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 17 — #’s 81-85

81. Old-New Synagogue, Prague, Czech Republic — This building is one of the main tourist attractions in the Jewish Quarter of Prague. It is the oldest active synagogue in Europe and was constructed in 1270.

82. Oude Kerk, Delft, Netherlands — Oude Kerk, the Old Church, of Delft contains the tombs of many regional rulers. The most interesting of these tombs is the tomb of William the Silent, pictured below.

83. Oslo Cathedral, Oslo, Norway — This lovely cathedral anchors one end of Oslo’s main pedestrian-only street.

Oslo Cathedral

84. Our Lady of Guadaloupe, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico — With an unusual crown-topped tower, this church dominates the skyline of the popular beach community of Puerto Vallarta.

Our Lady of Guadaloupe

85. Panama City Cathedral, Panama City, Panama — Dominating the most popular gathering place in Casco Viejo (the Old City), this cathedral is striking with its white steeples and dark brown façade.

Panama City Cathedral