holy city
{{Short description|City important to the history or faith of a specific religion}}
{{redirect|Holy City}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
A holy city is a city important to the history or faith of a specific religion. Such cities may also contain at least one headquarters complex (often containing a religious edifice, seminary, shrine, residence of the leading cleric of the religion and/or chambers of the religious leadership's offices) which constitutes a major destination of human traffic, or pilgrimage to the city, especially for major ceremonies and observances. A holy city is a symbolic city, representing attributes beyond its natural characteristics. Marketing experts have suggested that holy cities may be the oldest brands, and more specifically, place brands because they have value added via the perception of religious adherents.{{cite news |first=Michael Sebastian |last=Metti |title=Jerusalem – the most powerful brand in history |url=http://www.fek.su.se/en/Research/Subdisciplines/Marketing/Stockholm-Program-of-Place-Branding |publisher=Stockholm University School of Business |date=1 June 2011 |access-date=1 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110612234127/http://www.fek.su.se/en/Research/Subdisciplines/Marketing/Stockholm-Program-of-Place-Branding |archive-date=12 June 2011}}
List of holy cities in the world
{{Expand section|date=June 2021}}
=Africa=
| class="wikitable"
|+ !City !Country !Religion(s) |
| Axum
|{{Flagicon|ETH}} Ethiopia |
| Alexandria
|{{Flagicon|EGY}} Egypt |
| Ewu
|{{Flagicon|Nigeria}} Nigeria |Christianity |
| Harar
|{{Flagicon|Ethiopia}} Ethiopia |Islam |
| Ifẹ
|{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Nigeria |
| Lalibela
|{{Flagicon|ETH}} Ethiopia |Christianity |
| Nkamba
|{{Flagicon|DRC}} Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Kairouan
|{{Flagicon|Tunisia}} Tunisia |Islam |
| Nri-Igbo
|{{flagicon|Nigeria}} Nigeria |
| Point of Sangomar
|{{flagicon|Senegal}} Senegal |
| Yaboyabo
|{{flagicon|Senegal}} Senegal |
=Asia=
File:Varanasi Munshi Ghat3.jpg, one of the oldest and holiest cities of Hinduism]]
== Western and South Asia ==
File:Temple mount.JPG, a holy city in Judaism, Christianity and Islam]]
File:PikiWiki Israel 17818 Cities in Israel.jpg a holy city in Christianity]]
File:The Kaaba during Hajj - edited.jpg
==Central and East Asia==
| class="wikitable"
!City !Country !Religion(s) |
| Beigang
|{{Flagicon|Taiwan}} Taiwan |
| Dajia
|{{Flagicon|Taiwan}} Taiwan |Folk religion |
| Ise
|{{Flagicon|Japan}} Japan |
| Kyoto
|{{Flagicon|Japan}} Japan |Buddhism, Shinto |
| Tenri
|{{Flagicon|Japan}} Japan |
| Lhasa
|{{Flagicon|China}} China |Buddhism |
| Turkistan
|{{Flagicon|Kazakhstan}} Kazakhstan |
==Southeast Asia==
File:Meuseujid Raya Baiturrahman, Aceh.jpg in Banda Aceh, symbol of Islamic sharia law's application in Aceh]]
| class="wikitable"
!City !Country !Religion(s) |
| Cebu City
|{{Flagicon|Philippines}} Philippines |
| El Salvador, Misamis Oriental
|{{Flagicon|Philippines}} Philippines |
| Naga, Camarines Sur
|{{Flagicon|Philippines}} Philippines |Christianity (Roman Catholicism) |
| Siem Reap
|{{Flagicon|Cambodia}} Cambodia |Buddhism, Hinduism |
= Europe =
File:St Peter's Square, Vatican City - April 2007.jpg, Vatican City.]]
File:Turkey-3019_-_Hagia_Sophia_(2216460729).jpg, Istanbul.]]
File:Canterbury-cathedral-wyrdlight.jpg.]]
= North America =
File:Salt Lake Temple, Utah - Sept 2004-2.jpg in Salt Lake City.]]
File:Super Power building.jpg in Clearwater, Florida.]]
| class="wikitable"
!City !Country !Religion(s) |
| Clearwater, Florida
|{{Flagicon|US}} United States |
| Mexico City
|{{Flagicon|Mexico}} Mexico |Christianity |
| Quebec City
|{{Flagicon|Canada}} Canada |Christianity |
| Salt Lake City
|{{Flagicon|US}} United States |
| Siparia
|{{Flagicon|Trinidad and Tobago}} Trinidad and Tobago |
=South America=
See also
- Ecclesiastical capital
- Pilgrimage
- Four Holy Cities (Judaism)
References
{{Reflist}}