1. Geography of Religion Religious Landscapes Conflict and Interaction
Cultural Geography
C.J.Cox, Instructor

2. Religions Overview What is Religion? Major Religions & Their Divisions
The Geography Religion
Religious Landscapes
Religious Conflict and Interaction

3. Religious Landscapes Sacred Structures Sacred Sites Temples / Pagodas
Churches / Basilicas
Mosques
Sacred Sites
mountains
rivers
caves

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

10. Buddhist Landscapes
Thailand
Cambodia
Tibet
Buddhist Stupas

11. Buddhist Stupa, Chiang Mai, Thailand

12. Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand
Buddhist Temple, Louang Phrabang, Laos

13. Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Wheels
Tibetan Landscapes

14. Grand Palace, Bangkok Thailand
Wat Chedi Luang, Chang Mai Thailand

15. Borobodour, Indonesia
Golden Temple, Kyoto Japan

16. Buddhist Temple, Kharkorin, Mongolia
Angor Wat, Cambodia

17. Christian Landscapes Catholic Church, San Jose, CA
Saint Peters Church, Vatican

18. Segovia, Spain
(1577)
Toledo, Spain

19. Saint Peters at the Vatican, Rome Italy

20. Cathedral at Chartres, France

21. Templo Expiatrorio de al Sagrada Familia, Spain

22. Church of Resurrection
Saint Petersburg, Russia
St. Basil, Moscow, Russia

24. Russian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem

25. Taj Mahal, Agra inNW India
Muslim Landscapes
Taj Mahal, Agra inNW India
(mausoleum)

26. Moorish (Muslim) Córdoba, Spain
Alhambra, Granada, Spain

28. Sultan Dascan Mosque, Madrasa

29. Saint Sophia, Istanbul Turkey

30. The Kaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

31. The Kaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

32. Hindu Landscape
Varanesi, Ganges River

33. Hindu Landscapes

35. Western Wall, Jerusalem
Jewish Landscapes
Masada, Israel
Western Wall, Jerusalem

36. Ethnic & Animist Religious Landscapes
Temple of Kukuklan, Chitchen Itzu
Confucious Temple in Taiwan

37. Ziggurat, Ur Iraq

38. Machu Picchu, Peru

39. Stonehenge, England
Easter Island

40. Parthenon, Athens Greece
Temple of Sobek, Egypt

41. Urulu, Australia
Indian Grinding Rock

42. Religions Overview What is Religion? Major Religions & Their Divisions
The Geography Religion
Religious Landscapes
Religious Conflict and Interaction

43. Religious Conflicts & Interactions
Israel - a case study
Jerusalem - mixed quarters
Jewish quarter
Muslim - temple mount
Christian orthodox quarter

45. Western Wall & Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

49. Religions Overview What is Religion? Major Religions & Their Divisions
The Geography Religion
Religious Landscapes
Religious Conflict and Interaction