Journey Through This Quiz on Famous Pilgrimage Sites

Pilgrims have been climbing Sri Pada (also known as Adam’s Peak) since the fourth century CE, with kings, scholars, and even Marco Polo himself making the strenuous journey to the top of the Sri Lankan mountain. The summit of the 7,359-foot-tall peak is home to a gold-painted pavilion that houses two bells — pilgrims ring one of the bells in accordance with how many times they have completed the journey.

Mount Kailash, a 22,000-foot-tall mountain in Tibet, is considered sacred by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Bonists alike. The peak is at the center of an ancient origin myth that believes it to be the mythical Mount Meru, which is considered the birthplace of the world and the center of the universe in those religions. Followers of Bonism, Tibet’s ancient religion, believe that climbing Mount Kailash will exonerate them from their sins.

Norway’s most famous pilgrimage honors St. Olav, a former Viking king who was canonized in 1164 for his efforts to spread Christianity in Scandinavia. His shrine is located in a cathedral in Trondheim, and it is here that pilgrims walk to pay their respects. There are nine different St. Olav Ways, all of which meander for a collective 1,864 miles through the Norwegian countryside.

Also known as the Way of St. James, the Camino de Santiago is a network of over a dozen pilgrimage routes that attracts hundreds of thousands of trekkers annually. They all lead to the same place — the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The route has long been an important pilgrimage for Christians, and was one of the most important religious journeys during the Middle Ages.

One of the most sacred sites in Bhutan, Paro Taktsang, also known as “Tiger’s Nest,” is a requisite pilgrimage for Tibetan Buddhists. According to legend, Guru Rinpoche was carried from Tibet here on the back of a tigress, which lends the location its name. Pilgrims must journey up more than 1,000 steps to the cliffside monastery, which was built surrounding a cave in 1692.

Located in the foothills of the Pyrenees, the French city of Lourdes has been a pilgrimage site for Catholics since the 19th century. According to legend, St. Bernadette was collecting firewood near a grotto when she witnessed several visions of the Virgin Mary, who told her to build a chapel on the site. Since then, a magnificent cathedral has been erected near the grotto, which is believed to contain healing waters that induce miracles.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lumbini is considered the birthplace of Gautama Buddha around 563 BCE. It is one of the four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites and is home to several monuments that honor the Buddha, also known as Siddartha. In addition to Devdaha, the ancient capital where Siddartha spent his earliest years, the Maya Devi Temple, built to honor Siddartha’s mother, is also located here.

As the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad and the site associated with the beginning of Islam in the 7th century CE, Mecca is the destination for Muslims making the Hajj pilgrimage. As one of the pillars of Islam, this journey is expected to be completed by Muslims at least once in their lifetimes. Millions of Muslims congregate annually to make the pilgrimage during the last month of the Islamic calendar (Dhul Hijjah).

As the city where Martin Luther began his own branch of Protestantism in the 16th century, Wittenberg attracts pilgrims from around the world, who wish to see the sacred Lutheran sites scattered throughout the village. These sites include Castle Church, where Luther posted his reformation beliefs in a book entitled “95 Theses” in 1517, in addition to City Church, the site where Luther preached about his reformations.

Originally built by King Herod in 20 BCE, the Western Wall, also known as the “Wailing Wall,” survived a Roman attack and has since become a sacred place for Jewish people. As a symbol of the Temple of God, the wall is visited by thousands of people annually, who recite prayers, which are either spoken aloud or written on paper and placed into the wall’s cracks.