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 27 — #’s 131-135

131. Toledo Cathedral, Toledo, Spain — One of the grandest cathedrals in all of Spain is this beautiful church known for its transparante.

Toledo Cathedral

132. Touro Synagogue, Newport, Rhode Island, USA — This is the oldest synagogue in the United States, a tribute to the independent spirit that made Rhode Island stand out among the colonies.

Touro Synagogue

133. Trinity Church, Boston, Massachusetts, USA — This Episcopal church at the edge of the financial district of Boston was founded in 1733 (although the present building dates to a later time).

Trinity Church, Boston

134. Trinity Church, Newport, Rhode Island, USA — This lovely church sits at the edge of Queen Anne Square, opposite Newport Harbor. Its steeple is a landmark for sailors arriving in the city.

Newport Harbor

135. Trinity Church, New York, New York, USA — This church has become more famous since it survived the destruction of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

Trinity Church, NYC