Sacred spaces are designed and used for religious purposes. They incorporate themes of harmony with nature through orientation, sunlight, astronomy and symbols. Ancient sacred sites include Stonehenge, the Pyramids of Teotihuacan, and the Parthenon which were built for polytheistic religions. Sites for monotheistic religions include Chartres Cathedral with its rose windows and flying buttresses as well as the Great Mosque of Isfahan. Multiple religions consider sites such as the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to be sacred. Modern spaces such as the Rothko Chapel in Houston also serve spiritual purposes.

1. Sacred Spaces

2. Sacred Space Themes
How it is used by worshippers
Religious celebrations/services
Pilgrimages
Harmony with Nature
Orientation/Cardinal Directions
Sunlight
Astronomy
Symbols
Geometry
Sacred Objects

3. Prehistoric and Ancient
Sacred Sites
Stonehenge, Prehistoric, England, 3000-2000 BCE.

4. Summer Solstice
Stonehenge, Prehistoric, England, 3000-2000 BCE.

5. Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan,
Near Mexico City, 150-225 AD.

6. Temple of Quetzalcoatl at Teotihuacan,
Near Mexico City, 150-225 AD.

7. Parthenon, Acropolis, Athens, Greece, 447-438 BCE.

8. Parthenon, Athens, Greece, 447-438 BCE.

9. Recreation of Athena in Parthenon (Nashville)
Athens, Greece, 447-438 BCE.

10. Sculpture from east pediment of Parthenon - (Birth of Athena)
Elgin Collection, British Museum.

11. Metopes from Parthenon
Elgin Collection, British Museum.

12. Panathenaic procession from Parthenon.

13. Alma-Tadema, Phidias Showing the Frieze of the
Parthenon to his Friends, 1868.

14. Sites built for
Polytheistic Religions• B

15. Great Stupa, Sanchi, India, third century BCE.

16. Great Stupa, Sanchi, India, third century BCE.

17. Circumambulation and North Torana, Great Stupa.

18. East Torana, Great Stupa.

19. Kandariya Mahadeva temple, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India, ca.1000 AD.

20. Kandariya Mahadeva temple, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India, ca.1000 AD.

21. Ise Jingū (Temple of Ise), Japan, 2013.

22. Ise Jingū (Temple of Ise), Japan, 2013.

23. Ise Jingū (Temple of Ise), Japan, 2013.

24. Sites built for
Monotheistic Religions

25. Chartres Cathedral, Gothic, France, 1194-1250 AD.

26. Flying buttresses,
Chartres Cathedral, Gothic, France, 1194-1250 AD.

27. Rib vaults,Chartres Cathedral, Gothic, France, 1194-1250 AD.

28. North Rose Window with Lancets below,
Chartres Cathedral, Gothic, France, 1194-1250 AD.

29. North Rose Window with Lancets below,
Chartres Cathedral, Gothic, France, 1194-1250 AD.

30. North Rose Window with Lancets below,
Chartres Cathedral, Gothic, France, 1194-1250 AD.

31. Chartres Cathedral, Gothic, France, 1194-1250 AD.

32. Royal Portal, West Façade,
Chartres Cathedral, Gothic, France, 1194-1250 AD.

33. The Great Mosque of Isfahan (Masjid-I-Jami), Iran, 1629 AD.

34. Entrance Iwan, The Great Mosque of Isfahan.

35. Entrance Iwan, The Great Mosque of Isfahan.

36. Mihrab, The Great Mosque of Isfahan.

37. Thousands praying towards the Kaaba in Mecca.

38. Sites Sacred or Spiritual to
Multiple Religions

39. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Israel, 691 AD.

40. Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Israel, 691 AD.

41. Dome of the Rock (interior).

42. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey, 532-37 AD.

43. Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey, 532-37 AD.

44. Rothko Chapel, Houston, Texas, 1971 AD.

45. Rothko Chapel, Houston, Texas, 1971 AD.

46. Rothko Chapel, Houston, Texas, 1971 AD.

47. Rothko Chapel, Houston, Texas, 1971 AD.