Geography of Religion Religious Landscapes Conflict and Interaction

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 – Temples / Pagodas – Churches / Basilicas – Mosques • Sacred Sites – mountains – rivers – caves

Holy Places reflect the Religious Beliefs Ethnic religions • rooted in a distinctive physical environment Universal religions • holy places are associated with the founder’s life. • • For example: – Hindu - The Ganges River in India. – Hindu - Himalayas Mt. Kalias in Nepal. 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 Salt Lake City -Mormon Tenochitlan -Aztec Medina- Muslim Jerusalem - Jewish -Christian -Moslem Himalayas- Hindu Gaya and Lumbini-Buddhist Lhasa -Buddhist Mecca -Muslim Ganges River-Hindu

How Did These Religions Diffuse to Where They Are? Islam Christianity • Early believers spread ideas to the Roman Empire. • Traveling merchants go to North Africa • Sea routes to Indonesia and Philippines introduced Islam. • Missionaries • Alliance with powerful communist countries. Buddhist • Monks travel into China, Tibet and Southeast Asia. • European Colonization spreads Christianity worldwide. • Ocean trading routes to China brought Buddhism. • Missionaries • Alliance with technologically powerful western world & capitalism. • Missionaries • 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 p. 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

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

Russian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem

Cathedral at Chartres, France

Templo Expiatrorio de al Sagrada Familia, Spain

Saint Peters at the Vatican, Rome Italy

Muslim Landscapes Taj Mahal, Agra in. NW 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

Jewish Landscapes Masada, Israel Western Wall, Jerusalem

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

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