the ten. I’d better get going!

Claire @ http://travel-babel.blogspot.com
The Great Ganesha
September 23rd, 2007 at 11:38 am
have to agree with ajan and padma. and add sravanabelgola, halebid and belur to your list. while some of the temples on your list are quite worthy of being there, there are others that should *definitely* be replaced. sloppy research, guys!
The Great Ganesha
September 23rd, 2007 at 11:41 am
then again, i suppose all lists are somewhat subjective.
Alex
September 23rd, 2007 at 12:54 pm
It’s quite difficult to choose one Hindu temple in India over another - there are just so many of them. Furthermore, a lot of them share similar names (so one search for “Sri Venkateswara Temple” brings up many temples around the world, not just the main Tirumala one.

Incidentally, I chose Srirangam over Tirumala because it’s far more colorful.

Indians are so touchy when it comes to their temples
Bhaskar Banerjee
September 24th, 2007 at 1:44 am
I wish you all the very best in your endeavour of researching on the eastern temples. You have presented fascinating pictures, those that have the effect of the uplifting of the spirits. Marvellous!!!
avalokiteshvara
September 24th, 2007 at 9:48 am
Loving these. Thank you very much for sharing.
Navnit Prakash
September 24th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Breathtaking!Imagine hundreds of years back they constructed such beautiful temples!Wish you all the best in your endeavour.
reena
September 25th, 2007 at 4:56 am
i havent seen such temple in my life ,this is amazing and very good experience of my life
pritesh
September 25th, 2007 at 4:57 am
rahul sharma is very good boy he like this photo
sandeep
September 27th, 2007 at 7:50 am
I haven’t imagined such temples are existing in this ASIA.These are amazing and breathtaking.Absolutely stunning photographs.
the guru
September 28th, 2007 at 2:11 am
The stupid arrogance of the westereners should stop about reffereing to religions other than Christianity as mythology, either they are all theologies or mythologies, this has gone on for too long.
Minor
September 30th, 2007 at 8:31 am
Awesome!
raphael
October 4th, 2007 at 6:49 am
Hello…
in Taiwan there are also many temples… not as famous as the ones you listed above
but it is worth visiting them as life in temple is very animated
nathalie
October 4th, 2007 at 7:01 am
Lovely but not complete at the moment. Are you planning to complete this list?

Bye
Fign
October 4th, 2007 at 8:29 am
Excellent compilation, congrats
I would like to mention two temples that I have been fortunate to visit and one of them belongs to the UNESCO Wold Heritage Programme (1)

1. Kiyomizu-dera, http://yaccyann.maxs.jp/kiyomizu/
2. Kinkakuji, http://k-kabegami.sakura.ne.jp/kinkakuji/e.html

For fotos, see the links. Those temples (one Buddhist, one Shintoist) are absolutely beautiful and deserve some mentioning.
Krishna M. Gutala
October 5th, 2007 at 11:45 am
A sumptuous feast to the eyes. Such beautiful structures, with so much sculpture, these are the pride of Asia. Reveals the cultural identity of the Asian nations, a common thread passing thru the beads. This is an immortal heritage that is our responsibiity to preserve and maintain. This is to show how religion pulsated thru all Asian nations.
Michael Stone
October 5th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
The Monastery of Rousanou at Meteora has to be on some kind of list, it’s breathtaking. Mike in Utah
Alle
October 9th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
This imagens are beautiful. I have fascination with Buddhism culture. Thanks very much.
Shaan
October 11th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Maybe you should do a list of 10 most beautiful Indian temples:)
Russ
October 17th, 2007 at 9:35 am
This article does not give me an erection.
*Few articles about temples do.

…actually, that’s not true.
MOST articles about temples do, indeed, give me an erection; but this one didn’t…
Good try, though.
Hardik
October 19th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
amazing list but being a Jain i think our temples are also among the best

http://www.pilgrimage-india.com/jain-temples.html

The Palitana temples should definitely have been in this list and Dilwara and Ranakpur are not far away.

anyway nice list and hopefully with so many suggestions you decide to publish Part II.
Sneha
October 20th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Truely DIVINE…..beyond words!!!
Sneha
October 20th, 2007 at 9:45 am
It’ll be gr8 to add some more!!!
Vanvogt
October 24th, 2007 at 3:21 am
Thanks for a lovely collection of temples; your website is a real treat
and clearly a labor of love. A few notes on Borobodur: actually, great
deal is known about it; scholars have researched it extensively for a
very long time. It was probably built around 800 CE. It is essentially
a three-dimensional mandala, wherein the pilgrim starts on the lowest
levels, receiving instruction on Buddhist principles through bas relief
wall carvings (for example, a carving of a person boiling a turtle for
food is followed by a carving of that person being boiled–i.e., karma
[the Buddhist principles of reaping what you sow], of compassion, and so
on.). As the pilgrim ascends the mandala, the message becomes less
worldly and more spiritual, until the top levels, when the only images
are sculptures of the Buddha. Walking Borobudur from bottom to top thus
emulates the process of reaching enlightenment through long striving:
first learning right living and gradually sloughing off the mundane as
one reaches enlightenment.
sunil
October 24th, 2007 at 4:31 am
the east had always managed to take my breath away.
thank you for the info.
sunil
Blagoja
December 9th, 2007 at 2:40 am
Amazing,only thing that can be add is the Orthodox monastery Hagia Meteora in Greece ,they are one of the most amazing sites in Europe
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.photoseek.com/greece /01GRE-43-36-VarlaamMonasteryMeteora.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.photose ek.com/greece/Meteora.html&h=497&w=325&sz=75&hl=en&start=12&um=1&tbnid =jiqM1iXFr0qJcM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=85&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmeteora%26svnum%3 D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dcom.google:en-US:o fficial%26sa%3DG
Blagoja
December 9th, 2007 at 2:43 am
My appology ,the topic was 10 most amazing temples in the world but tha actual content is 10 maost amazing temples in asia,missunderstanding.As sugestion,the topic can be redesigned
Patty
December 11th, 2007 at 1:53 am
Warm greetings in the True Christmas Spirit!

I hope all is well, you seem very knowledgeable. I read through your blogs–very sharp indeed! Do you have a Doctorate in Divinity or Philosophy?

Anyhow, I was wondering if you could give some priceless advice. I am thinking of buying some good old Catholic theology books for some family members and loved ones, and well, I recently received an advertisement for this very interesting book called “Communicatio in Sacris: The Roman Catholic Church against Intercommunion of non-Catholics” by Mr. William J. DeTucci.

I was wondering if you have seen any book review on this book? I could not find anything on the author. It seems the book talks about the Role of Vatican II in the Modern World and how some Traditionalists have resisted many of the Modernistic teachings of Ecumenism, Religious Liberty, and the New Mass, as opposed to the old Latin Tridentine Mass. However, I also recently read Benedict XVI’s Motu Proprio ( http://www.vatican.va), which seems to be give the Liberty of “Open Communion” to so-called Traditional Catholic Groups who dissent from Vatican II, i.e. Marcel Lefebvre’s SSPX, Mark Pivarunas’ CMRI, Clarence Kelly’s SSPV, Br. Michael Dimond’s Most Holy Family Monastery, the various Saint Benedict Centers, Jason Spadafore’s Raphael Society, Patrick Taylor’s Society of the Virgin Mary, and so many other Independent Bishops at Large)–all who promote Intercommunion Latin Mass Ritual, of course! I think the Spirit of Vatican II is really being recognized now by many of the Traditionalists who once followed Bishop Lefebvre in resisting Vatican II Conciliar Reforms, but since the Motu Proprio Latin Mass Ecumenism has been widely promoted and it has been “well received” by many of these same various Traditionalists Sects and also by many Liberal Bi-Ritual Bishops who offer both the Latin Mass and Ecumenical Modern Liturgies.

However, breaking the rule of judging a book by its cover, and only peaking its table of contents, it seems to me this book is an itchy reaction to this Neo-Ecumenism that both Greek and Latin Churches have been involved with. Not sure if you have read the book, or know of some theologian who has written a review? Here is the link to the contents that I browsed:

http://www.lulu.com/content/1431544

and also here:

http://www.vladcatholic.com

I would most greatly appreciate any book review that you or a theologian has done. This book seems to have positive merit in as much it claims to be “a Compendium of Roman Catholic Doctrine on the subject of Intercommunion with non-Catholics. This book produces the overwhelming theological consensus for the Dogmatic Teaching condemning Intercommunion with non-Catholics, putting together a treasury of Sacred Scriptures, Church Fathers, Doctors, Saints, Theologians, and Popes who have written on the matter.”

However, I just wanted to verify that before I make my last minute shopping for this Christmas & New Year Season.

May God bless you all!

Kind regards,

Patty
Aleksandar the Great
December 11th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Tiger`s Nest Monastiry is the moust beautifyll temple.
But in MACEDONIA we have oldest temples so you must come to see what we have. Visit us in SKOPJE the capital city of MACEDONIA.
——————–MACEDONIA———————
“ALEKSANDAR THE GREAT”
Joe
January 10th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
What a great site! I have been to most of these temples and can attest to the fact that they are amazing. Of course it would be impossible to please everyone with the list, but this is admirable attempt! I would only say that as you are encompassing the entire world, a look at Central America and the Eastern Mediteranean might be in order. Thanks for the memories and for some new future traveling ideas.
jayvee
February 1st, 2008 at 2:01 am
woaahh..i like tiger’s nest monastry..i want to go there!!!!
but im just an ordinary tourist..huhuhu!!!
grrgggggg!!!!!!!!!!
ravindra.daswadkar
February 9th, 2008 at 7:26 am
amazing temples in the world, pleese mail to me
Robinho
February 16th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
To me, temples can be amazing for many reasons. Some are beautiful, others a seat of tranquility.

For me, the Drepung monastery just outside Lhasa is the epitomy of tranquility (for more details, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drepung_Monastery).

For that reason, I’d say it’s my favourite. Thanks for the other comments, which have given me some ideas for future travel.
dheer
March 10th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
they r still peaceful still atracts ….
rohit kumar
April 14th, 2008 at 5:37 am
thats….. amazing
rosa
May 2nd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
fantástico!
sidharth jain
June 17th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
hello.
these people have not showcased any of magnificent jain temples located in at RANAKPUR(RAJASTHAN) , DILWADA TEMPLE(MOUNT ABU), GOPACHALPARVAT AT GWALIOR.
herberth
June 24th, 2008 at 5:32 am
Saludos a todos, hablando especificamente en lo arquitectonico todas estos ” templos ” son fantasticos, pero en lo espiritual solo nos ensena lo mal que estamos los seres humanos, al creer en tantas tonterias y y adoraciones a idolos, les invito a leer la BIBLIA CRISTIANA, la verdadera no las falsas y entenderan de lo que les hablo, y no es necesario ir a estos lugares para cambiar de pensar o sentir, simplemente hay que buscar a DIOS “JEHOVA” al verdadero y no a dioses inventados por seres humanos.

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