Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist temple, pagoda, stupa, sanctuary... Mostly classified by UNESCO, the most beautiful religious and sacred sites in Asia express a way of conceiving the world.
People flock there for worship or pilgrimage, or for their heritage value and their authentically Asian beauty, which will make the trip unique.
Also read: From Thailand to Singapore by train, our incredible 3,000 km journey through Southeast Asia
The Golden Temple in Amritsar, India
The Joolyann Golden Temple - stock.adobe.com
Among the wonders to see in India, the Golden Temple is one of its greatest spiritual destinations.
Built in 1803, Sikhism's holiest temple is a socio-religious complex that attracts Sikhs, but also Hindus and Muslims from around the world.
The pavilion is striking with its two-tone facades.
The lower parts are made of white marble, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and precious stones, the upper parts covered with gold leaf.
The roof terrace is crowned with four
chhatri
(domes supported by pillars), topped with a golden dome in the shape of an inverted lotus flower.
It sits in the center of a basin with bluish waters, the Amrit Sarovar (“Nectar Basin”), which reflects its carvings.
Pilgrims from all over the world immerse themselves in these sacred waters with supposed healing powers.
Namely
: when are the best times to visit India?
Also read: This area of India is full of wonders: why you need to go to the gates of the Himalayas
The Bodnath stupa or Buddhanath, Nepal
c Raimond Klavins www.artmif.lv / Raimond Klavins - stock.adobe.com
Bodnath Stupa is the most sacred Tibetan Buddhist center outside of Tibet.
It is also the largest stupa in Asia, and one of the largest and oldest shrines in the world.
Built in the 14th century near Kathmandu, it was for a long time the arrival point for caravans crossing the Himalayas.
When the trip went well, the Buddhists went there to thank the Buddha.
Pilgrims still perform the
kora
, ritual circumambulation, and turn the prayer wheels.
Also read: Travel to Nepal on the paths of Kathmandu
The temples of Bagan, Burma
unreal vision Martin Molcan / Martin M303 - stock.adobe.com
In an alluvial plain of the Irrawaddy River, in Burma, the valley of the Buddhist temples of Bagan has 2,500 temples and pagodas over nearly 50 km2.
The surrounding forests would have been used to fuel the brick kilns necessary for the construction of the temples, of which nearly 400 specimens remain.
Out of time, the site is bathed in silence, imbued with tranquility.
It can be discovered by bike or in a hot air balloon.
Temples, pagodas and stupas are scattered across the green valley as far as the eye can see.
In the early hours of the day, they are shrouded in mist.
Beyond the dusty roads and temples lies the Irrawaddy River.
Inside, the most beautiful examples of Buddhist narrative frescoes with Indian influence are revealed in the light of flashlights.
Please note:
since the military coup which placed the Burmese junta in power in 2021, the destination is not recommended.
“The police forces and the army do not hesitate to repress by force, including live ammunition, any opposition,” indicates France diplomatie
Also read On the Death Railway, a train line with a tragic history between Thailand and Burma
The temples of Bangkok, Thailand
Wat Benchamabophit Dusit Wanaram Luciano Mortula / Luciano Mortula-LGM - stock.adob
The abundance of ornamentation, flamboyant gold and proximity to the Chao Phraya River give character to the temples of Bangkok, Thailand.
The contrast is striking between a vibrant city, crossed by chaotic traffic and bristling with gleaming skyscrapers, and the spirituality that emanates from the temples of the “city of angels”.
At the heart of the daily life of very practicing Thais, the Buddhist temples which dot the city are more than places of worship: places of life, visited from dawn, where meditation has its place.
Let us cite Wat Pho, with the stunning reclining Buddha, Wat Arun (the temple of Dawn), which impresses with its
prang
(tower-sanctuary), Wat Phra Kaeo, which contains as a jewel the venerated statuette of the Emerald Buddha, or Wat Benchama Bophit, made of Carrara marble.
Namely:
when is the best time to go to Thailand?
Also read: Where to go to Thailand in 2024?
Our travel guide from Bangkok to the islands, via Chiang Mai
The temples of Angkor, Cambodia
Angkor is the largest religious complex in Southeast Asia.
ivanmateev - stock.adobe.com
At the gates of Siem Reap, Cambodia, the largest religious complex in Southeast Asia is also one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in the
world.
Capital of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 14th century, Angkor was abandoned around 1431. The ruins of nearly 200 Hindu and Buddhist temples remain, scattered over more than 400 km².
They are major witnesses of Khmer art and culture.
The hydraulic installations (basins, reservoirs, canals) attest to the ingenuity of the architecture.
Among the star temples, the eponymous Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world, and one of the best preserved on the site.
Nature has regained its rights everywhere.
The ruins are invaded by the abundant vegetation of the tropical jungle.
The lichens proliferate, the branches and sprawling roots of the cheesemakers cross the openings, compressing the stone until it bursts.
They phagocytose the site and constitute a major threat, at the same time as they enhance it.
Namely:
when is the best time to travel to Cambodia?
Read also With this brand new airport, Cambodia wants to attract more tourists and compete with Thailand
The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka
The temple houses the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha.
Nuwan Liyanage / mlnuwan - stock.adobe.com
One of the jewels of Sri Lanka is home to the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, which makes Kandy the capital of Buddhism on the island, and its largest religious center.
In addition to her spiritual aura, she became a symbol of royal power.
Pilgrims wait in single file to catch a glimpse of the relic displayed three times a day.
It is preserved in gold leaf placed in a case covered with diamonds and rubies, isolated in a reliquary of seven gold caskets in the shape of a
stupa
, nested one inside the other.
Namely:
when are the best times to travel to Sri Lanka?
Borobudur Temple, Indonesia
The Borobudur temple on the island of Java is a major place of pilgrimage.
NEWTRAVELDREAMS - stock.adobe.com
In the center of the Indonesian island of Java, one of the largest Buddhist monuments in the world is a major place of pilgrimage.
It was built between the late 8th and early 9th centuries on a hill overlooking lush green fields and rolling hills.
Placed on a base measuring 123 m by 123, it was built without cement or mortar, in an architecture inspired by the Gupta style.
It contains 3,000 bas-relief sculptures, and 72 openwork stupas which house as many statues of the Buddha.
It includes three levels: a pyramidal base of five concentric square terraces, topped by three circular platforms, and crowned with a monumental stupa.
The walls and balustrades are decorated with bas-reliefs carved
in situ
in the volcanic stone.
We can see the Merapi volcano in the distance, still active.
Namely:
when are the best times to visit Indonesia?
Read alsoVisit Bali and Lombok in 12 days: our itinerary advice
The Mỹ Sơn sanctuary, Vietnam
This temple complex is a major archaeological remains of the Champa kingdom.
Jelle van der Wolf / VanderWolf Images - stock.adobe.com
Built between the 4th and 13th centuries, this temple complex is a major archaeological vestige of the kingdom of Champa of which it was the capital, on the lands of present-day Vietnam.
This vanished civilization was born from the spiritual roots of Hinduism, and was influenced by Buddhism.
Most of the buildings evaporated in the bad weather, then the Vietnam War.
Overwhelmed by heat and melancholy, the ruins of a dozen shrine towers stand on a plateau surrounded by wooded hills.
The whole remains an exceptional testimony to an indigenous society nourished by external influences, to a kingdom which marked the political and cultural history of the Indochinese peninsula.
Namely:
when to travel to Vietnam?
Here are the best periods
Read alsoVisit Vietnam in 12 days: day-by-day itinerary and practical advice
The Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China
c SeanPavonePhoto
The sacred building stands in a 270 ha park planted with historic pine forests and century-old cypress trees.
From the outset, the serenity of the place contrasts with the frenzy of Beijing, the Chinese capital.
Built in 1420, the Temple of Heaven was designed as a gateway to the celestial world.
It hosted religious rites and celebrations led by the emperor.
In the spirit of Chinese cosmology aimed at regulating the functioning of the universe, it is considered the culmination of traditional Chinese architecture: symbolism of numbers, opposition of yin and yang, harmony between sky and earth.
People worshiped Heaven to ask for mercy – a concept that predates Buddhism.
Namely:
when are the best times to visit China?
Also read: Will 2024 be the year to travel to China?
The temples of Kyoto, Japan
the hokanji temple Markus Mainka / Markus Mainka - stock.adobe.com
Imperial capital of Japan from 794 to 1868, Kyoto has inherited an inestimable heritage.
The “city of a thousand temples” contains nearly 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, built from the center to the wooded mountains, enhanced by the flowering of cherry trees in spring.
Each has its own character which makes it unique in the world: Kiyomizu-dera with its terrace on stilts overlooking the city, the Golden Pavilion whose gold leaf is reflected in the pond, the Ryôan-ji Zen temple and its contemplative stone garden, the Silver Pavilion surrounded by a fabulous dry garden, Fushimi Inari-Taisha and its vermilion
torii
(porticos) tunnels rolling down the hill... Visions reflecting the image of eternal Japan.
Namely:
when are the best times to visit Japan?
VISIT JAPAN IN 13 DAYS: ITINERARY
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