1. How is religion seen in the cultural landscape?
Religion marks cultural landscapes with houses of worship such as churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples.

2. BACKGROUND INFORMARION
Religion marks cultural landscapes in variety of ways
ex.
Cemeteries dotted with religious symbols and icons
Stores designated to sales of religious goods
Services provided to religious adherents who travel to sacred sites

3. Cont.
Pilgrimage- when adherents voluntarily travel to religious site to pay respects or participate in ritual at the site
Scared site- places or spaces people infuse with religious meaning
* if sacred site is held with reverence, adherents may be encouraged to make a pilgrimage to the sacred site for rejuvenation, reflection, healing, or fullfillment of a religious commitment

4. Sacred sites of jerusalem

5. Jerusalem, Israel
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is sacred to Christians who believe it is the site where Jesus Chirst was crucified. Inside the church, Christian worshippers can be seen lighting candles at Jesus Christ’s tomb.

6. Sacred sites of jerusalem- Background INFO
Ancient city of Jerusalem is sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims
Jews saw Jerusalem as sacred before birth of Jesus, but most Jews fled from the city and surrounding area during diaspora
Jerusalem remained sacred for Jews although it was not under their control
Western Wall is most important sacred site for Jews (located at edge of Temple Mount in Jerusalem)
Torah- sacred book of Judaism

7. Sacred sites of jerusalem cont.
Jerusalem is sacred to Christians for two reasons :
1. sacrifice Abraham was willing to make of his son at the Temple Mount
2. Jesus’ crucifixion took place outside the city’s walls
Christians believe that from the tomb Jesus rose from the dead on Easter

8. Sacred sites of jerusalem cont.
17th century- Muslim armies took control over the city form the Byzantine Empire
Constructed mosque called the Dome of the Rock adjacent to the Western Wall
Marked site where Muhammad is believed to have arrived form Mecca and then ascended into heaven
Site Jews call Temple Mount is called al- Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary)

9. Sacred sites of jerusalem cont.
Control over Jerusalem has been fought over for much of history
Muslims ultimately retook the land in 1187, and later Christian crusaders were unable to conquer it again
The Crusades helped cement a commitment by Christians to protect the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Similarly, the Crusades and then Zionism cemented a commitment by Muslims to protect the Dome of the Rock and by Jews to protect the Western Wall
********** commitment by three major religions to protect and control their sacred sites has led to political turmoil*************

10. Landscapes of hinduism and buddhism
Varanasi, India: Hindus perform morning rituals in the Ganges River at one of Hinduism’s most sacred places, the city of Varanasi, known as the city of Lord Shiva

11. Landscapes of hinduism and buddhism
Traditional Hinduism is more a way of life than a faith
Pilgrimages follow prescribed routes
Rituals are attended by million of people
Hindus believe that the erection of a temple bestows merit on the builder and will be rewarded
As a result, the Hindu cultural landscape is dotted with countless shrines, ranging from small village temple to structures so large and elaborate that they are virtually holy cities

12. Landscapes of hinduism and buddhism Cont.
The location of shrines is important because Hindus prescribe that such holy places should minimally disrupt the natural landscape
Hindu temple is located in a “comforatble” position
Ex. Temples or shrines located under large, shady trees
Hindus want their temples to be near water because many gods will not venture fat form water
Also, water has a holy function, ritual bathing, in Hinduism

13. Landscapes of hinduism and buddhism Cont.
The cultural landscape of Hinduism is the cultural landscape of India, its main culture region
Temples, shrines, holy animals, holy men, sights and sounds of long processions and rituals all contribute to unique atmosphere

14. Landscapes of hinduism and buddhism CONt.
When Buddha received enlightenment, he sat under a large tree, the Bodhi (Enlightenment) tree at Bodh Gaya in India
Is tree is currently revered and protected
Buddhists make pilgrimages to Bodh Gaya and other places where Buddha may have taught beneath Bodhi branches
Buddhist shrines include stupas, bell-shaped structures that protect burial mounds
Also constucts temples that enshrine an image of Buddha in his familiar cross-legged pose, as well as large monasteries that tower over the local landscape

15. Landscapes of hinduism and buddhism cont.
The pogoda is perhaps Buddhism’s most familiar structure
Shape is derived form the relic mounds of old
Every fragment of it construction is meaningful representation of Buddhist philosophy

16. Landscapes of hinduism and buddhism cont.
Along with religious structures such as temples, we can see evidence of religion in the cultural landscapes of the dead
Cremate their dead
Wherever large pocket of Hindus, Buddhists, or Shintoists live, a crematorium will be nearby

17. Landscapes of Christianity
St. Michael’s Tower rises over Bordeaux, France, marking the importance of the Catholic Church in Bordeaux’s history and culture.

18. Landscapes of Christianity Cont.
Cultural landscapes of Christianity’s branches reflect the changes the faith has undergone over the centuries
In medieval Europe, the cathedral, church, and monastery was the focus of life
As a result of mercantilism and colonialism, Europeans exported the ornate architecture of European Christian churches wherever they settled

19. Landscapes of Christianity Cont.
Reformation, the rise of secularism, and decline of organized religion are reflected too
Ornate churches function as museums rather than serving active congregation
Famous cathedrals continue to hold services while tourist peruse the interior of the vast churches
Churches with specific saints, places where significant events occurred, and Vatican City in Rome, are still major pilgrimage sites in Europe

20. Landscapes of islam

21. Landscapes of islam
Fives time every day, form the towering minarets, the faithful are called to prayer
At the height of Islam’s expansion into eastern North Africa and southern Europe, Muslim architects incorporated earlier Roman models into their designs
Result included Alhambra Palace in Granada and the Great Mosque of Cordoba in Spain
Islam’s prohibition against depicting the human form led to the wide use of geometric designs and calligraph

22. Landscapes of islam cont.
Muslim architecture represents the unifying concept of Islamic monotheism: the perfection and vastness of the spirit of Allah
The mosque symbolizes the power of the faith and its role in the community
Its primacy in the cultural landscape confirms the degree to which, in much of the Muslim world, religion and culture are one
Hajj- one of the most well-known pilgrimages in the modern world of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca

23. Landscapes of islam Cont.
One of the five pillars of Islam, the hajj requires all Muslims to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during their lifetime
Over 1.3 million Muslims from outside of Saudia Arabia and over 1 million from inside the country make the hajj
Saudi government now restricts number of visas granted each year to Muslims from outside the country because in 2004, over 259 pilgrims were trampled to death as hordes of people followed steps of pilgrimage
Increasing number of apartment buildings and hotels reflect growing number of pilgrims however

24. Isfahan, Iran The dome of this mosque demonstrates the geometric art evident in Muslim architecture

25. Mecca, Saudi Arabia Pilgrims circle the holy Kaaba in the grand Mosque in Mecca during the hajj.