Faith on the Landscape: SACRED SITES “That which is set apart from the ordinary world.”

Sacred space provides: Natural and/or Human-made assemblages that possess special spiritual meaning Recognized as worthy of devotion, loyalty, fear or esteem Sacred space in South Korea, also used for Pilgrimages.

Holy Places & Scared Sites: The Same Thing? Holy Places are related to the religion and religious practices or sanctified Sacred sites are important spiritual sites SO…a Holy place is sacred but sacred place is not always holy.

Holy Sites and Days Universalizing Religions * Holy Sites: linked to an event or person important to the faith. ex.: Buddha's Hair * Holy Days: events that relate to the founding of the faith. ex.: Christmas, Easter Ethnic Religions *Holy Sites: landscapes or nature or a “spot” ex.: Jews: The land of Israel * Holy Days: link to seasons or land activities. ex. a harvest festival

Sacred Sites Can be man made or natural a landscape/site or object

India’s Sacred Sites – Ganges River for Hindu’s

India’s sacred site for Muslim’s? Taj Mahal was built as a Muslim tomb.

Most Sacred Site for Muslims - MECCA Muslims must make at least one pilgrimage during their life time.

Hindu Temple The creation of temples and the images they house has been a principal outlet of Indian artistry for more than 3,000 years. At the village level, the structure may be simple, the great temples are ornate extensions of the same basic design.

Buddhism Bodhi Tree Bodhgaya, Bihar The Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya is a descendant of the tree under which Siddharta Gautama attained enlightenment after 49 days of meditation and became the "Enlightened One."

Egypt’s Sacred site The Beni Hassan Islamic necropolis in central Egypt lies in the desert just beyond the irrigable land. The living make intensive use of every parcel watered by the Nile river.

TYPES OF BASILICA’S - Christianity St. Basil’s Church in Moscow Notre Dame in Paris

More Christian Sacred Sites Yucatan PeninsulaIn Iowa, communalistic Germans prefer tidiness, order, and equality.

Shinto Shrine - Japan

ShintoShinto shrines are places of worship and the dwellings of the kami, the Shinto "gods". Sacred objects of worship that represent the kami are stored in the innermost chamber of the shrine where they cannot be seen by anybody. People visit shrines in order to pay respect to the kami or to pray for good fortune. Shrines are also visited during special events such as New Year, setsubun, shichigosan and other festivals. New born babies are traditionally brought to a shrine a few days after birth, and many couples hold their wedding ceremonies there.kamivisit shrinesNew Yearsetsubunshichigosanfestivalswedding ceremonies

Two High Places that have evolved into Sacred Places Ayers Rock in central Australia an Aboriginal sacred site Mount Shasta, CA is venerated by Some 30 New Age cults, including the “I Am” religion. Animism

River Jordon

Sacred Objects Not all sacred things are places they can be objects too… on=news/bizarre&id= on=news/bizarre&id=

Not all sacred sites are religious…

September 11, 2001

Pilgrimages A religious journey to a sacred site…

Muslim pilgrims are seen on their way towards a rocky hill called Mount Arafat, on the Plain of Arafat near Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Monday, Nov. 15, (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

What is the impact of sacred sites on the cultural landscape?

Other Impacts of Faith Dry Counties (landscape) No work on Sunday (economic) No pigs in the middle east (economic?) Church architecture, uses local materials