15 Ancient Temples To See in Your Lifetime
If you take off exploring the world, you’ll want to find some landmarks. Some of those can include beautiful ancient temples hidden away in parts of the world that deserve to be seen in person.
If you find yourself in these locations, visit these ancient temples.
1. Meenakshi Temple, India
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This stunning ancient temple is found in the southern city of Madurai in India. This temple stands dedicated to Meenakshi, her consort, and ultimately a form of Shiva. The temple is incredibly colorful and has 14 gateways, or gopurams, as they are also known.
This ancient temple is enormous and was initially built in 1190-1205 CE, where it was invaded and destroyed in the late 13th and 14th centuries. It has been rebuilt since then by the ruler Vishwanatha Nayak in the 16th and 17th centuries.
2. Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Angkor Wat is a gigantic temple that spans over a whopping 400 acres. As a result, Angkor Wat is considered the biggest temple in the world. Hindu rulers built This particular ancient temple during the 12th century.
Over the years, Angkor Wat has been mentioned in various media as a well-known landmark. From video games to documentaries and even shown in movies, this ancient temple is very well known.
3. The Temple of Chichen Itza, Mexico
If you find yourself in Mexico, you’ll want to see the Temple of Chichen Itza. It’s a gigantic Mayan temple with 91 steps on each side of the pyramid and the one at the top, totaling 365.
The Temple of Chichen Itza is located in the city of Yucatan. The colossal pyramid in the middle is also known as the Temple of Kukulkan, the serpent deity of the Mayan people. The area where Chichen Itza resides is massive, so you’ll have a great time exploring all it has to offer.
4. Akshardham Temple, India
Located in New Delhi, this is one of the youngest temples on the list. It was only built in 2005 as part of a cultural and spiritual movement suggested by the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism.
As a result of that sect, three temples were built worldwide, and the Akshardham Temple is just one of those three. It has some genuinely stunning intricate details carved out on red sandstone. If you’re looking for a delicate but towering building, this ancient temple is where you must go.
5. Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
Shwedagon Pagoda is one of the most unique temples on this list. When you visit it, you should take some sunglasses! It is blindingly bright, as it is a fully gilded stupa. If you are traveling to Myanmar, stop at Yangon to see this marvel in person.
Even today, the Shwedagon Pagoda is considered one of the holiest temples and is the most sacred Buddhist site. It is rumored to contain the remains of the four previous Buddhas, but no one knows.
6. Wat Rong Khun, Thailand
Wat Rong Khun has a heavenly aesthetic to it and almost looks feathered. To people not from Thailand, this temple is also known as the “white temple” because it’s white on the exterior. If you’re heading north of Thailand, you can find the Wat Rong Khun temple in Chiang Rai.
It was initially created in 1997, but it deteriorated over time. As a result, this ancient temple is now undergoing architectural work to restore it. The works are due to be finished at an estimated date of 2070.
7. Temple of Heaven, China
Stop by the Temple of Heaven in Beijing if you want to see a unique ancient temple. It was first built in the 15th century and was visited frequently by emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties to pray for a good harvest.
This ancient temple is so unique that it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1998. There are three main halls to visit at this temple, and the surrounding park nearby is a whopping 660 acres!
8. Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan
Bhutan is considered the happiest country in the world, and nestled into that little piece of heaven is the ancient temple, the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. This temple has been significant to Buddhists for well over 300 years.
This monastery is where many Buddhists have gone on a pilgrimage, nestled in the Himalayan Mountains. It was initially built in the 9th century and has gone on to see a multitude of renovations and changes, making it one of the holiest places for a Buddhist to go.
9. Kotoku-In Temple, Japan
This gorgeous ancient temple is in Kamakura. It is known as one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Japan. When visiting, the first thing you’ll most likely notice is the sizable bronze statue of Buddha.
Regarding landmarks, the Kotuku-In Temple is one of Japan’s most well-known and famous landmarks.
10. Golden Temple, India
This stunning temple is considered one of the holiest sites in the world for Sikhs. This Gurudwara was built by the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das. It began development in 1577 and had to be rebuilt many times as it was often a target and was destroyed by various armies.
If you want to find this stunning ancient temple, you can find it in Amritsar, Punjab. It has been nominated as a World Heritage Site, but its application is still pending.
11. Jokhang Temple, Tibet
This beautiful ancient temple is considered the spiritual center of Tibet. The Jokhang Temple is a Buddhist temple that resides in the capital city of Lhasa. Not only does it have the temple on the premises, but there is also a Gelug school monastery.
Jokhang Temple was built in the 7th century and has had to be renovated many times. I was first initially associated with India and the Vajrasana. The last renovation of this temple took place from 1972 to 1980. This ancient temple is now considered a World Heritage Site as of 2000.
12. Wat Pho, Bangkok
Wat Pho is an absolutely stunning ancient temple that you can visit in Bangkok. Wat Pho is the “temple of the reclining Buddha.” While the original establishment date is unknown, the temple is closely linked to King Rama I, who re-established the temple in the 16th century.
Not only is this gorgeous building a temple, but it also has a school for Thai medicine, where Thai massage originated from and is still taught today!
13. Boudhanath Temple, Nepal
Boudhanath Temple is another Buddhist temple you can visit if you visit Kathmandu in Nepal. This ancient temple is the largest Buddhist Stupa in Nepal. It is also one of the holiest Tibetan Buddhist sites outside Tibet.
This stupa is said to supposedly contain the remains of the Kassapa Buddha. Many Tibetan Buddhists migrate to this country, specifically to the Boudha Stupa. This is another temple that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
14. Temple of Artemis, Turkey
The Temple of Artemis was built in the modern-day city of Ephesus, which is now the city of Selcuk in Turkey. The temple has been destroyed over time, and the remains of it are minimal. However, you can see a model of what the temple could have looked like in the miniature park in Istanbul.
It went under construction three times and was destroyed by various means across all three attempts to preserve it. In 268 AD, it was destroyed for the final time when it was set fire to.
15. Shaolin Temple, China
The Shaolin Temple is one of the most well-known temples in the world. The Shaolin Temple, also known as the Shaolin Monastery, is in Dengfeng, China. It was first built in 495 and has played a significant part in multiple Chinese Dynasties.
The temple is a highly complex and intricate building. As a result, it has made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. It is a holy site, and they teach Shaolin Kung Fu.
