The most sacred religious famous caves around the world, from Jabal al-Nour Mecca to the Church Of The Nativity, Bethlehem is one of the spiritual destinations in the world located in the cave. There are many religious sites on this planet that amaze tourists not only because of their spiritual significance but also with their extraordinary architecture.
Where are sacred religious caves in the world?
There are many kinds of tourism, such as religious tourism, for example, the cave tour is not completely narrow, dark, and gripping. Cave tours Scattered in several countries, there are a number of caves that offer beautiful landscapes and caves that have religious significance and holy places that mark their historical setting. Do not believe? Come to some of the Most sacred religious famous cave around the world.
1. Salt Cathedral Of Zipaquira – Colombia.
Zipaquira’s Salt Cathedral is considered one of the most prominent architectural and artistic achievements of Colombian architecture, and it was even given the title of age of modern architectural gems. The church is unique because it was built in a cave as deep as 200 meters from the ground. Located on the Halite mountain near the city of Zipaquira, en Cundinamarca, Colombia. It is a very popular tourist destination and place of pilgrimage in this country.
The church was built in an underground salt mine. Not just any salt mine because in the salt mine, stored the largest amount of underground salt in the world. Zipaquira salt deposits were formed 200 million years ago, at a time when there was a rise in sea level during the end of the third era and when the Andes mountains were formed.
This mine was formed during the Muisca era in the era before the Spaniards came to America. The Muisca tribe became the first community group to make use of the salt deposits under Zipaquira. They mine this salt and then sell it. This salt mine was used by Simon Bolivar and his sympathizers to finance the war for independence in South America.
This church was built underground around 1932, the miners who worked in the salt mines have carved a sanctuary, as a place to pray everyday, they ask for protection from the saints before starting work. In 1950, they began to build a larger project of the Salt Cathedral, opened to the public on August 15, 1954. Dedicated to Our Lady of Rosario, the patron saint of the miners.
In this church you will find 3 main rooms. Each space represents the birth, life and death of Jesus. The icons, ornaments and architectural details in this church are hand-carved. The cathedral has three arches and a monumental cross, which is illuminated from the ground up, projecting a large cross-shaped shadow on the ceiling. Left of the building there are icons of the birth of Jesus and the baptism of Jesus, with a waterfall symbolizing the Jordan River. When entering the cathedral room the atmosphere around looks, sparkling due to the reflection of light from the salt contained in the rock wall.
The Church of Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira was awarded the title as a modern architectural treasure in Colombia. The largest church in the world is a cathedral that represents the culture, environment and religion of the people of Colombia. For its capacity, this church usually gets visits from at least 3,000 members each week. Being in an underground church made of salt will make you get a different sensation and experience in worship.
2. Ellora Caves – India.
There are many caves in India, spread right across the country. Some are natural caves, while others have been surprisingly hand-carved into stone centuries ago. Ellora is one of the largest cave-temple complexes in the world that is made entirely of stone. Ellora has 100 caves, though only 34 are open to the public. built in the 5th to the 10th centuries, the caves at Ellora were once temples and monasteries for Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. Of the total 34, 12 for Buddhism, 17 for Hinduism, and 5 for Jainism. Ellora Cave is a location for those of you who like historic sights.
One of the famous caves of tourist attractions in India is the Buddhist cave number 10. The Vishyakarma Cave is made of wood because its carvings are made in such a way. In the middle of the cave, there is a 15-foot-tall Buddha statue in a sitting position while preaching.
Most of the construction of the caves in Ellora functioned as a place of worship and residence for priests. There is a very large room in the caves in Ellora, including rooms for sleeping, kitchen, and others.
The cave is thought to have been built to show harmony between religious communities in India, who is known to have lived side by side in harmony since ancient times. The Ellora area has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times.
3. Longmen Grottoes – China.
China is a country with a long history. This area began to be built since 5,000 years ago. Although this country has turned into a modern developed country, but there are some places in China that are considered sacred for spiritual purposes.
It is home to tens of thousands of Buddha images and his students. More than 100,000 carvings were carefully carved in caves dug up from the cliffs of the Xiang (Xiangshan) and Longmen (Longmenshan) mountains, from the east to the west of the Yi river. Originating from the beginning of the Northern Wei dynasty in 493 AD, the carvings span many hundreds of years of artistic expertise representing a myriad of artistic styles from, simple and well-shaped sculptures from the Northern Wei dynasty to intricate crafts that are marked with fine details from the Tang dynasty.
Once the historical object was valuable, many inscriptions and objects in the cave were stolen and finally scattered outside the cave area. Some of the historical relics of this cave are the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Atkinson Museum in Kansas City and the Tokyo National Museum. In 2000 this historic building was protected and became one of UNESCO’s heritage sites.
A visual technology company from the United States, Christie Digital Systems, together with its partner Wincomn Technology Development Co. Ltd. (Wincomn), using projection mapping technology has carried out a color restoration of Buddhist art in the form of prominent Buddhist statues located in the Longmen Cave in Luoyang. Christie’s projectors display multimedia contents that represent the expressions of the Buddha statue and other images using projection mapping on the uneven surface of the Fengxian Temple, a part of the Longmen Cave.
The typical Buddhist carvings there represent the pinnacle of progress in Chinese stone carvings, as one of the highest arts in the world.
4. Church Of The Nativity – Bethlehem.
City of Bethlehem in the West Bank and is a center of culture and tourism industry. The city is located about 10 km south of Jerusalem, with a height of about 765 meters (2,510 feet) above sea level. The city of Bethlehem also includes the small towns of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour.
This city has significance for Christians because it is believed to be the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. Rahel’s grave, important in Judaism, is located on the outskirts of the city. Bethlehem is also home to the largest Palestinian Christian community in the Middle East.
The Church of the Nativity, built by Constantine the Great (330 CE), stands in the center of Bethlehem on a cave which called the Holy Crypt, and which according to Christian tradition is the place where Jesus Christ was born. This is the oldest Christian church in the world. Near him another cave where it is said that Jerome, a church father, spent thirty years of his life translating the Bible from Greek to Latin.
5. Barabar Caves – India.
Barabar Cave is noteworthy for apparently the oldest cave being a silent witness about what life was like in Indian society in the BC era. Barabar Caves first attracted the attention of Westerners in 1868 based on a report made by Alexander Cunningham. Barabar Gorge, which is the location of this cave has a length of 200 meters and has 4 caves in it.
There are four caves with rare Hinduism and sacred Buddhism in a very large old stone, granite on Barabar Hill, plus three caves nearby Nagarjuni Hill. Barabar Cave also shows how advanced architectural technology and understanding of physics possessed by the ancient Indian society. The reason is because the inside of the cave is made in such a way, the sound created in this cave will be reflected and create a reverberation that can last for several seconds.
6. St Simon The Tanner Monastery – Cairo.
They can be said to be an untouchable circle. Zabbaleen the name of a minority group in Egypt, who adhere to Coptic Christianity. The name “Zabbaleen” literally means “trash society”. Not because they are considered as a despicable group, then they get that kind of nickname. The use of the name is inseparable from the historical journey of the Zabbaleen community itself.
Zabbaleen residents initially worked as farmers. When they migrated to the capital city of Cairo, they then switched professions as garbage collectors because collecting garbage turned out to be more financially profitable. In 1916, the governor of Cairo relocated the inhabitants of Zabbaleen to the bottom of Mokattam Hill. A church was also created to fulfill the romantic needs of the Zabbaleen people who lived there. But disaster, then happened. In 1976, the Zabbaleen community church was destroyed by fire.
A new church was then established to establish the old church of the destroyed Zabbaleen, but this time the new church was built inside Mokattam Hill itself. As a result, a new church was created in the cave which they later named the St Simon the Tanner Monastery. Although located in the cave, the Church of Saint Simon is one of the largest churches in the Middle East because it can accommodate up to 20,000 people. Are you interested to visit this location? You can enjoy the amazing view of the cave wall. Believe it or not!
7. Jabal al-Nour (Mountain of Light) Hira Cave – Mecca.
Hira Cave is the most famous cave in the world, especially for Muslims. Because, in this place the Prophet Muhammad PBUH received the revelation of Allah for the first time.
Jabal Nur has a very strong Islamic history for his adherents were in the place the first verses of the Koran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH To be precise, on Monday 17th of Ramadan.
Surah Alaq (The Clot) is the 96th Chapter of The Holy Quran by order but it is the First Revelation that was revealed Upon Prophet Muhammad PBUH in the cave of Hira which is as follow:
“Recite in the name of your Lord who created — Created man from a clinging substance. Recite and your Lord is the most Generous — Who taught by the pen — Taught man that which he knew not.”
[Quran, 96: 1–5]
To get to the top of a mountain, an average person takes 1 hour or more. The terrain is quite difficult. The neighboring road is only found after three quarters of the way. But towards the top of the mountain, the terrain is a bit light, pilgrims can climb leisurely. Once at the top you are presented with a beautiful view. Hira Cave is in the northeastern direction of the Great Mosque of Mecca, with a height of 621 meters. The cave itself is 6 meters long, with a fairly small entrance. It’s about 1.30 meters wide. When you see the cave directly, with a height of 2 meters will only be able to be occupied by two people.
Fun facts about sacred religious caves in the world.
How does religion affect tourism?
Religious tourism is increasingly in demand. according to the World Tourism Organization, around 330 million tourists visit the world’s main religious sites every year. Travel tours based on religious belief of tourism.
In addition to aiming for pilgrimage and prayer, this religious tourism destination can also be recommended for people who want to step aside from the city crowd or just want to find a quiet and shady place to relax. The sacred places have their own spiritual value and have the oldest historical value adding adventurers.
Are there any specific religious events or ceremonies held within the Salt Cathedral?
Yes, the Salt Cathedral hosts religious ceremonies, including weddings and baptisms, adding a spiritual dimension to its unique ambiance. Travelers can witness the convergence of faith and geological splendor in this underground sanctuary.
What is the history behind the religious practices at the Ellora Caves in India?
The Ellora Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcase a blend of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist architecture. Travelers can witness centuries-old religious rituals and marvel at the intricate carvings, making it a fascinating destination for history and spirituality enthusiasts.
Are there any other caves of significance on Jabal al-Nour?
Indeed, Jabal al-Nour also houses the Cave of Thawr, which served as a refuge for Prophet Muhammad during the Hijra. Both Hira and Thawr Caves contribute to the historical tapestry of this sacred mountain.
Are there any unique architectural features within the Church of the Nativity?
The church boasts a mix of Roman, Byzantine, and Crusader architecture. The star-shaped opening in the Grotto of the Nativity floor, known as the “Star of Bethlehem,” is a captivating feature symbolizing the birth of Jesus.
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