The Most Amazing Temples Around The World

Also known as "The Marble Temple," the Benchamabophit is a unique Buddhist temple designed out of Italian Marble. The temple is a major tourist attraction used for meditation and features exhibits such as international Buddha's surrounding the courtyard.

The Lotus Temple, located in New Delhi, is a Bahai house of worship but it is open to all, regardless of religion. It was designed to look like a lotus blossom with 27 "petals" arranged around it and has received a lot of attention due to its fine art and architecture. Enter Lotus through one of their nine doors and walk into a hall that's more than 40 meters tall.

Also known as the "White Temple," Wat Rong Khun has been open to visitors since 1997 and is owned by Chalermchai Kositpipat, the man who designed and constructed it. The main building of the temple is the ubosot (the ordination hall), and you must cross a bridge to get there. The bridge represents happiness and "the cycle of rebirth."

The Kotoku-in Temple is known for its giant statue of Buddha, one of Japan's world famous icons. The structure weighs approximately 93 tons and is 43.8 feet tall. Visitors have the opportunity to gain internal peace as they view the inside. Also, Buddhists from all over the world travel to the Kotoku-in Temple just to pay their respects.

Also known as the Byodo-In Temple, this Hawaiian temple is located in Temples Memorial Park. It is red and white on the outside and surrounded by a large reflecting pool and waterfalls. The temple welcomes people of all faiths to meditate, worship and simply enjoy the magnificence. Fun Fact: Hawaiians often use the surrounding grounds for wedding ceremonies.

Nauvoo Illinois Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was built using limestone blocks. The building is 130 feet long, 162 feet high and 90 feet wide.

The Golden Temple is also known as the Harmandir Sahib (Temple of God). It sits in the center of a sacred pool and floats within a walled compound. It was designed to build a place of worship for people of all religions to worship God equally. The Golden Temple consists of three holy trees, memorial plaques and inscriptions of Sikh soldiers who died fighting in both World War I and World War II.

The Church of St. Sava is visible from much of the city, and is one of the key features of Belgrade's skyline. It is a Serbian Orthodox church known to be the largest Orthodox Church in the world. The church can fit up to 10,000 people a time. Fact: The St. Sava Temple has been dedicated to the founder Saint Sava.

The Monkey Temple is also known as the Swayambhunath, and it's among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. It is located on the top of a hill surrounded by "sublime trees," and there are monkeys that live in the northwest parts of the temple. The dome at the base of the temple represents the world and the eyes on the four sides of the main stupa represent wisdom and compassion.

This temple is the largest Hindu temple in the Southern Hemisphere. It is dressed with a colorful design and impressive architecture. Make sure you remove your shoes and dress appropriately. Photos are forbidden inside the temple, but you can take as many as you would like on the outside grounds.

The Garni Temple sits on the edge of a triangular cliff and encompasses the style of classical Ancient Greek architecture. It is a major tourist attraction and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage spot. The temple holds occasional concerts on the square right out front.

Built in the 14^th century, the Temple of Heaven symbolizes the relationship between the human world and God's world, earth and heaven. According to Travel China Guide, "it is China's largest and most representative existing masterpiece among China's ancient sacrificial buildings." Its yard is a frequently visited spot for those who practice meditation.

The Medinet Habu Temple contains approximately 75,347 sq ft. of decorated wall reliefs. In ancient times it was known as Djanet, the place where Amun first appeared. According to Discovering Egypt, "both Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis III built a temple dedicated to Amun here and Later Rameses III constructed his larger memorial temple on the site."

According to Travel China Guide, the "'Temple of Confucius in Beijing is the place where people paid homage to Confucius during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)." The temple has four courtyards, and a spectacular photo of two flying dragons playing pearl among the clouds.

The Temple of Hephaestus, the Greek god of metal working and craftsmanship, was built about 2,500 years ago and was the first temple in Athens to be made of marble. It has sometimes been referred to as the Theseum, based on the belief it was a hero shrine dedicated to Theseus, the mythological leader of Athens. (Sacred Destinations).