A holy city is a city important to the history or faith of a specific religion. Such cities may also contain at least one headquarters complex (often containing a religious edifice, seminary, shrine, residence of the leading cleric of the religion and/or chambers of the religious leadership's offices) which constitutes a major destination of human traffic, or pilgrimage to the city, especially for major ceremonies and observances. A holy city is a symbolic city , representing attributes beyond its natural characteristics.
List of holy cities in the world Africa Asia Lumbini , the birthplace of Buddha , is considered one of the holiest cities in Buddhism .Varanasi , one of the oldest and holiest cities of Hinduism Western and South Asia Temple Mount in Jerusalem , a holy city in Judaism, Christianity and Islam Nazareth , a holy city in Christianity Kaaba in Mecca, the holiest city of Islam City Country Religion(s) Amritsar India India Sikhism Anandpur Sahib India India Sikhism Antakya (Antioch )Turkey Turkey Christianity Ayodhya India India Hinduism Balkh Afghanistan Afghanistan Islam (Shia)Beirut Lebanon Lebanon Christianity Bethlehem Palestine Palestine Christianity , Judaism Bhaktapur Nepal Nepal Hinduism , Buddhism Bodh Gaya India India Buddhism , Hinduism Dwarka India India Hinduism Haifa Israel Israel Baháʼí Faith Hebron Palestine Palestine Judaism , Islam Hittin Israel Israel Druze faith Janakpur Nepal Nepal Hinduism Jerusalem Israel Israel / Palestine Palestine (Status of Jerusalem )Judaism , Christianity , Islam Kanchipuram India India Hinduism , Jainism , Buddhism Haridwar India India Hinduism Karbala Iraq Iraq Islam (Shia)Kathmandu Nepal Nepal Hinduism , Buddhism Khalwat al-Bayada Lebanon Lebanon Druze faith Konya Turkey TurkeyIslam (Sufi)Kufa Iraq IraqIslam (Shia)Kushinagar India India Buddhism Lahore Pakistan PakistanIslam , Sikhism Lalitpur Nepal Nepal Hinduism , Buddhism Lumbini Nepal Nepal Buddhism , Hinduism Mashhad Iran IranIslam (Shia)Mathura India India Hinduism Mecca Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Islam Medina Saudi Arabia Saudi ArabiaIslam Meron Israel Israel Judaism Mtskheta Georgia (country) Georgia Christianity Nashik India India Hinduism , Buddhism Nablus Palestine Palestine Judaism , Samaritanism Najaf Iraq IraqIslam (Shia)Nankana Sahib Pakistan PakistanSikhism Nazareth Israel Israel Christianity Prayagraj India India Hinduism Qom Iran Iran Islam (Shia)Safed Israel Israel Judaism Şanlıurfa (Urfa, Edessa )Turkey Turkey Christianity , Islam (Sufi)Sarnath India India Buddhism Tiberias Israel Israel Judaism Tripoli Lebanon Lebanon Christianity Vagharshapat Armenia Armenia Christianity (Armenian Apostolic Church )Varanasi India IndiaHinduism , Buddhism Yazd Iran Iran Zoroastrianism
Central and East Asia Southeast Asia Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh , symbol of Islamic sharia law's application in Aceh City Country Religion(s) Besakih Indonesia Indonesia Balinese Hinduism Cebu City Philippines PhilippinesChristianity Cigugur Indonesia Indonesia Sunda Wiwitan El Salvador, Misamis Oriental Philippines PhilippinesChristianity Iloilo City Philippines PhilippinesChristianity Mandalay Myanmar MyanmarBuddhism Naga, Camarines Sur Philippines PhilippinesChristianity (Roman Catholicism) Siem Reap Cambodia Cambodia Buddhism, Hinduism
Europe St Peter's Square , Vatican City .Hagia Sophia , Istanbul .Canterbury Cathedral .City Country Religion(s) Assisi Italy Italy Christianity Athens Greece Greece Christianity , Hellenism Avila Spain Spain Christianity Barcelona Spain SpainChristianity Canterbury England United Kingdom England , United Kingdom Christianity (Anglicanism )Caravaca de la Cruz Spain Spain Christianity Cologne Germany Germany Christianity Corinth Greece GreeceChristianity Częstochowa Poland Poland Christianity (Roman Catholicism )Fátima Portugal Portugal Christianity Glastonbury England United Kingdom England , United Kingdom Christianity , Druidry Istanbul (Constantinople )Turkey Turkey Christianity (Eastern Orthodoxy )Kilkenny Republic of Ireland Ireland Christianity Kraljevo Serbia Serbia Christianity Lourdes France France Christianity (Roman Catholicism )Madrid Spain SpainChristianity Marija Bistrica Croatia CroatiaChristianity Medjugorje Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Christianity Milan Italy ItalyChristianity Moscow Russia Russia Christianity (Russian Orthodox Church )Munich Bavaria Germany Bavaria , Germany Christianity Veliky Novgorod Veliky Novgorod Russia Christianity Ohrid North Macedonia North Macedonia Christianity Paris France France Christianity Prague Czech Republic Czech Republic Christianity Rome Italy ItalyChristianity Santiago de Compostela Spain SpainChristianity Santo Toribio de Liébana Spain Spain Christianity Sergiyev Posad Russia Russia Christianity Thessaloniki , Mount Athos Greece GreeceChristianity (Greek Orthodox Church )Toledo Spain SpainChristianity Trondheim Norway Christianity Uman Ukraine Ukraine Breslov , Hasidic , Judaism Uppsala Sweden Sweden Christianity , Norse Paganism Vatican City Vatican City Vatican CityChristianity (Roman Catholicism )Varallo Sesia Piedmont Italy Piedmont , Italy Christianity (Roman Catholicism )Vladimir Russia Russia Christianity Walsingham England United Kingdom England , United Kingdom Christianity Warsaw Poland PolandChristianity Wittenberg Germany GermanyChristianity (Lutheranism )York England United Kingdom England , United Kingdom Christianity (Anglicanism )
North America The Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City . South America The Basilica of Our Lady of Luján . City Country Religion(s) Aparecida Brazil Brazil Christianity Luján Argentina Argentina Christianity
See also External links Media related toHoly citiesat Wikimedia Commons 
