Christianity
SymbolThe cross came into use at least as early as the second century and the marking of a cross upon the forehead and the chest was regarded as a talisman against the powers of demons.
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ArchitectureEarly Christian builders adapted structures that had long been used in the Hellenistic and Roman worlds such as the basilican hall and the centralized plan.
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Holy SiteThe holiest places of Christianity are in Jerusalem. The holiest of all is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which was erected in 325, over the site where it is believed Jesus was crucified, buried and rose from the dead.
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Islam
SymbolThe primary symbol of Islam is the star and crescent, which is featured on many flags in the Middle East. There are many other symbols such as the name of Allah in Arabic and a mosque silhouette.
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ArchitectureIslam's most well known architecture is the Mosque. Through the edifices, the effect of varying cultures within Islamic civilization can be illustrated.
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Holy SiteThe most important holy sites for Islam are Mecca, which is the birthplace of Muhammad, and Medina, which is the first city to adopt Islam.
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Buddhism
SymbolBuddhism's symbol is the eight-spokedDharmacakra. The eight spokes represent the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism.
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ArchitectureThree types of structures are associated with the religious architecture of early Buddhism: monasteries, places to venerate relics and shrines or prayer halls. The prayer halls were later known as temples.
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Holy SiteEight places are holy in Buddhism because of their associations with the life of the Buddha: Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath Deer Park, Kusinagara, Sravasti, Samkasya, Rajaghra and Vaisali.
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Hinduism
SymbolThe symbol Om is a sacred sound and a spiritual icon in Hinduism. It refers to soul and Brahman, which means ultimate reality, entirety of the universe, truth, divine, supreme spirit, cosmic principles, and knowledge.
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ArchitectureThe Hindu temple architecture is a symmetry driven structure with many variations on a square grid of padas, deploying geometric shapes such as circles and squares.
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Holy Site The four holy sites of Hinduism are Puri, Rameswaram, Dwarka, and Badrinath.
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Judaism
SymbolThe Magen David, also known as the Shield of David or the Star of David, is the symbol most commonly associated with Judaism. It represents the shape of King David's shield, or perhaps the emblem on the shield.
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ArchitectureSynagogues, Jewish houses of prayer and study,.usually contain separate rooms for prayer (the main sanctuary), smaller rooms for study, and often an area for community or educational use.
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Holy SiteJerusalem is Judaism's most important holy site because it is the ancient capital of Israel and the site of the original temple. Jewish people make pilgrimages to the Western Wall of the ancient temple, where the tablets that Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai with the ten commandments were stored.
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Shintoism
SymbolThe Torii gate symbol marks the entrance to sacred space and represents the transition between the finite world and the infinite world of the gods.
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ArchitectureThe Hondon is the most sacred building at a Shinto shrine; it is intended for the use of the enshrined kami, usually symbolized by a mirror or by a statue.
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Holy SiteThe Grand Shrine of Ise in Ise City is associated with the Yamato clan, who are descended from the sun kami according to mythology. Most Japanese aspire to make a pilgrimage to the Grand Shrine of Ise at least once in their lifetime.
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