Archaeology around the world is a wonderful thing, and you can visit countless cities and see amazing examples of different types of buildings, dating back to the year dot. Basically, you’re looking at a standing piece of history, but when you throw religion and places of worship into the mix, you end up with a very special type of archaeology indeed.
Temples are built as a shrine in many ways, somewhere to worship a particular religion, depending on the country and the religion of that place, and for the most part, these temples are made up of intricate decoration, which make them jaw-dropping for a totally different reason.
Here are five of the world’s most beautiful, intricate, and interesting temples to visit across the globe.
Wat Suwan Kuha Temple, Phuket, Thailand
The thing which makes the Wat Suwan Kuha temple special is that it isn’t a constructed building, it’s actually a cave temple, with light spilling in from cracks in the side. Monkeys have taken up camp outside, adding to the natural authenticity of the place, and the differences are what make it so special. You are basically at one with nature here. The great news is also that it’s only 10 baht to enter and is easily accessible from Phuket.
Kotoku-in Temple, Kamakura, Japan
The first thing you will notice about this beautiful temple is the huge Buddha watching over proceedings. Built back in the 13th century the landscapes around here are lush, green, and dense, but the temple is close enough to Tokyo to allow a trip out here. You will also get to see the beautiful Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine which sits high on the hilltop, although you will have to climb around 60 steps to reach it!
Golden Temple/Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, India
A truly mind-blowing place to visit, the Golden Temple glitters in the sunlight, and seems to float in the centre of a sacred pool within its grounds. Free to enter, this is the centre-point of India’s Sikh religion, and the building itself stands out like nothing else you will have seen before.
Ta Prohm, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Aside from the fact that Tomb Raider was filmed here, this is a temple which looks like it was built far too many years ago to remember, and because of that it has an ancient and very authentic look. Totally surrounded by nature, within the ancient city of Angkor, you will get plenty for your money here as you get to see much more of the city than just one temple, as amazing as it is.
Temple of Heaven, Beijing, China
Probably one of the most famous temples in the whole world, Beijing’s beautiful and iconic Temple of Heaven was built in the 15th century and is one of the most visited places within the ancient city of Beijing. Built in typical Chinese architectural fashion, it symbolises the special relationship between earth and heaven, as well as nature and humans.
