There are a lot of unique religious places in Asia. Some might be made out of gold and some might have unique architectural marvel. In short, these 12 temples (of various religions) stand as must-visit places in this continent.
Bulguksa Temple, North Gyeongsang, Korea
This is a Buddhist temple which is a world heritage site as per UNESCO. It was built in 700 AD. It was initially built in wood and in 16thcentury invaders burnt it down along with various treasures inside it. Later it was rebuilt to its original structure using other materials. There are many bronze statues and numerous national treasures of the country.
Po Lin Monastery, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
This is a Buddhist monastery that was built in 20th century. It has three bronze statues of Buddha that are world famous. The 112 feet tall Buddha statue on top of the temple is its main attraction.
Akshardham Temple, New Delhi, India
This is an incredible temple in the capital city of India. This is a Hindu temple that was built for Brahmaswarup Yogiji Maharaj. The temple is made of pink marbles outside and white ones in inside. There are more than 200 pillars which are carved with various designs. There are 9 domes and 20,000 statues inside it. There is a musical water fountain and IMAX screen inside this temple.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Angkor Wat is an UNESCO Heritage Site. It was built in 12thcentury and is considered to be a national icon today. It is the largest religious place in the world. It was first built for Hindu religion and then was converted for Buddhists. The whole structure of the building resembles the Mountain Meru, a sacred mountain of Hindu mythology. There are a lot of structures and carvings inside the temple that represent various elements of Hindu mythology.
Prambanan, Java, Indonesia
This is a structure that was built in 8th century. It was built is the style of Hindu architecture. It is a world heritage site that was totally abandoned after an earthquake till it was rebuilt in 20thcentury. There are about 1000 statues in this temple. It is said that a man fell in love with the princess of that place and asked her to marry him. To reject him, she asked him to build a temple with 1000 statues in one day. The temple was almost done and he completed the 999th statue before dawn. To make him loose, she ordered the people to light fire to look like the day was over. When he came to know about this, he became angry and turned the princess into the 1000th statue.
Paro Taktsang, Paro Valley, Bhutan
This is a remarkable and unique monastery that is built on a small side of a cliff which is about 2000 feet above the valley. This temple is always filled with mist and the temple is located in a very dangerous place. You need to hike for about 2 hours or ride on the back of a mule to reach this temple. There is no other transportation.
Jokhang Temple, Lhasa, Tibet
This is the first Buddhist temple of the land. It was built in 7th century as is an important heritage site. The building is made out of timber and stands below a bronze roof. There are a lot of statues of marvellous designs in this temple.
Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan
This was built in 17th century. This is the second largest mosque in the country and yet it is the most visited one. It is said that this mosque was used by British as stable and as an arena for gun practice. The exterior of the mosque is the enchanting element of this temple. There are a lot of carvings made of marble and other material. You can also find a lot of marble works inside the mosque too. There is a museum in this mosque that is a must visit.
Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto, Japan
This is a golden temple that was built in 14th century as a retirement house for Shogun. Later, it was converted into Zen temple. It is a world heritage spot and the building is totally covered with gold. There is a strolling garden with a pond.
Xuang Kong Si, Mount Hengshan, China
This is 1400 years old temple that is built on a narrow path on a cliff of Mouth Hengshan. The temple was built with wood and still stands the same. It is an architectural wonder. The reason for its unusual location is that, according to Taoist, there should be absolute silence in their worship place. There are about 40 wooden halls and many pillars in this temple.
Sri Venkateswara Temple, Andhra Pradesh, India
This temple is built on seven hills that are about 800m above sea level. The temple covers about 10 square miles and was built in 300 AD. The temple is covered with golden leaves. It is the most visited temple in the whole world and the richest one too.
Wat Arun, Bangkok, Thailand
This temple of Buddha is located in the bank of Chao Phraya River. It was built in 18th century and it is said that the temple is decorated with 1000 Chinese seashells and porcelain. This temple is a delight to watch in moonlight as the moonlight reflects on the surface of the tower and make it twinkle in dark.
There are a lot of other interesting and unique temples in Asia for you to visit and enjoy.
