Transcript Religion in the Cultural Landscape

Religion in the Cultural Landscape
Religious beliefs
shape spatial features
in the real world.
The Impact of Religion
on the Cultural Landscape
Structures
 Sacred Places
 Pilgrimages

Structures - Places of worship
Hinduism – temples
 Judaism –synagogues
 Buddhism –pagodas and stupas
 Christianity – churches
 Islam – mosques
 Sikhism – gurdwara

Shiva Temple, Indonesia
Plzen Synagogue, Czech Republic
Nara Pagoda, Japan
Mariner’s Church, USA
Shiraz Mosque, Iran
Harmandir Gurdwara, India
Sacred Places
From the Latin sacer – holy
(sacrifice, consecrate, sacrilege, sacrum)
 Sites of sacred buildings
 Places associated with the dead
 Religious rituals
 Landscape features

Cemetery in Hoctun, Yucatan
The beautiful
cemeteries in the
Yucatan reflect the
blending of Catholic
and indigenous
religions.
The Taj Majal, India
The Taj Majal is a Muslim tomb built for a
Mogul Emperor’s favorite wife in 1629.
The Cremation Ghat, Varanasi
Mount Shasta, California
Mountain peaks, such as Mount Shasta, and other
high places are often revered. Mount Shasta is
considered holy by 30 New Age cults as well as
some Indian groups.
Holy Water
Water is seen as holy in
several religions.
Many rivers, such as
the Ganges for Hindus
and the Jordan for
Christians, are
considered holy.
Pilgrimages

Religious journey to a sacred place
The Western Wall, Israel
The Western, or Wailing, Wall is the last remaining part of the
most important Jewish temple in Jerusalem.
The Bodhi Tree, India
Buddhists believe this is where Siddhartha became enlightened.
The Via Dolorosa, Israel
Many Christians
want to follow in the
path that Jesus took
in Jerusalem.
The Kaaba, Saudi Arabia
In Islam making a pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the 5 Pillars of Faith.
Religion has a Large Impact
on the Cultural Landscape
Structures
 Sacred Places
 Pilgrimages
