Geography of Religion Religious Landscapes Conflict and Interaction Cultural Geography C.J.Cox, Instructor
Religions Overview What is Religion? Major Religions & Their Divisions The Geography Religion Religious Landscapes Religious Conflict and Interaction
Religious Landscapes Sacred Structures Sacred Sites Temples / Pagodas Churches / Basilicas Mosques Sacred Sites mountains rivers caves
Holy Places reflect the Religious Beliefs Ethnic religions rooted in a distinctive physical environment For example: Hindu - The Ganges River in India. Hindu - Himalayas Mt. Kalias in Nepal. Universal religions holy places are associated with the founder’s life. For example: Christian - The city of Jerusalem Muslim - The city of Mecca Buddhist- Locations of important events in Buddha's life.
Selected Religious Landscapes of the World Rome- Christian Himalayas- Hindu Salt Lake City -Mormon Medina- Muslim Gaya and Lumbini-Buddhist Jerusalem - Jewish -Christian -Moslem Lhasa -Buddhist Tenochitlan -Aztec Mecca -Muslim Ganges River-Hindu
How Did These Religions Diffuse to Where They Are? Islam Christianity Buddhist Early believers spread ideas to the Roman Empire. European Colonization spreads Christianity worldwide. Traveling merchants go to North Africa Monks travel into China, Tibet and Southeast Asia. Ocean trading routes to China brought Buddhism. Sea routes to Indonesia and Philippines introduced Islam. Missionaries Missionaries Missionaries Alliance with powerful communist countries. Alliance with technologically powerful western world & capitalism. Powerful kingdom of Magadhan Empire helped establish religion.
Commonalties of Holy Locations Structure often dominates landscape with spirals, towers, or roofs Center of city or village often used for gathering of community Structure used as a reference point
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A HOLY PLACE A place of worship and teaching. -Church A space for prayer. -Mosques Buildings to house relics and artifacts or entomb a leader. –Pagodas, Temples & Pyramids A environmental astronomical calendar A destination goal.-pilgrimage Create an environment in the image of God or gods
Buddhist Landscapes Thailand Cambodia Tibet Buddhist Stupas
Buddhist Stupa, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand Buddhist Temple, Louang Phrabang, Laos
Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Wheels Tibetan Landscapes
Grand Palace, Bangkok Thailand Wat Chedi Luang, Chang Mai Thailand
Borobodour, Indonesia Golden Temple, Kyoto Japan
Buddhist Temple, Kharkorin, Mongolia Angor Wat, Cambodia
Christian Landscapes Catholic Church, San Jose, CA Saint Peters Church, Vatican
Segovia, Spain (1577) Toledo, Spain
Saint Peters at the Vatican, Rome Italy
Cathedral at Chartres, France
Templo Expiatrorio de al Sagrada Familia, Spain
Church of Resurrection Saint Petersburg, Russia St. Basil, Moscow, Russia
Russian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem
Taj Mahal, Agra inNW India Muslim Landscapes Taj Mahal, Agra inNW India (mausoleum)
Moorish (Muslim) Córdoba, Spain Alhambra, Granada, Spain
Sultan Dascan Mosque, Madrasa
Saint Sophia, Istanbul Turkey
The Kaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
The Kaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Hindu Landscape Varanesi, Ganges River
Hindu Landscapes
Western Wall, Jerusalem Jewish Landscapes Masada, Israel Western Wall, Jerusalem
Ethnic & Animist Religious Landscapes Temple of Kukuklan, Chitchen Itzu Confucious Temple in Taiwan
Ziggurat, Ur Iraq
Machu Picchu, Peru
Stonehenge, England Easter Island
Parthenon, Athens Greece Temple of Sobek, Egypt
Urulu, Australia Indian Grinding Rock
Religions Overview What is Religion? Major Religions & Their Divisions The Geography Religion Religious Landscapes Religious Conflict and Interaction
Religious Conflicts & Interactions Israel - a case study Jerusalem - mixed quarters Jewish quarter Muslim - temple mount Christian orthodox quarter
Western Wall & Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem
Religions Overview What is Religion? Major Religions & Their Divisions The Geography Religion Religious Landscapes Religious Conflict and Interaction