{{refimprove|date=January 2022}} [[File:Prayer request on Stone of Anointing.jpg|thumb|304x304px|Stone of Unction in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, with placed prayer and flower petals]] A '''sacred place''' or '''holy site'''{{efn|Also called a '''sacred ground''', '''sacred temple''', '''holy ground''', or '''holy place'''.}} is a location which is regarded to be sacred or hallowed. The sacredness of a natural feature may accrue through tradition or be granted through a blessing. One or more religions may consider sacred locations to be of special significance. Often, such locations either are or become the home of sanctuaries, shrines, places of worship, or locations conducive to meditation. Regardless of construction or use, these areas may have a variety of ritual or taboo associations – including limitations on visitors or on allowed actions within the space. Such places may become the focus of pilgrimage, drawing pilgrims from great distances, or simply locations of significance for the local populace. It is asserted by scholars of religion that "the sacred space is the place where the transcendent becomes immanent, and where the devotee can access God."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Calian |first=Florin George |date=2021-09-27 |title=Editorial RES 2/2021 |url=https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/ress-2021-0017 |journal=Review of Ecumenical Studies |language=English |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=139–144 |doi=10.2478/ress-2021-0017 |issn=2359-8107}}</ref> {{Anthropology of religion |Basic}}
A '''sacred space''' is a designated area, often marked by physical boundaries or symbols, that is considered holy or consecrated by a particular religion or culture. These spaces can be natural or man-made, and their significance varies widely across different traditions. They serve as places of worship, pilgrimage, meditation, or simply as a reminder of a sacred event or being. The concept of a sacred space is deeply rooted in human spirituality and has been a central feature of religious practices for millennia.
As described in the Bible's Book of Exodus, Moses was instructed to remove his shoes before approaching the burning bush, as the ground was considered holy.<ref>Bible, Exodus 3:5 </ref> This act symbolizes the reverence and respect that should be shown in sacred spaces.<ref>{{Citation |last=Marrone |first=Tancredi |title=Sacred Settings: The Aesthetics of Psychedelic Sacred Spaces |date=2024-07-01 |work=Modernity and the Construction of Sacred Space |pages=169–186 |editor-last=French |editor-first=Aaron |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783111062624-009/html |access-date=2025-03-29 |publisher=De Gruyter Oldenbourg |language=en |doi=10.1515/9783111062624-009/html |isbn=978-3-11-106262-4 |editor2-last=Waldner |editor2-first=Katharina}}</ref> Mircea Eliade argues that while the concept of a sacred space is often associated with religious traditions, it is not exclusive to them. Secular societies may also designate certain places as sacred due to their historical, cultural, or natural significance.<ref>Eliade, Mircea. ''The Sacred and the Profane''. New York: Harper & Row, 1959.</ref>{{Short description|Locations of religious significance}}
==Examples== Types of sacred places include: * Australian Aboriginal sacred sites * Sacred groves (such as those in India or in Germanic cultures) * Sacred mountains * Sacred trees * Sacred waters * Tombs
Specific sacred places include: * The Holy Land * Ise Shrine * The Western Wall * Temple Mount * The Mahabodhi Temple * The Church of the Holy Sepulchre<ref>{{Cite news |last=Holmes |first=Oliver |date=2018-12-24 |title=Christians and Jews pay for 'proxy prayers' in Jerusalem |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/24/christians-and-jews-pay-for-proxy-prayers-in-jerusalem |access-date=2025-07-26 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Sacred Sites in the Holy Land |url=https://holychurchesprayer.org/sacred-sites/ |access-date=2025-07-26 |website=Holy Churches Prayer |language=en-US}}</ref> * Mount of Olives<ref>{{Cite web |title=Urgent Prayer Request at the Biblical Sites of Jerusalem |url=https://pilgrimprayers.org/ |access-date=2025-07-26 |website=Pilgrim Prayers |language=en-US}}</ref> * Yazd Atash Behram * The Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron * Sapta Puri * Tirupati
==See also== {{col div|colwidth=20em}} * Tirtha (Hinduism) * Trees in mythology * Tree worship ** Axis mundi ** Earth mysteries ** Hierotopy ** {{section link|Liminality|In places}} ** Numen ** Sanctum sanctorum * Place of worship * Sacred–profane dichotomy ** Sacred architecture {{colend}}
== Notes == {{Notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== Further reading == {{refbegin}} * Bain, George. ''Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction''. Dover, 1973. {{ISBN|0-486-22923-8}}. * Bamford, Christopher. ''Homage to Pythagoras: Rediscovering Sacred Science'', Lindisfarne Press, 1994, {{ISBN|0-940262-63-0}}. * Calian, George. ''[https://sciendo.com/issue/RESS/13/2# Sacred Spaces in Motion]'', RES, 2021, {{eISSN|2359-8107}}. * Irlenborn, Bernd: ''What Are Sacred Places? A Framework for a Philosophical Theology'', in: International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 99 (2026) (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11153-025-09985-x). * Schneider, Michael S.: ''A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science''. Harper Paperbacks, 1995. {{ISBN|0-06-092671-6}}. * Pennick, Nigel: ''Beginnings: Geomancy, Builders' Rites and Electional Astrology in the European Tradition'' . * Pennick, Nigel: ''Sacred Geometry: Symbolism and Purpose in Religious Structures''. {{refend}}
{{Religion topics}}
Category:Religious places