Holy city explained
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. Marketing experts have suggested that holy cities may be the oldest brands, and more specifically, place brands because they have value added via the perception of religious adherents.[1]
List of holy cities in the world
Africa
Asia
Western and South Asia
| City | Country | Religion(s) |
|---|
| Amritsar | India | Sikhism |
| Anandpur Sahib | India | Sikhism |
| Antakya (Antioch) | Turkey | Christianity |
| Ayodhya | India | Hinduism |
| Balkh | Afghanistan | Islam (Shia)[3] |
| Beirut | Lebanon | Christianity |
| Bethlehem | Palestine | Christianity, Islam, Judaism[4] |
| Bodh Gaya | India | Buddhism, Hinduism |
| Dwarka | India | Hinduism |
| Haifa | Israel | Baháʼí Faith |
| Hebron | Palestine | Judaism,[5] Islam |
| Hittin | Israel | Druze faith[6] |
| Jerusalem | Israel / Palestine
(Status of Jerusalem) | Judaism, Christianity, Islam |
| Kanchipuram | India | Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism |
| Haridwar | India | Hinduism |
| Karbala | Iraq | Islam (Shia) |
| Kathmandu | Nepal | Hinduism |
| Khalwat al-Bayada | Lebanon | Druze faith[7] |
| Kufa | Iraq | Islam (Shia) |
| Lahore | Pakistan | Islam, Sikhism |
| Lumbini | Nepal | Buddhism |
| Mashhad | Iran | Islam (Shia) |
| Mathura | India | Hinduism |
| Mecca | Saudi Arabia | Islam[8] |
| Medina | Saudi Arabia | Islam[9] |
| Meron | Israel | Judaism[10] |
| Mtskheta | Georgia | Christianity[11] |
| Nashik | India | Hinduism, Buddhism |
| Nablus | Palestine | Judaism,[12] Samaritanism[13] |
| Najaf | Iraq | Islam (Shia) |
| Nankana Sahib | Pakistan | Sikhism |
| Nazareth | Israel | Christianity[14] |
| Prayagraj | India | Hinduism |
| Qom | Iran | Islam (Shia) |
| Safed | Israel | Judaism |
| Israel | Judaism |
| Vagharshapat | Armenia | Christianity |
| Varanasi | India | Hinduism, Buddhism | |
Central and East Asia
Southeast Asia
Europe
North America
South America
Notes and References
- News: Michael Sebastian . Metti . Jerusalem – the most powerful brand in history . . 1 June 2011 . 1 July 2011 . dead . https://archive.today/20110612234127/http://www.fek.su.se/en/Research/Subdisciplines/Marketing/Stockholm-Program-of-Place-Branding . 12 June 2011.
- Book: Catholic Mass For Dummies. Rev John Jr.. Trigilio. Rev Kenneth. Brighenti. Rev Monsignor James. Cafone. 10 May 2011. John Wiley & Sons. 9780470767863. Google Books.
- Web site: Visit Mazar-i-Sharif Afghanistan • The City Of The Noble Shrine. www.joaoleitao.com. 17 January 2020 .
- Web site: Bethlehem. 2021-07-12. www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org.
- Web site: Four Holy Cities of Israel: What and Why?. Chabad.
- Dana, Nissim. (2003). The Druze in the Middle East: Their Faith, Leadership, Identity and Status, Sussex Academic Press, pp. 28–30.
- Book: Nissîm Dānā. The Druze in the Middle East: Their Faith, Leadership, Identity and Status. 11 September 2012. 2003. Sussex Academic Press. 978-1-903900-36-9. 38–.
- Web site: Makkah . 2024-05-03 . www.visitsaudi.com . en.
- Web site: https://www.nusuk.sa/destination/madina . 2024-05-03 . www.nusuk.sa.
- Web site: Meron: Tomb of Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai.
- News: 7 April 2014. Historical city Mtskheta becomes "Holy City". Agenda.ge. 4 October 2014. 6 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006074953/http://agenda.ge/news/11866/eng. dead.
- Web site: Shechem (Nablus). 2021-07-12. www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org.
- Web site: UNESCO World Heritage Centre . Mount Gerizim and the Samaritans . 11 October 2017 . 24 December 2020.
- Book: Jeffrey, David L. . A Dictionary of biblical tradition in English literature . 1992 . 978-0-85244-224-1 . 538–40 . Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing . 2020-11-01 . 2020-10-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201008221946/https://books.google.com/books?id=7R0IGTSvIVIC . live .
- Web site: Pilgrimage to the Philippines for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress, 2016.
- BusinessWeek Mindanao 26 August 2011: "Divine Mercy Shrine in Misamis Oriental celebrates Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary"
- Web site: 10 Destinos únicos para todo o peregrino católico visitar.
- Book: Parry, Ken . Christianity: Religions of the World. 2009. 9781438106397. 139. Infobase Publishing.
- Book: Parry, Ken. The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity. 2010. 9781444333619. 368. John Wiley & Sons.
- Web site: The Kilkenny Cats - Popular Rhymes and Sayings of Ireland. www.libraryireland.com.
- Web site: St Canice's Cathedral is Kilkenny's Sacré Coeur - except that it has ghosts. www.kilkennypeople.ie. 15 February 2013 .
- Book: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Or A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature. 1823. Archibald Constable. 500. en.
- Web site: Pilgrimage to Uman • Abbas • Patrick Zachmann • Magnum Photos Magnum Photos. 2021-07-12. Magnum Photos. en-US.
- Web site: Keith McNeal . Miracle Mother — Siparee Mai, La Divina Pastora . March–April 2002 . Caribbean Beat Magazine .
- Web site: Cidades e Lugares: Cidades sagradas para o Cristianismo.. Alexandre De Freitas-Graduado E. Pós-graduado Em Ciências. Humanas. 16 July 2012.
- Web site: Martin Gray . Luján. Sacred Sites . 2022.
Nigeria
Senegal