World's most fascinating places of worship

These one-of-a-kind religious sanctuaries each have a unique history often its spiritual beliefs are translated into their magnificent structures. Whether these structures are built in memorial of an event or lived to tell the stories of the past, these amazing sanctuaries have stood the test of time.

1. Al-Masjid al-Haram (Saudi Arabia)

Al-Masjid al-Haram located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is the holiest mosque in the world and the primary destination for the Haj pilgrimage and is the only mosque that has no Qibla direction, as Muslims pray facing the Kaaba in the central courtyard.

2. Bone Church (Sedlec, Czech Republic)

Sedlec Ossuary, a small chapel beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints dates back to the 14th century however, its current decoration is made up of some 40,000 human remains from the 18th century. One of the most extraordinary piece of work inside the Sedlec Ossuary is the big chandelier made of bones that hangs in the centre of the church.

3. Borobudur (Java, Indonesia)

In the 19th century, Dutch occupiers of Indonesia found a massive ancient ruin deep in the jungles of Java - the Borobudur.

4. Church of Panagia Paraportiani (Mykonos, Greece)

Built in 1425, its unique candy-coated-looking architecture has widely been considered as “a confectioner's dream gone mad".

5. Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Paro, Bhutan)

Perched precariously on the edge of a 3,000-feet-high cliff in Paro Valley in Bhutan.

6. Prambanan Temple (Yogyakarta, Indonesia)

The massive Hindu temple site houses 8 main shrines and 250 surrounding smaller ones.

7. Angkor Wat (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

Arguably one of the most sacred and photographed temples in the world.

8. Wat Rong Khun Temple (Chiang Mai, Thailand)

The temple’s architecture is said to be inspired by heaven and the snow white exterior represents the purity of Buddha.

9. Shwedagon Pagoda (Yangon, Myanmar)

Although many have speculated the period of this pagoda, legend has it that it is 2,500 years old and archaeologists estimated it to be built between the 6th and 10th century.

10. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Karnataka, India)

This is the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world.