Major temples worldwide display architectural and cultural achievements of ancient civilizations. From temples in Cambodia to pyramids in Mexico, these structures document religious practices, construction methods and social structures of their time. The complexes in Asia, Europe and America present different building styles, ornaments and ceremonial spaces.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
The 12th-century temple complex spans 162 hectares and displays classical Khmer architecture with bas-reliefs.
Athens, Greece
The marble temple was built on the Acropolis in the 5th century BC and follows the Doric column order.
Magelang, Indonesia
The 9th-century Buddhist temple consists of nine stacked platforms with 504 Buddha statues and 2,672 relief panels.
Beijing, China
The 15th-century temple complex covers 273 hectares with three main buildings for Ming Dynasty imperial ceremonies.
Luxor, Egypt
The religious complex contains temples, chapels and columned halls from Egypt's Middle and New Kingdom periods.
Amritsar, India
Religious center of Sikhism with a marble structure covered in gold, reflecting in a pool of water.
Edfu, Egypt
The Ptolemaic period temple displays hieroglyphs and reliefs documenting rituals and festivals of ancient Egypt.
Yucatán, Mexico
The Maya city contains a step pyramid, an observatory, a ball court, and colonnaded halls with astronomical representations.
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
This Hindu temple complex dates from the 9th century. Its architecture includes 47-meter towers with reliefs dedicated to the gods Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma.
Bangkok, Thailand
The temple houses a 46-meter long gilded reclining Buddha statue. It has been a center of traditional Thai medicine and massage since 1782.
Madurai, India
The temple complex includes 14 towers with colored sculptures. The site spans 6 hectares and contains 33,000 sculptures in Dravidian architecture.
Petén, Guatemala
This Maya city contains pyramids up to 70 meters high. The archaeological complex includes 3000 buildings across 16 square kilometers in the rainforest.
Kyoto, Japan
The Buddhist temple displays Muromachi period architecture. The three-story main building is covered in gold leaf and surrounded by gardens.
Qena, Egypt
The temple from the Ptolemaic period contains Roman and Egyptian elements. The ceiling displays astronomical representations and the zodiac.
Odisha, India
The temple represents a chariot with 24 wheels. The sculptures show mythological scenes and the architecture follows the Kalinga style.
Delphi, Greece
The Doric temple was built in the 4th century BCE. The oracle delivered prophecies in the inner chamber, called the adyton.
Xagħra, Malta
These megalithic structures were built between 3600 and 3200 BCE and are part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Karnataka, India
This architectural complex contains over 125 temples built from the 6th to 12th centuries and demonstrates the evolution of Chalukya architecture.
Madhya Pradesh, India
Built in the 3rd century BCE, this hemispherical dome structure reaches 16 meters in height and 37 meters in diameter.
Budapest, Hungary
Completed in 1859, the synagogue seats 3000 people and combines oriental and romantic architectural elements with traditional Jewish motifs.
Istanbul, Turkey
Ottoman imperial mosque built between 1609 and 1616. Six minarets mark its corners. Over 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles cover the interior walls.
Bangkok, Thailand
This 17th century Buddhist temple stands on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. Its central tower rises 70 meters high with colored glass and Chinese porcelain decorations.
Jerusalem, Israel
Octagonal Islamic shrine from 691 CE with a golden dome, marble walls and mosaic decorations built over a sacred stone.
Lhasa, Tibet
Buddhist monastery complex built in 1645 which rises 13 stories and contains over 1000 rooms, including temples, tombs and meditation halls.
Tamil Nadu, India
The temple rises 66 meters high with monolithic granite blocks. Built during the Chola dynasty in 1010, it contains carved panels depicting scenes from Hindu mythology.
Salerno, Italy
Three ancient Greek temples stand within this archaeological complex, built between 550 and 450 BC. The structures represent early Doric architecture in Magna Graecia.
Kyoto, Japan
This meditation temple from 1450 contains the oldest Japanese rock garden, where fifteen stones rest on raked white gravel in specific patterns.
Hampi, Karnataka, India
Stone temple complex dedicated to Shiva featuring pyramidal towers, courtyards and pillared halls. The main tower rises 50 meters high.
Kyoto, Japan
A complex of religious structures dedicated to Inari with 10000 vermilion torii gates lining four kilometers of mountain trails.
New Delhi, India
Modern place of worship with a flower design made of marble. The structure has nine sides and features 27 petals arranged in sets of three.
Agrigento, Italy
The ancient Doric structure stands on a rectangular platform with a peristyle of 34 limestone columns. The main facade features six columns while the sides each contain 13 columns.
Puri, Odisha, India
Stone temple complex from 1161 CE with white tower reaching 65 meters. Devoted to deity Jagannath, it holds the annual Ratha Yatra procession.
Assam, India
This Hindu temple stands on Nilachal Hill and belongs to the sacred group of 51 Shakti Pithas dedicated to goddess worship.
Petra, Jordan
This monument carved into red sandstone is 40 meters high and features Hellenistic columns, pediments and friezes. It served as a tomb for a Nabataean king.
Madrid, Spain
This second century BCE Egyptian temple stands in Parque del Oeste. Egypt gave it to Spain in 1968 for helping preserve monuments in Nubia.
Narita, Japan
This Buddhist complex features a ritual hall where monks conduct Goma fire rituals. The grounds contain pagodas, gates and gardens from different Japanese eras.
Nara, Japan
Built in 752, this Buddhist temple houses a monumental bronze Vairocana Buddha statue measuring 15 meters in height and serves as headquarters for the Kegon school.
Maharashtra, India
This archaeological site contains 34 Buddhist, Hindu and Jain temples and monasteries excavated into vertical basalt cliffs, created between 600 and 1000 CE.
Abu Dhabi, UAE
This religious complex spans 22,412 square meters and contains 82 domes, four minarets and space for 41,000 worshippers. The mosque features marble panels, crystal chandeliers and reflective pools.
Yangon, Myanmar
A 99-meter-high golden stupa stands as the main Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar. The structure contains ancient relics from four historical Buddhas.
Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
The Roman sanctuary holds six religious structures in limestone. The Temple of Jupiter stands on a platform with columns of 20 meters and stone blocks reaching 800 tons.