![Athen Erechtheion BW 2017-10-09 13-58-34](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Athen_Erechtheion_BW_2017-10-09_13-58-34.jpg)
A temple (from the
Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as
prayer and
sacrifice
Sacrifice is the offering of material possessions or the lives of animals or humans to a deity as an act of propitiation or worship. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Greeks, and possibly exi ...
. Religions which erect temples include
Christianity (whose temples are typically called
churches),
Hinduism (whose temples are called
Mandir
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
),
Buddhism,
Sikhism (whose temples are called
gurudwara),
Jainism (whose temples are sometimes called
derasar
A Jain temple, Derasar (Gujarati: દેરાસર) or Basadi (Kannada: ಬಸದಿ) is the place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism. Jain architecture is essentially restricted to temples and monasteries, and Jain buildings gen ...
),
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
(whose temples are called
mosques
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, i ...
),
Judaism (whose temples are called
synagogues),
Zoroastrianism (whose temples are sometimes called
Agiary), the
Baha'i Faith
Baha (also transliterated as Bahaa, ar, بهاء) may refer to:
People
* Baha (name)
Places
*Al Bahah, a city in Saudi Arabia
Trademark
* Cochlear Baha, a hearing aid manufactured by Cochlear
Title
* Al-Muqtana Baha'uddin (979–1043), Druze ...
(which are often simply referred to as
Baha'i House of Worship),
Taoism (which are sometimes called
Daoguan),
Shinto (which are sometimes called
Jinja),
Confucianism (which are sometimes called the
Temple of Confucius), and ancient religions such as the
Ancient Egyptian religion
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals that formed an integral part of ancient Egyptian culture. It centered on the Egyptians' interactions with many deities believed to be present in, and in control ...
and the
Ancient Greek religion
Religious practices in ancient Greece encompassed a collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology, in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. The application of the modern concept of "religion" to ancient cultures has been ...
.
The form and function of temples are thus very variable, though they are often considered by believers to be, in some sense, the "house" of one or more
deities
A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greate ...
. Typically, offerings of some sort are made to the deity, and other rituals are enacted, and a special group of
clergy maintain and operate the temple. The degree to which the whole population of believers can access the building varies significantly; often parts, or even the whole main building. can only be accessed by the clergy. Temples typically have a main building and a larger
precinct
Precinct may refer to:
* An electoral precinct
* A police precinct
* A religious precinct
* A shopping precinct or shopping mall
** A Pedestrian zone
Places
* A neighborhood, in Australia
* A unit of public housing in Singapore
* A former elect ...
, which may contain many other buildings or may be a dome-shaped structure, much like an igloo.
The word comes from
Ancient Rome, where a constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or
augur
An augur was a priest and official in the classical Roman world. His main role was the practice of augury, the interpretation of the will of the gods by studying the flight of birds. Determinations were based upon whether they were flying i ...
. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation for the building that was marked out on the ground by the augur.
Hindu temples
![Traditional_Kerala_temple](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Traditional_Kerala_temple.jpg)
Hindu temples are known by many different names, varying on region and language, including Alayam, ''Mandir'', ''Mandira'', ''Ambalam'', ''Gudi'', ''Kavu'', ''Koil'', ''Kovil'', ''Déul'', ''Raul'', ''Devasthana'', ''Degul'', ''Deva Mandiraya'', and ''Devalaya''. Hindu temple architecture is mainly divided into the
Dravidian style of the south and the
Nagara style of the north, with other regional styles.
The basic elements of the
Hindu temple remain the same across all periods and styles. The most essential feature is the inner sanctuary, the ''
garbhagriha'' or womb-chamber, where the primary ''
murti'' or
cult image
In the practice of religion, a cult image is a human-made object that is venerated or worshipped for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents. In several traditions, including the ancient religions of Egypt, Greece and Rome ...
of a deity is housed in a simple bare cell. Around this chamber there are often other structures and buildings, in the largest cases covering several acres. On the exterior, the garbhagriha is crowned by a tower-like ''
shikhara'', also called the ''
vimana'' in the south. The shrine building may include an
ambulatory for ''parikrama'' (
circumambulation), one or more
mandapa
A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture.
Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...
s or congregation halls, and sometimes an
antarala antechamber and porch between garbhagriha and mandapa.
A Hindu temple is a symbolic house, the seat and dwelling of
Hindu gods. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together according to
Hindu faith
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
. Inside its ''garbhagriha'' innermost sanctum, a Hindu temple contains a ''
murti'' or Hindu god's image. Hindu temples are large and magnificent with a rich history. There is evidence of use of sacred ground as far back as the
Bronze Age and later during the
Indus Valley civilization
The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form 2600 BCE to 1900&n ...
.
Outside of the Indian subcontinent (
India,
Bangladesh and
Nepal), Hindu temples have been built in
various countries around the world. Either following the
historic diffusion of Hinduism across Asia (e.g. ancient stone temples of
Cambodia and
Indonesia), or following the migration of the
Indian Hindus' diaspora; to Western Europe (esp.
Great Britain), North America (the
United States and
Canada), as well as Australia,
Malaysia and Singapore, Mauritius and
South Africa.
Buddhist temples
![Mahabodhitemple](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Mahabodhitemple.jpg)
Buddhist temples include the structures called
stupa
A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
In Buddhism, circumamb ...
,
wat and
pagoda in different regions and languages. A Buddhist temple might contain a
meditation hall hosting ''
Buddharupa'', or the image of
Buddha, as the object of concentration and veneration during a meditation. The stupa domed structures are also used in a circumambulation ritual called ''
Pradakshina''.
Temples in
Buddhism represent the pure land or pure environment of a
Buddha. Traditional Buddhist temples are designed to inspire inner and outer peace.
Three types of structures are associated with the
religious architecture of
early Buddhism: monasteries (
viharas), places to venerate relics (
stupa
A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation.
In Buddhism, circumamb ...
s), and shrines or prayer halls (
chaityas, also called ''chaitya grihas''), which later came to be called temples in some places. The pagoda is an evolution of the Indian stupas.
The initial function of a stupa was the veneration and safe-guarding of the relics of
Gautama Buddha. The earliest archaeologically known example of a stupa is the relic stupa located in
Vaishali,
Bihar in India.
In accordance with changes in religious practice, stupas were gradually incorporated into chaitya-grihas (prayer halls). These are exemplified by the complexes of the
Ajanta Caves
The Ajanta Caves are approximately thirty rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments dating from the second century BCE to about 480 CE in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state in India. The caves include paintings and rock-cut sculptures des ...
and the
Ellora Caves (
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
). The
Mahabodhi Temple at
Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous as it is the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment ( pi, ...
in
Bihar is another well-known example.
As Buddhism spread, Buddhist architecture diverged in style, reflecting the similar trends in Buddhist art. Building form was also influenced to some extent by the different forms of Buddhism in the northern countries, practising
Mahayana Buddhism in the main and in the south where
Theravada Buddhism prevailed.
Jain temples
![Jain Temple Ranakpur](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Jain_Temple_Ranakpur.jpg)
A Jain temple, called a
Derasar
A Jain temple, Derasar (Gujarati: દેરાસર) or Basadi (Kannada: ಬಸದಿ) is the place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism. Jain architecture is essentially restricted to temples and monasteries, and Jain buildings gen ...
, is the
place of worship
A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is somet ...
for
Jains, the followers of
Jainism. Some famous Jain temples are
Shikharji,
Palitana temples,
Ranakpur Jain temple,
Shravan Belgola,
Dilwara Temples
The Dilwara Temples or Delvada Temples are a group of Śvētāmbara Jain temples located about kilometres from the Mount Abu settlement in Sirohi District, Rajasthan's only hill station. The earliest were built by Bhima-1 and supposedly de ...
and
Lal Mandir
Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir () is the oldest and best-known Jain temple in Delhi, India. It is directly across from the Red Fort in the historical Chandni Chowk area.
The temple is known for an avian veterinary hospital, called the Jain Bird ...
. Jain temples are built with various architectural designs. Jain temples in North India are completely different from the Jain temples in South India, which in turn are quite different from Jain temples in West India. Additionally, a ''
manastambha
A manastambha (Sanskrit for 'column of honour') is a pillar that is often constructed in front of Jain temples or large Jain statues. In North India, they are topped by four Tirthankara images.
According to the ''Digambara'' Jain texts like ''A ...
'' (literally 'column of honor') is a pillar that is often constructed in front of Jain temples.
Sikh temples
![Darbar Sahib 27 September 2018](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Darbar_Sahib_27_September_2018.jpg)
A Sikh temple is called a gurdwara, literally the doorway to the Guru. Its most essential element is the presence of the Guru,
Guru Granth Sahib. The gurdwara has an entrance from all sides, signifying that they are open to all without any distinction whatsoever. The gurdwara has a
Darbar Sahib where the Guru Granth Sahib is seen and a
Langar Langar may refer to:
Community eating
*Langar (Sikhism)
* Langar (Sufism)
Places
Afghanistan
*Langar, Badakhshan, Afghanistan
* Langar, Bamyan, Afghanistan
* Langar, Faryab, Afghanistan
* Langar, Herat, Afghanistan
* Langar, Wardak, Afghanis ...
where people can eat free food. A gurdwara may also have a library, nursery, and classroom.
Mesopotamian temples
![Ziggarat of Ur 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Ziggarat_of_Ur_001.jpg)
The temple-building tradition of
Mesopotamia derived from the cults of gods and deities in the
Mesopotamian religion. It spanned several civilizations; from
Sumer
Sumer () is the earliest known civilization in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. It is one of the cradles of c ...
ian,
Akkadian Akkadian or Accadian may refer to:
* Akkadians, inhabitants of the Akkadian Empire
* Akkadian language, an extinct Eastern Semitic language
* Akkadian literature, literature in this language
* Akkadian cuneiform
Cuneiform is a logo- syllabi ...
,
Assyrian, and
Babylonia
Babylonia (; Akkadian: , ''māt Akkadī'') was an ancient Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Syria). It emerged as an Amorite-ruled state c. ...
n. The most common temple architecture of Mesopotamia is the structure of sun-baked bricks called a
ziggurat, having the form of a terraced
step pyramid with a flat upper terrace where the shrine or temple stood.
Egyptian temples
Ancient Egyptian temples were meant as places for the
deities
A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greate ...
to reside on earth. Indeed, the term the Egyptians most commonly used to describe the temple building, , means 'mansion (or enclosure) of a god'.
A god's
presence in the temple linked the human and divine realms and allowed humans to interact with the god through ritual. These rituals, it was believed, sustained the god and allowed it to continue to play its proper role in nature. They were, therefore, a key part of the maintenance of ''
maat'', the ideal order of nature and of human society in Egyptian belief. Maintaining was the entire purpose of
Egyptian religion, and thus it was the purpose of a temple as well.
Ancient Egyptian temples were also of economic significance to Egyptian society. The temples stored and redistributed grain and came to own large portions of the nation's arable land (some estimate as much as 33% by the
New Kingdom
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
period). In addition, many of these Egyptian temples utilized the Tripartite Floor Plan in order to draw visitors to the center room.
Greco-Roman temples
![Parthenon (30276156187)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Parthenon_%2830276156187%29.jpg)
Greek and Roman temples were originally built out of wood and mud bricks, but as the empires expanded, the temples grew to monumental size, made out of materials such as stone and marble on raised platforms. While the color has long since faded, The columns would have been painted in white, blue, red, and black. Above the columns would have been a sculpted or painted depiction of a myth or battle, with freestanding sculptures in the
pediment triangles. The roofs were tiled and had sculptures of mythical animals or deities on the tops or corners. Greek temples also had several standard floor plans with very distinct column placement.
Located in the front of the temple were alters intended for sacrifices or offerings.
Ouranic alters were usually square, lined with a metal pan for burnt offerings, and a flat top which was necessary for the ouranic gods to receive offerings.
Chthonic
The word chthonic (), or chthonian, is derived from the Ancient Greek word ''χθών, "khthon"'', meaning earth or soil. It translates more directly from χθόνιος or "in, under, or beneath the earth" which can be differentiated from Γῆ ...
alters, called
bothros, were pits dug into the earth for liquid libations of animal sacrifices, milk, honey, and wine. The building which housed the cult statue or ''
agalma'' in its ''
cella'' was located in the center of the temple in Greek architecture, while in Rome, the cella was in the back.
Greek temple architecture had a profound influence on ancient architectural traditions.
Greco-Roman temples were built facing eastward, utilizing the rising sun in morning rituals. The location each temple was built also depended on many factors such as environment, myth, function, and divine experience. Most were built on sites associated with myths or a place a god had been believed to have preformed a feat, or founded a tow or city. Many Roman temples had close associations with important events in Roman history, such as military victories. Temples in cities were often dedicated to the founding deity of the city, but also served as civic and social centers. The
Temple of Saturn even held the state treasury and treasury offices in its basement.
Pagan temples
![Templo de Garni, Armenia, 2016-10-02, DD 94](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Templo_de_Garni%2C_Armenia%2C_2016-10-02%2C_DD_94.jpg)
The Romans usually referred to a holy place of a
pagan
Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
religion as ; in some cases this referred to a sacred grove, in others to a temple. Medieval Latin writers also sometimes used the word ', previously reserved for temples of the ancient Roman religion. In some cases it is hard to determine whether a temple was a building or an outdoor shrine. For temple buildings of the Vikings, the
Old Norse term ''
hof'' is often used.
Zoroastrian temples
![Yazd fire temple](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Yazd_fire_temple.jpg)
A
Zoroastrian temple may also be called a ''Dar-e-mehr'' and an ''
Atashkadeh''. A fire temple in Zoroastrianism is the place of worship for Zoroastrians. Zoroastrians revere
fire in any form, and their temples contains an
eternal flame, with ''
Atash Behram'' (Fire of Victory) as the highest grade of all, as it combines 16 different types of fire gathered in elaborate rituals.
In the Zoroastrian religion, fire (''Atar''), together with clean water (''Aban''), are agents of ritual purity. Clean, white "ash for the purification ceremonies is regarded as the basis of ritual life," which, "are essentially the rites proper to the tending of a domestic fire, for the temple fire is that of the hearth fire raised to a new solemnity".
Chinese temples
![Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Hall_of_Prayer_for_Good_Harvest.JPG)
Chinese temples refer to temples in accordance with
Chinese culture, which serve as a house of worship for Chinese faiths, namely
Confucianism,
Taoism,
Buddhism and
Chinese folk religion. Chinese temples were born from the age-old religion and tradition of
Chinese people
The Chinese people or simply Chinese, are people or ethnic groups identified with China, usually through ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, or other affiliation.
Chinese people are known as Zhongguoren () or as Huaren () by speakers of s ...
since the ancient era of imperial
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, thus they are usually built in typical classical
Chinese architecture.
Other than the base constructed from an elevated platform of earth and stones, most parts of Chinese temples are made of timber carpentry, with parts of brick masonry and glazed ceramics for roofs and tile decorations. Typical Chinese temples have curved overhanging eaves and complicated carpentry of stacked roof construction. Chinese temples are known for their vivid colour and rich decorations. Their roofs are often decorated with mythical beasts, such as
Chinese dragons and
qilins, and sometimes also Chinese deities. Chinese temples can be found throughout
Mainland China and
Taiwan, and also where
Chinese expatriate communities have settled abroad; thus Chinese temples can be found in
Chinatown
A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...
s worldwide.
Indonesian temples
''Candi'' is an
Indonesian
Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to:
* Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia
** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago
** Indonesian ...
term to refer to ancient temples. Before the rise of Islam, between the 5th to 15th centuries, Dharmic faiths (Hinduism and Buddhism) were the majority in the Indonesian archipelago, especially in
Java and
Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
. As a result, numerous Hindu temples, locally known as , were constructed and dominated the landscape of Java. The architecture follows the typical
Indonesian architectural traditions based on
Vastu Shastra. The temple layout, especially in the
Central Java
Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in t ...
period, incorporated
mandala temple plan arrangements and also the typical high towering spires of
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
temples. The ' was designed to mimic
Meru
Meru may refer to:
Geography Kenya
* Meru, Kenya, a city in Meru County, Kenya
** Meru County, created by the merger of
*** Meru Central District
*** Meru North District
*** Meru South District
* Meru National Park, a Kenyan wildlife park
Tanza ...
, the holy mountain and the abode of the gods. In contemporary
Indonesian Buddhist perspective, ' refers to a shrine, either ancient or new. Several contemporary ''
viharas'' in Indonesia, for example, contain an actual-size replica or reconstruction of famous Buddhist temples, such as the replica of
Pawon
Pawon (known locally as Candi Pawon) is a Buddhist temple in Central Java, Indonesia.
History
Located between two other Buddhist temples, Borobudur ( to the northeast) and Mendut ( to the southwest), Pawon is connected with the other two temple ...
and
Plaosan
Candi Plaosan, also known as the 'Plaosan Complex', is one of the Buddhist temples located in Bugisan village, Prambanan district, Klaten Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, about to the northeast of the renowned Hindu Prambanan Temple.
Candi Pla ...
's (small) temples.
According to local beliefs, the Java valley had thousands of Hindu temples that co-existed with Buddhist temples, most of which were buried in the massive eruption of
Mount Merapi in 1006 AD.
Mesoamerican temples
![Chichen Itza 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Chichen_Itza_2.jpg)
Temples of the
Mesoamerican civilization usually took the shape of
stepped pyramids with temples or shrines on top of the massive structure. They are more akin to the ziggurats of Mesopotamia than to Egyptian ones. A single or several flight(s) of steep steps from the base lead to the temple that stood on the plateau on top of the pyramid. The stone temple might be a square or a rounded structure with a door opening leading to a cella or inner sanctum. The plateau on top of the pyramid in front of the temple is where the ritualistic sacrifice took place.
Some classic Mesoamerican pyramids are adorned with stories about the feathered serpent
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl (, ; Spanish: ''Quetzalcóatl'' ; nci-IPA, Quetzalcōātl, ket͡saɬˈkoːaːt͡ɬ (Modern Nahuatl pronunciation), in honorific form: ''Quetzalcōātzin'') is a deity in Aztec culture and literature whose name comes from the Nahu ...
or
Mesoamerican creation myths
Mesoamerican creation myths are the collection of creation myths attributed to, or documented for, the various cultures and civilizations of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and Mesoamerican literature.
The Maya gods included Kukulkán (also known by the ...
, written in the form of hieroglyphs on the rises of the steps of the pyramids, on the walls, and on the sculptures contained within. Notable example include
Aztec Acatitlan and
Mayan Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza , es, Chichén Itzá , often with the emphasis reversed in English to ; from yua, Chiʼchʼèen Ìitshaʼ () "at the mouth of the well of the Itza people" was a large pre-Columbian city built by the Maya people of the Terminal ...
,
Uxmal and
Tikal.
Jewish synagogues and temples
![Kenessa Vilnius (5970197134)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Kenessa_Vilnius_%285970197134%29.jpg)
In
Judaism, the ancient Hebrew texts refer not to temples, the word having not existed yet, but to a "sanctuary", "palace" or "hall". Each of the two ancient temples in Jerusalem was called in the
Tanakh , which translates literally as 'YHWH's House'.
The
Temple Mount in
Jerusalem is the site where the
First Temple of Solomon and the
Second Temple
The Second Temple (, , ), later known as Herod's Temple, was the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem between and 70 CE. It replaced Solomon's Temple, which had been built at the same location in the United Kingdom of Israel before being inherited ...
were built. At the center of the structure was the
Holy of Holies
The Holy of Holies (Hebrew: ''Qōḏeš haqQŏḏāšīm'' or ''Kodesh HaKodashim''; also הַדְּבִיר ''haDəḇīr'', 'the Sanctuary') is a term in the Hebrew Bible that refers to the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle, where God's prese ...
where only the
High Priest
The term "high priest" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious caste.
Ancient Egypt
In ancient Egypt, a high priest was the chief priest of any of the many gods rever ...
could enter. The Temple Mount is now the site of the
Islamic
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the mai ...
edifice, the
Dome of the Rock
The Dome of the Rock ( ar, قبة الصخرة, Qubbat aṣ-Ṣakhra) is an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, a site also known to Muslims as the ''al-Haram al-Sharif'' or the Al-Aqsa Compound. Its initial ...
(c. 690).
The Greek word ''
synagogue
A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...
'' came into use to describe Jewish (and
Samaritan) places of worship during
Hellenistic
In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in ...
times and it, along with the Yiddish term ''
shul
A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...
'', and the original Hebrew term ''
Beit Knesset'' ('House of meeting') are the terms in most universal usage.
Since the 18th Century, Jews in Western and Central Europe began to apply the name ''temple'', borrowed from the French where it was used to denote all non-Catholic prayer houses, to synagogues. The term became strongly associated with
Reform institutions, in some of which both congregants and outsiders associated it with the elimination of the prayers for the restoration of the Jerusalem Temple, though this was not the original meaning—traditional synagogues named themselves "temple" over a century before the advent of Reform, and many continued to do so after. In American parlance, ''temple'' is often synonymous with ''synagogue'', but especially non-Orthodox ones.
The term ''
kenesa'', from the Aramaic for 'assembly', is used to describe the places of worship of
Karaite Jews.
Example of such temple is the
Sofia Synagogue
The Sofia Synagogue ( bg, Софийска синагога, ''Sofiyska sinagoga'') is the largest synagogue in Southeastern Europe, one of two functioning in Bulgaria (with the other one in Plovdiv) and the third-largest in Europe. ,
Bulgaria the largest
synagogue
A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...
in
Southeastern Europe and third-largest in
Europe.
Christian temples
Orthodox Christianity
![Russia-Moscow-Cathedral of Christ the Saviour-8](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Russia-Moscow-Cathedral_of_Christ_the_Saviour-8.jpg)
The word ''temple'' is used frequently in the tradition of
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises Christian traditions and church families that originally developed during classical and late antiquity in Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Northeast Africa, the Fertile Crescent and ...
; particularly the
Eastern Orthodox Church, where the principal words used for houses of worship are ''temple'' and ''church''. The use of the word ''temple'' comes from the need to distinguish a building of the church vs. the church seen as the Body of Christ. In the
Russian language
Russian (russian: русский язык, russkij jazyk, link=no, ) is an East Slavic languages, East Slavic language mainly spoken in Russia. It is the First language, native language of the Russians, and belongs to the Indo-European langua ...
(similar to other
Slavic languages), while the general-purpose word for 'church' is ''
tserkov'', the term (), 'temple', is used to refer to the church building as a temple of
God (). The words ''church'' and ''temple'', in this case are interchangeable; however, the term ''church'' ( grc, ἐκκλησία) is far more common. The term ''temple'' ( grc, ναός) is also commonly applied to larger churches. Some famous churches which are referred to as temples include the
Hagia Sophia,
Saint Basil's Cathedral
The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed ( rus, Собо́р Васи́лия Блаже́нного, Sobór Vasíliya Blazhénnogo), commonly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral, is an Orthodox church in Red Square of Moscow, and is one of the most pop ...
,
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, the
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour ( rus, Храм Христа́ Спаси́теля, r=Khram Khristá Spasítelya, p=xram xrʲɪˈsta spɐˈsʲitʲɪlʲə) is a Russian Orthodox cathedral in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskv ...
and the
Temple of Saint Sava in
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
,
Serbia.
Catholicism
![Basilique du Sacré-Cœur IMG 1271](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Basilique_du_Sacr%C3%A9-C%C5%93ur_IMG_1271.jpg)
The word ''temple'' has traditionally been rarely used in the English-speaking
Western Christian tradition
Western Christianity is one of two sub-divisions of Christianity ( Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholic ...
. In
Irish, some
pre-schism churches use the word ''
teampall''. The usual word for ''church'' in the
Hungarian language is ''
templom'', also deriving from the same Latin root.
Spanish distinguishes between the temple being the physical building for religious activity, and the church being both the physical building for religious activity and also the congregation of religious followers.
The principal words typically used to distinguish houses of worship in Western Christian architecture are ''
abbey'', ''
basilica'', ''
cathedral'', ''
chapel'' and ''
church''. The Catholic Church has used the word temple in reference of a place of worship on rare occasions. An example is the Roman Catholic
Sagrada Familia Temple in Barcelona, Spain and the Roman Catholic
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur Temple in Paris, France. Another example is the Temple or Our Lady of the Pillar, a church in
Guadalajara
Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...
,
Mexico.
Protestantism
Also, some Protestant churches use this term; above main entrance of the
Lutheran Gustav Vasa church in
Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
is a
cartouche in Latin which reads "this temple (...) was constructed by king Oscar II."
Beginning in the late eighteenth century, following the
Enlightenment
Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to:
Age of Enlightenment
* Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...
, some Protestant denominations in France and elsewhere began to use the word ''temple'' to distinguish these spaces from Catholic churches.
Evangelical and other Protestant churches make use of a wide variety of terms to designate their worship spaces, such as church,
tabernacle or temple. Additionally some breakaway Catholic churches such as the
Mariavite Church
The Mariavite Church is today one of two independent Christian churches collectively known as Mariavites who first emerged from the religious inspiration of Polish noblewoman and nun, Feliksa Kozłowska (1862-1921) in the late 19th-century. In ...
in
Poland have chosen to also designate their central church building as a temple, as in the case of the
Temple of Mercy and Charity
The Temple of Mercy and Charity ( pl, Świątynia Miłosierdzia i Miłości) is a Mariavite cathedral in Płock in central Poland. It is located near the Vistula River.
Significance
The Temple is the religious center of the Mariavite Church and c ...
in
Płock.
Latter Day Saint movement
![KirtlandTemple Ohio USA](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/KirtlandTemple_Ohio_USA.jpg)
According to
Latter Day Saint
The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by Jo ...
s, in 1832,
Joseph Smith received a
revelation to
restore the practice of
temple worship, in a "house of the Lord". The
Kirtland Temple was the first temple of the
Latter-day Saint movement and the only one completed in Smith's lifetime, although the
Nauvoo Temple
The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.''Manuscript History of the Church'', LDS Church Archives, book A-1, p. 37; reproduced in Dean C. Jessee (comp.) (1989). ''The Papers of Jose ...
was partially complete at the time of
his death. The
schisms
A schism ( , , or, less commonly, ) is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization, movement, or religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a split in what had previously been a single religious body, suc ...
stemming from a
succession crisis A succession crisis is a crisis that arises when an order of succession fails, for example when a king dies without an indisputable heir. It may result in a war of succession.
Examples include (see List of wars of succession):
*Multiple periods dur ...
have led to differing views about the role and use of temples between various groups with competing succession claims.
The Book of Mormon, which Latter Day Saints believe is a companion book of scripture with the Bible, refers to temple building in the ancient Americas by a group of people called the
Nephites
According to the Book of Mormon, the Nephites () are one of four groups (along with the Lamanites, Jaredites, and Mulekites) to have settled in the ancient Americas. The term is used throughout the Book of Mormon to describe the religious, po ...
. Though Book of Mormon authors are not explicit about the practices in these Nephite temples, they were patterned "after the manner of the temple of Solomon" () and served as gathering places for significant religious and political events (e.g. Mosiah 1–6; 3rd Nephi 11–26).
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a prolific builder of temples.
Latter-day Saint temples are reserved for performing and undertaking only the most holy and sacred of covenants and
special of ordinances. They are distinct from
meeting house
A meeting house (meetinghouse, meeting-house) is a building where religious and sometimes public meetings take place.
Terminology
Nonconformist Protestant denominations distinguish between a
* church, which is a body of people who believe in Chr ...
s and
chapels where
weekly worship services are held. The temples are built and kept under strict sacredness and are not to be defiled. Thus, strict rules apply for entrance, including church membership and regular attendance. During the open-house period after its construction and before its dedication, the temple is open to the public for tours.
Other Latter Day Saint denominations
Various
sects in the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith have temples.
*The
Church of Christ (Wightite)
Lyman Wight (May 9, 1796 – March 31, 1858) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri, in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apos ...
, a Latter Day Saint denomination formed by
Lyman Wight following the
death of Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith, the founder and leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, and his brother, Hyrum Smith, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois, United States, on June 27, 1844, while awaiting trial in the town jail.
As mayor of the city of N ...
, built first Mormon temple west of the Mississippi in
Zodiac, Texas
Zodiac is a vanished Mormon settlement established in 1847 on the Pedernales River, located southeast of Fredericksburg, in Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The area it was located on eventually converted to private acreage, and no ...
. about three miles from
Fredericksburg.
* In 1990 or earlier a temple in
Ozumba
Ozumba is one of 125 municipalities in the State of Mexico. Its municipal seat is the town of Ozumba de Alzate. It is located in the southeast portion of the Valley of Mexico, 70 km southeast of Mexico City near the Mexico City- Cuautla high ...
,
Mexico was built by the
Apostolic United Brethren
The Apostolic United Brethren (AUB) is a Mormon fundamentalist group that practices polygamy. The AUB has had a temple in Mexico, since at least the 1990s, an endowment house in Utah since the early 1980s and several other locations of worship ...
.
[Andrea Moore-Emmett. God's Brothel. Pince-Nez Press: June 1, 2004. ]
*On April 17, 1994, the
Independence Temple in
Independence, Missouri, was open by the
Community of Christ
The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), is an American-based international church, and is the second-largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement. The churc ...
by then-church
Prophet-President
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. It was the office held by Joseph Smith, founder of the movement, and the office assumed by many of Smith's claimed succe ...
Wallace B. Smith
Wallace Bunnell Anthony Smith (born July 29, 1929) is an American who was Prophet-President of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS) (now Community of Christ), from April 5, 1978, through April 15, 1996. The son of ...
. The Community of Christ also currently owns the original
Kirtland Temple, dedicated in 1836 by the
Church of the Latter Day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The chu ...
(later renamed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), in
Kirtland, Ohio. The Community of Christ operates the Kirtland Temple as a historic site.
*In 2005 construction on the
YFZ Ranch Temple by the
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church) is a religious sect of the fundamentalist Mormon denominations whose members practice polygamy. The fundamentalist Mormon movement emerged in the early 20th century, ...
Church began. It is located just outside
Eldorado
El Dorado (, ; Spanish for "the golden"), originally ''El Hombre Dorado'' ("The Golden Man") or ''El Rey Dorado'' ("The Golden King"), was the term used by the Spanish in the 16th century to describe a mythical tribal chief (''zipa'') or king o ...
in
Schleicher County
Schleicher County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 2,451. Its county seat is Eldorado. The county was created in 1887 and organized in 1901. It is named for Gusta ...
,
Texas. However, as of April 2014, the
State of Texas took physical and legal possession of the property.
as it was used to "commit or facilitate certain criminal conduct."
* A pyramid-shaped temple near
Modena, Utah
Modena is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in far western Iron County, Utah, Iron County, near the Nevada border in southwestern Utah, United States.
Geography
The settlement lies along Utah State Route 56, State Route 56 west of ...
, was built by the
.
[
]
Esoteric Christianity
*Mount Ecclesia
Mount Ecclesia (dedicated on October 28, 1911) is the location of the international headquarters of the fraternal and service organization The Rosicrucian Fellowship (TRF), located on grounds in Oceanside, California. It is also the location of i ...
Esoteric Christian
Esoteric Christianity is an approach to Christianity which features "secret traditions" that require an initiation to learn or understand.Guy G. Stroumsa (2005). Hidden Wisdom: Esoteric Traditions and the Roots of Christian Mysticism. Leiden: Br ...
Temple of the Rosicrucian Fellowship with its round 12-sided building architecture set on top of a mesa and facing east, the rising Sun. This modern-day temple is ornamented with alchemical and astrological symbols.
Masonic temples
Freemasonry is a fraternal organization
A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, "brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in ...
with its origins in the eighteenth century whose membership is held together by a shared set of moral and metaphysical ideals based on short role play narratives concerning the construction of King Solomon's Temple. Freemasons meet as a Lodge. Lodges meet in a Masonic Temple
A Masonic Temple or Masonic Hall is, within Freemasonry, the room or edifice where a Masonic Lodge meets. Masonic Temple may also refer to an abstract spiritual goal and the conceptual ritualistic space of a meeting.
Development and history
In ...
(in reference to King Solomon's Temple), Masonic Center or a Masonic Hall, such as Freemasons' Hall, London
Freemasons' Hall in London is the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England and the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England, as well as being a meeting place for many Masonic Lodges in the London area. It is located in Gr ...
. Some confusion exists as Masons usually refer to a Lodge meeting as being ''in Lodge''.
Others
*'' Göbekli Tepe'', located in southern Turkey, was built between the 8th and 10th millennium BCE. Its circular compounds on top of a tell are composed by massive T-shaped stone pillars decorated with abstract, enigmatic pictograms and animal reliefs.
*Temples of Sheikh, ancient temples in Sheikh, Somalia
Sheikh ( so, Sheekh, ar, شَيخ), also known as Shiikh, is a town in the northwestern Sahil[Somalilan ...](_blank)
*Temple of Yeha, the oldest standing structure in Yeha, Ethiopia; built around 700 BCE
*In the Star Wars films, the '' Jedi Temple'' is located on '' Coruscant''.
* Wolmyeongdong Natural Temple, located in South Korea, was developed beginning in 1990 and continues to this day.
* Pashupatinath is one of the most famous temples of Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
religion, which is located at Kathmandu, Nepal.
Convention sometimes allows the use of temple in some of the following cases:
* Baháʼí Faith temple ( Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs or ‘Houses of Worship’).
*Mankhim
Mankhim is the temple of the Kirat (Rai), one of Nepal's most ancient ethnolinguistic groups. This Mankhim is located at Aritar, Sikkim. Here the (Rai) community assembles twice every year for the celebration of ''Sakewa'', a day fixed for wo ...
, the temple of the ethnic group the Rai, located at Aritar
Aritar is a region in the Pakyong District under Rongli Sub-Division of the Indian state of Sikkim.
Geography
It is located on the edge of the Himalayas, 67 kilometres from Gangtok, 52 kilometres from Kalimpong, 40 kilometres from Pakyon ...
, Sikkim.
* Confucian temple or Temple of Confucius.
*Shintoist
Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
'' jinja'' are normally called '' shrines'' in English in order to distinguish them from Buddhist temples (''-tera'', ''-dera'').
* Taoist temples and monasteries are called or '' daoguan'' (, literally 'place of contemplation of the Tao') in Chinese, ' being the shortened version of .
*Shrines of the traditional Chinese Ethnic Shenism are called ''miao Miao may refer to:
* Miao people, linguistically and culturally related group of people, recognized as such by the government of the People's Republic of China
* Miao script or Pollard script, writing system used for Miao languages
* Miao (Unicode ...
'', or ''ancestral hall'' in English. ''Joss house'' is an obsolete American term for such kind of places of worship.
See also
* Chinese pagoda
* Dravidian architecture
*List of temples of Tamil Nadu
This is a list of temples in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu which is famed for Tamil architecture styled Hindu temples, culture and tradition and commonly known as the ''Land of Temples''. Tamil Nadu has more temples than any other states o ...
* Mandi (Mandaeism)
* Mosque
*National Temple of Divine Providence
The Temple of Divine Providence ( pl, Świątynia Opatrzności Bożej) and Pantheon of Great Poles (in Polish, Panteon Wielkich Polaków, in southern Warsaw's Wilanów district, is a principal Roman Catholic church in Poland. The backstory of i ...
*Place of worship
A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is somet ...
* Chinese temple
* Candi of Indonesia
* Balinese temple
*Jangam
The Jangam or Jangamaru (ಜಂಗಮರು) are a Shaiva order of religious monks. They are the priests or gurus of the Hindu Shaiva sect. Jangamas are also gurus of Veerashaiva' sect
Jangamas are disciples of Lord Shiva as mentioned in Bas ...
References
Further reading
*Hani, Jean, ''Le symbolisme du temple chrétien'', G. Trédaniel (editor); . éd.edition (1978), 207 p.,
External links
Definition of 'temple'
at the '' Online Etymology Dictionary''
Comparison between Egyptian and Greek temples
{{Authority control
Building types
Types of monuments and memorials
Sacral architecture
Religious buildings and structures