Churches and other religious/spiritual sites are some of the world’s most important attractions for travelers. The are typically the focal point of a city or village and reflect the culture and values of the region. Churches, especially, are significant architecturally and represent the best efforts of a community to express itself. Lee & I have been to hundreds of churches in our travels. Many of these have become unforgettable memories of a particular place. To actually rank these sites is virtually impossible. How can you choose between amazing sights such as Hagia Sophia, the Pantheon, and Mont-St-Michel? Therefore, I will present my favorite 150 spiritual places in installments of five (5), listed alphabetically. Many of my choices are World Heritage Sites and deserve to be preserved forever. Many are simply charming or may hold some special historical significance. Peruse the list and compare your list to mine. Obviously I have not been to all the spiritual places on Earth, but most of these would probably make the all-time list of the majority of world travelers.

Installment 30 — #’s 146-150

146. Wieskirche, Wies, Germany — Perhaps Germany’s best example of the rococo style of architecture can be found in this tiny village at the southern end of the Romantic Road. A supposed miracle occurred here that has made this church a favorite of pilgrims.

Wieskirche

147. Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, Israel — Yad Vashem is the Holocaust Museum of Israel and is one of the most moving and spiritual places I have ever been. Here the tragedy of the holocaust comes alive and stays with you after you leave.

Cattle Car Memorial, Yad Vashem

148. York Minster, York, England — This glorious cathedral is one of the largest Gothic churches in northern Europe. It marks the center of this interesting, walled, medieval city.

York Minster

149. Westerkerk, Amsterdam, Netherlands — This church, located near the Anne Frank House, is noteworthy because the artist, Rembrandt, is buried in the church.

Westerkerk

150. Holocaust Memorial, Miami Beach, Florida, USA — Despite being out of alphabetical order (I forgot about this place until I was near the end of my list), this complex near South Beach in Miami may be one of the most spiritual places in America. The statue at its center invites contemplation; it is certainly, to me, one of the most moving holocaust memorials in the world.

Holocaust Memorial