Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
Majestic, young, ancient, epoch-making – hundreds of all kinds of temples of various religious beliefs and ancient cults have been built on the planet. Some of them serve as a haven of faith, and some have become something more. But today we are not talking about the newest or the oldest. Here are ten of the largest temples on our planet.
Temples that have become iconic: the top 10 largest in the world
| Nomination | a place | Temple | rating |
| Temples that have become iconic: the top 10 largest in the world | 10 | Seville Cathedral | 4.1 |
| 9 | Temple of Amun | 4.2 | |
| 8 | Church of Saint Sava Serbian | 4.3 | |
| 7 | Jetavana Ramaya | 4.4 | |
| 6 | Temple of Solomon | 4.5 | |
| 5 | Saint Paul's Cathedral | 4.6 | |
| 4 | Angkor Wat | 4.7 | |
| 3 | Notre Dame de la Paix | 4.8 | |
| 2 | Ulm cathedral | 4.9 | |
| 1 | Forbidden mosque (al-masjid al-haram) | 5.0 |
Seville Cathedral
Rating: 4.1
One of the largest and most beautiful temples in the world. It also bears another name – the Cathedral of Maria de la Side. It is the largest religious monument in Andalusia and one of the most significant in all of Spain. Residents of the country consider the cathedral a source of pride. Already 500 years have passed since the laying of the first stone in its foundation, and the monumental structure continues to amaze with its mesmerizing beauty and incredible architectural power.
The process of building the cathedral took a little over 100 years, which by the standards of that time can be considered a real record (for example, the Catholic cathedral in Cologne took 600 years to build). In addition, the architectural plan of the temple is not at all like the classic version of the royal cathedral.
The temple is presented in the form of a huge hall with a rectangular base, which stands on the foundation of the mosque. Previously, it was on the site of the cathedral (in those distant times when Spain was captured by the Moors). The overall length of the structure is 126 meters, and the width of the cathedral is unmatched in the world – 82 meters. Expansions here have been carried out in various styles, but the renaissance prevails among them.
Interesting fact. The Seville Cathedral was the official start and end point for Magellan's first circumnavigation of the world.
The Seville Cathedral opens to visitors no earlier than 11 am and all because of the morning bell ringing: if you get inside a religious building at this time, you can simply go deaf. The bells are ringing so loudly that half a kilometer from the cathedral it sounds like you are standing next to it.
Temple of Amun
Rating: 4.2
The largest and most significant religious building of Ancient Egypt is located near the famous city of Luxor, in the small village of Karnak, which during the time of the Egyptian pharaohs was the largest city and the capital of the Egyptian Kingdom – Thebes. The first stone of the temple was laid 4,000 years ago and the construction process, I must say, was by no means fast. Dozens of generations have invested in its construction: the temple has been constantly being completed and renovated over several centuries.
Each of the rulers ascending to the throne considered it their duty to contribute to the construction of the temple of Amun: many not only supplemented the structure, but also destroyed some of its parts. So, for example, did Thutmose III, destroying the obelisks of Queen Hatshepsut and replacing them with a completely new building with descriptions of his military exploits carved on its walls.
Temple of Amun Ra is dedicated to the ancient Egyptian supreme god of the sun – Ra. In ancient times, the entrance to it was available only to a select few: the priests and rulers of Egypt. Today anyone can visit the famous temple complex. The temple is presented in the form of a rectangular structure with an area of about 30 hectares. The road to it is guarded by sphinxes, and you can get inside only after passing 10 huge gate-pylons. The largest of them is 113 meters long and about 30 meters high. The 'heart' of the temple is a hypostyle (supported by columns) hall with an area of over 5000 m2.
Church of Saint Sava Serbian
Rating: 4.3
It can confidently be called the largest Orthodox religious building in the world. The Macedonian-style temple was erected on the very spot where in 1894 the Ottoman invaders burnt the relics of Saint Sava, the first Serbian archbishop and national hero.
Construction began on the eve of World War II. After the deployment of active hostilities in Europe, the construction of the temple was stopped and resumed only half a century later. To date, the cathedral is fully completed (only little things remain – small finishing works).
The Church of St. Sava is located in the Serbian capital – Belgrade. This is the largest church in the Balkans. The building is striking in its dimensions: the length of the structure is about 90 meters, the width is 81 meters, and the internal area of the temple reaches 7400 m2. The main dome of the temple weighs about 4 tons. There is a 12-meter cross made of gilding on it. The structure is perfectly visible from anywhere in the city, since it stands at an altitude of 135 meters above sea level.
Jetavana Ramaya
Rating: 4.4
This Buddhist stupa (a sacred place for Buddhists) is considered the largest in the world. An ancient cult building is located in one of the sacred cities of Anuradhapura – the capital of the island of Sri Lanka in ancient times and a real treasury of the country: there is a colossal number of unusual and unparalleled monuments of the past.
The construction of the building began under the Sri Lankan ruler Mahasena in the 3rd century and was completed in record time (and not only by the standards of antiquity, but also today) – in just 15 years. Archaeologists, architects, and with them thousands of tourists who annually visit this incredible religious building, are amazed at the unusualness of the stupa: it is made in the form of a domed structure, consisting of 100 million baked bricks. The height of the stupa reaches 122 meters with a colossal 100-meter diameter.
Temple of Solomon
Rating: 4.5
Many Protestant churches have been built on the planet. One of the largest structures is the Temple of Solomon, located in the Brazilian capital – Rio de Janeiro. The construction of the religious object was carried out by order of the Kingdom of God organization, the founder of which is one of the richest people on the planet – Edir Macedo.
The dimensions of the temple are surprising: the 12-storey structure, which can accommodate up to 10,000 believers, is 126 meters long and 104 meters wide. In terms of area, the building can be compared to 5 football fields. During religious services, what is happening in the building is broadcast on each of the two screens located inside. About 113 million dollars were spent on the construction of the temple, of which more than 13 million were spent only on spectacular evening lighting.
Saint Paul's Cathedral
Rating: 4.6
The Roman Cathedral is rightfully considered one of the most famous, significant and largest on the planet. The construction of the Renaissance was built for over a century (more precisely, 120 years). Several generations of eminent masters have invested all their talent in the creation of one of the most iconic religious monuments in the world: Raphael, Buanarroti, Michelangelo – the geniuses of art were able to give the interior of the cathedral an incredible, simply bewitching look.
The length of the building is about 220 meters, width – 150. On the territory adjacent to the cathedral – St. Peter's Square, up to 400,000 people can be simultaneously located. The temple stands in the western part of the Vatican – the smallest state in the world. In the days of the Roman Empire, on the site of St. Peter's Basilica, there was a circus (a place for horse races and other spectacles held on holidays), where the first Christians were martyred in the time of Nero. Among them was the apostle Peter.
The main dome of the cathedral can be seen several kilometers away – its height reaches 138 meters, and the surface is replete with quotes from the Gospel. At the entrance to the building, believers and travelers are greeted by the figures of the holy apostles – Peter and Paul. This huge element rests on powerful columns. There are 5 gates behind the columns of the portico: Death, Good and Evil, Philaret, the Sacraments and the Holy Gates. The most notable of these is the Gate of Death, built later than the others (in the 20th century). It is through them that all the pontiffs of the Vatican are sent on their last journey.
Angkor Wat
Rating: 4.7
The cult sanctuary is an ancient Hindu complex dedicated to the supreme god in Hinduism – Vishnu. The huge temple complex is located in Cambodia and is considered not only a valuable cultural and historical monument of the country, but also one of the most significant archaeological structures in the world.
Built more than 800 years ago, the complex is now included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Earlier, on the site of the temple, there was the majestic city of Angkor – the ancient capital of the Khmer state with an area of 200 km2. But recent studies show that this figure could be much higher: it is believed that the area of the ancient half-million population reached 3000 km2. In the pre-industrial era, this city was considered one of the largest and most developed.
The architecture of the temple is presented in the form of the mythical Mount Mera (the habitat of the ancient gods), consisting of 3 large rectangular buildings, surrounded by a high wall along the perimeter, behind which is a water moat. Inside the temple, 5 towers were built, together resembling a lotus. The height of the central tower is 42 meters, the whole complex as a whole is 65 meters.
Notre Dame de la Paix
Rating: 4.8
One of the largest Christian churches is located in the capital of one of the West African countries – Cote d'Ivoire. In translation, the name of the building means 'Cathedral of the Mother of God the Peacemaker'. The temple is considered one of the youngest in the world: it was built in 1990. The Yamoussoukran Notre Dame is 158 meters high. Notre Dame de la Paix holds the Guinness Book of Records for two indicators at once: the height of the structure and the area of the stained glass surface (7400 m2).
The structure with an esplanade and a garden is a gift to the Pope. This is the property of the Vatican. It was built on the model of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. It is noteworthy that the African temple is larger than the Vatican analogue, but at the same time it accommodates 3 times less believers (only 18,000 people). The Pope set a condition for his participation in the consecration of the cathedral: there should be a hospital next to it. The condition was met, and the pontiff personally laid the first stone near the temple.
Interesting fact. The running costs of the temple structure are incredibly high. Therefore, full lighting is only switched on for one day of the year – Christmas.
Ulm cathedral
Rating: 4.9
The German cathedral, the construction of which took almost 5 centuries, has earned the title of the highest on the planet. In 1543 he became Lutheran. The Gothic-style temple was not fully completed until 1890. Ulm Cathedral is distinguished by a number of architectural features: these are chimeras, powerful vaults, battlements, extended in height panoramic windows. In general, the outlines of the cathedral can be called unique, very effective and strict.
Today everyone can enjoy a magnificent view from the observation deck of the cathedral – a panoramic picture of the city and the sacred river of the Slavs – the Danube. To do this, you need to climb up the highest religious building in the world, overcoming 768 steps.
Forbidden mosque (al-masjid al-haram)
Rating: 5.0
The main mosque of the Islamic world and the largest among the existing ones. It is not on its territory that the main shrine of religion is located – the Kaaba. This is a monumental cube building with a Black Stone inside (when the Prophet Muhammad captured Mecca and cleared it of idols, he graciously touched the stone with a cane). There is a cult building in Mecca. This is the main goal of all Hajj pilgrims.
It is believed that the first mosque near the Kaaba was built in the 7th century. It has been known in its present form since 1570. Over the long years of its existence, the mosque has been repeatedly modified. In fact, not a trace remained of the original version.
Interesting fact. The mosque originally had 6 minarets. But when the Blue Mosque in Istanbul did the same, the imam of Mecca called it sacrilege, since no Islamic building can equal the sacred Kaaba. Then it was ordered to build the 7th minaret in the mosque.
For 5 years (2007-2012), a massive reconstruction was carried out by order of the King of Saudi Arabia. The territory of the mosque was enlarged towards the north, after which the total area was 400,000 km2. This vast territory can simultaneously accommodate up to 1,200,000 people.
Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
