(dynamic music) - [Narrator] They are places of pilgrimage, beacons for believers, ancient in architecture, detailed in design... some splendid in their isolation, others swamped by the trappings of modern civilization, but in our increasingly secular world they stand as testament to strength of faith, not only for followers but for those in awe of their art, pageantry, and timeless appeal.

These are the world's greatest sacred sites.

(gentle music) There are few images that identify a location quite as profoundly as this one.

The Pyramids of Giza are without a doubt Egypt's most recognizable feature, and at almost 5,000 years old, are amongst the world's oldest man-made sacred sites.

The resting place of pharaohs, they are also monuments to human perseverance.

(rhythmic drumming music) The numbers are simply staggering, 20,000 workers over a 20 year period hauled more than two million blocks of stone weighing up to 15 tons each to create the Great Pyramid, the largest of the three main structures and the tomb of the Pharaoh Khufu.

So meticulous were the measurements, this geometrical masterpiece is only out of alignment by just four centimeters at the base.

But for ancient Egyptians, these weren't just architectural wonders, they were elaborate gifts to the gods.

(rhythmic music) In Ancient Egypt it was believed deities, such as the Sun God Ra, controlled the forces of nature.

Regular rituals and offerings of gold, wine, and scented oils were considered essential to maintain order in the universe.

Some historians believe that the pyramids themselves represent rays of sunlight, further connecting Ra with the pharaohs.

As the conduit between the deities and people, the pharaoh himself was considered to possess divine power, so every effort was made to ensure his comfortable passage to the afterlife.

The pyramids were filled with food and riches to sustain the departed, but Pharaoh Khafre decided external measures were also necessary to safeguard his soul.

The Great Sphinx was carved from a single piece of sandstone.

The fearsome mythical creature with the body of a lion and the face of Khafre was a visible deterrent to anyone who would dare disturb the pharaoh's eternal rest.

Ramses II wanted a more obvious monument to ensure the gods, and everyone else, remembered who he was long after his passing.

(gentle rhythmic music) He ordered the construction of a massive temple, carved into the mountainside at Abu Simbel in southern Egypt.

Four giant statues of the pharaoh flank the entrance, images of his battle victories on display for all to see.

Inside, the narcissism continued.

Depictions of Ramses adorn the many columns that lead to a detailed stone carving of the sacred emperor in the company of three gods on the back wall, carefully positioned so the sun would illuminate him at significant times.

Almost as an afterthought a second, smaller temple was built close by to honor his wife Nefertari.

In one of the most audacious archaeological engineering feats in history, half a century ago, both structures were relocated more than 200 meters inland to preserve them from flooding during the construction of the Nile's Aswan High Dam.

To achieve this ambitious undertaking, a multinational team of archaeologists and engineers cut the structures into blocks weighing up to 30 tons each, moved them to a higher location, and reassembled them in accordance with the original design.

In all, the project cost around $300 million in today's money, but for the proud custodians of this ancient sacred site, it was considered money well spent.

(ethereal music) Many of ancient Egypt's sacred sites can be found along the banks of the legendary river.

But one of the country's most revered religious settings is about as far away from the water as possible.

Mount Sinai is a holy place for Christians, Muslims, and Jews who claim this is where God or Allah handed down the 10 Commandments to Moses.

(moving to lively music) A short distance away is the site of the burning bush where many believe God told Moses to free the Hebrews from slavery.

It's now part of the World Heritage-listed St.

Catherine's Complex, one of the oldest Christian monasteries on the planet.

This sixth century citadel was built by Bedouin tribes, and many of their descendants still live in the neighboring township today.

Around the turn of the 1st millennium, a chapel within the complex was converted into a mosque in recognition of the site's significance to multiple faiths.

(dramatic music) While religion has evolved over time in Egypt, it's the ancient beliefs, stories, and incredible monuments that leave the most indelible impression.

(dynamic music) (upbeat music) Nepal has been blessed with an abundance of world wonders both natural and man-made.

Its most imposing feature, Mt.

Everest, looms larger than life on the border with Tibet, a stoic witness to the melting pot of civilizations that have passed through the Himalayas in search of enlightenment and safe refuge.

That path led many of them to the valley of Kathmandu.

For centuries this place remained in relative seclusion from the western world, until the 1970s when hippies were drawn to this mystical magnet on their journey of self-discovery from Europe to Southeast Asia.

Taken on face value alone, the capital city offers little hint of the seven World Heritage sites nestled close by.

It's a crazy, chaotic affront to the senses, a cacophony of sounds in a visually exhausting streetscape, capped off by rampant consumerism all at odds with its spiritual significance.

This struggling urban center is an anomaly in modern times.

(singing a foreign language) Kathmandu has successfully blended two dominant religions paying homage to both in an unparalleled display of tolerance and acceptance.

While Nepal is an officially secular state, more than 80% of its 29 million people are Hindu, with only 9% identifying as Buddhist.

High on a hill overlooking the capital is Swayambhunath, a shrine of significance to both Buddhists and Hindus, known to many as the Monkey Temple.

(somber music) Every morning at dawn, hundreds of devotees climb the 365 steps to the stupa, the dome-shaped structure housing the remains of monks and nuns, this mausoleum now a site for meditation.

Both Hindus and Buddhists perform rituals beneath the golden spire, spinning intricately-inscribed prayer wheels containing mantras which they believe helps them gain wisdom and good karma.

For maximum benefit, (cylinders ringing) the cylinders are turned clockwise, the direction in which the words are written, following the movement of the sun across the sky.

The prayer wheels form part of a daily ritual, with the faithful following a clockwise path around the stupa under the watchful eyes of Buddha.

The symbol in between is Nepali for number one representing the unity of all living things.

But Swayambhunath is not the largest or most significant of the Buddhist temples in this Himalayan valley.

That honor goes to Boudhanath the great stupa to the city's east.

(chanting in a foreign language) Its revered status gives no hint of its humble beginnings.

Legend says it was built to the size of a water buffalo's hide cut into thin strips and laid end to end in a giant circle that now forms the circumference of the stupa.

Over the centuries it's undergone several facelifts following times of human conflict and natural disaster.

And while the modern world has encroached, the stupa keeps a hypnotic hold on those in search of holiness, continually calling upon them to look inwards.

It remains a sanctuary for the thousands of Tibetans who fled here following the Chinese invasion of their homeland in the 1950s.

For them, this is indeed the most holy place in all of Nepal.

(gentle music) For the dominant Hindu population, their most sacred site is a short distance away on the banks of the Bagmati River.

This extensive temple precinct was built to honor Pushupati, the lord of animals.

The sprawling 264 hectare complex is considered sacrosanct, only the devout allowed within the walls of Pashupatinath.

For others, this holiest of Hindu enclaves can be viewed from a respectful distance on the far side of the river.

Over 500 temples and monuments have been added to the 17th century pagoda-style shrine which replaced the original structure thought to have been consumed by termites.

(upbeat music) The river itself draws pilgrims from around the region who seek to wash away their sins in the holy water.

It's also an auspicious location for cremations.

Hindus believe the Bagmati guarantees a favorable path for reincarnation.

In both life and death, Hindus are drawn to Pashupatinath.

There are older, larger, and possibly more elaborately designed sacred sites spread throughout Asia, but in terms of density, diversity, and the harmonious blending of faiths, Kathmandu Valley remains in a class of its own.

(dynamic music) (ethereal music) As a city that straddles two continents, Istanbul is adept at blending conflicting influences, and nowhere is that more obvious than in its most famous building.

(gentle music) The Hagia Sophia held the title of the largest cathedral in the world for almost a thousand years, but from the outside, it's difficult to tell.

Scanning the skyline, first time visitors would struggle to identify the church from the neighboring mosque and for good reason.

When the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in the mid-15th century, the Greek Orthodox structure, like much of the city, converted to Islam.

Bells and altars were removed and four minarets added in an effort to erase the more obvious traces of its Christian past.

It was only saved from certain destruction by its grandiose design.

(lively music) Even the invaders were impressed by its Byzantine features such as the elaborate mosaics and marble pillars that adorn its interior.

(singing in a foreign language) In 532 A.D., Emperor Justinian wanted to construct something so special he employed a physicist and a mathematician as his architects.

They designed a dome 33 meters in diameter the likes of which the world had never seen.

(upbeat rhythmic music) Such was the sheer scale of their work, when an earthquake struck a year after completion, the walls could not support the detailed dome and it collapsed.

It was immediately reconstructed from lighter materials and windows added to decrease weight and ease the load.

Mosaic masterpieces that once adorned the ceiling were covered up during its time as a mosque.

Many have been restored since the building underwent its most recent metamorphosis, turning into a museum in the 1930s.

When the neighboring Blue Mosque was constructed in the early 17th century, Sultan Ahmed drew design inspiration from Hagia Sophia.

(lively music) But he wanted something even more impressive.

So instead of the standard single dome and four minarets representing the Five Pillars of Islam, he ordered five main domes, eight secondary ones, and six minarets.

Popular folklore says the two extra minarets were the result of a misunderstanding between the sultan and the architect.

Ahmed supposedly requested gold or altin towers, but the designer heard alti meaning six.

As eye-catching as the mosque is on the outside, its true artistry can only be appreciated from within.

While it's officially known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, its colloquial name comes from the more than 20,000 hand-painted blue tiles that line its walls.

200 plus stained glass windows filter in light assisted by numerous chandeliers.

(singing in a foreign language) Verses from the Quran are an integral part of the design.

Unlike the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque is not just a place for visitors.

15,000 Muslims pray here every day.

While Turkey is officially secular, more than 90% of its population identify as Muslim and the Blue Mosque is revered as one of the nation's most sacred sites.

(lively rhythmic music) Istanbul is a modern Eurasian city which embraces its past while looking to the future.

Its proven ability to adapt and improve has allowed it to successfully bridge two worlds.

(dynamic music) (gentle violin music) When UNESCO declares a site to be worthy of World Heritage status before it's even completed, it's a sure sign that there's something pretty special about it.

And that's certainly the case with De la Sagrada Familia.

(upbeat music) Barcelona's Church of the Holy Family is the ultimate work in progress.

Construction started more than 135 years ago and it's still over a decade away from completion.

While the timeframe of the build is worthy of recognition in itself, it's without doubt its design that sets it apart from all others.

Architect Antoni Gaudi had a reputation for unusual creations.

His eclectic style was derived from a number of influences including Gothic and Art Nouveau, which attracted ridicule from many of the local people, but delight and awe from foreign visitors.

(upbeat classical music) It's probably no surprise that he wasn't the Catholic Church's first choice for the project.

But in 1883, when the original designer resigned after the first year of construction, Gaudi took the reigns and drove the build in a direction that not even the most forward thinking of his supporters could ever have envisaged.

Due to the complexity of his unorthodox design, progress was slow.

But when the eccentric architect was pressed on the subject, he's said to have remarked that "his client is not in a hurry" and neither was he.

Gaudi only saw 1/4 of his final masterpiece completed before his death in 1926 at age 73.

(somber violin music) With the charismatic leader no longer at the helm, enthusiasm for the project waned, and private funding critical to its success slowed to a trickle for the remainder of the 20th century.

Amazingly, the midway point was only reached in 2010.

But that hasn't deterred the millions of devout Catholics that make the pilgrimage to inspect this unfinished work of sacred art each year.

(upbeat music) It's been described as an open Bible etched in stone, an illuminated forest, and the creation of God's architect.

(lively waltz music) Parts of Sagrada Familia are already in use, but only in a limited sense.

There are still 10 spires to be completed, each symbolizing an important figure in the New Testament.

Gaudi's complex geometric designs were frequently drawn from nature rather than contemporary architecture, and have often proved challenging to manifest.

But, with the use of computer technology to help speed the process up, the Basilica is anticipated to be completed by 2026 to mark the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death.

Until then, patience is a virtue, but at least Barcelona's residents and global devotees of this eccentric architect have a taste of what's to come.

(dynamic music) (singing in a foreign language) (gentle music) Spirituality is synonymous with life in India.

It permeates every aspect of daily being.

And while, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, and a myriad of other religions are all represented within the nation, 80% of the 1.3 billion people identify with the Hindu faith.

(gentle rhythmic music) The Indian religion is considered the world's oldest surviving belief system and encompasses a wide range of traditions and rituals honoring more than 33 million deities.

Central to Hinduism is the concept of reincarnation, after death returning in a new body, the status of which is dependent on how well the previous life was lived.

For Hindus, the River Ganges holds the key to spiritual happiness.

This massive waterway flowing two and a half thousand kilometers from the Indian Himalayas to the coast of Bangladesh is where pilgrims come to cleanse, to contemplate, and to cremate their dead.

At the heart of all these practices is the holiest city of them all, Varanasi.

This once important industrial center had a religious revival in the 18th century and is now the staging point for ceremonies to atone for past and present lives.

(somber music) A staggering 23,000 temples have been built in the city, but it's not the structures the pilgrims come for, it's the river banks.

From dawn until after dusk, pilgrims line up along the more than 80 ghats, the sets of stone steps built along the Ganges where they bathe their bodies, clean their clothes, and soothe their souls.

Despite the river being one of the most polluted waterways in the world, for Hindus it's a gift from Heaven, a manifestation of the Goddess Ganga who they believe will wash away their sins and allow them a better life in their next existence.

But the holiest of practices is reserved for the dead.

(somber music) For Hindus cremated on the banks of the Ganges, it's hoped their soul will go straight to heaven, releasing them from the endless cycle of birth and re-birth.

The demand is such that the flame burns continually, a ready supply of kindling close by to ensure a smooth departure on their eternal journey.

While Hindus have found their nirvana at Varanasi, for Buddhists, their most significant site is just a short distance away.

(gentle rhythmic music) Sarnath is credited as being the birthplace of Buddhism.

Two and half thousand years ago after Buddha found enlightenment, he delivered his first sermon here to his five faithful followers.

His devotees now number in the millions and many visit here as one of the four most revered places in their religion as selected by Buddha before his death.

(lively rhythmic music) While India's sacred sites are the embodiment of all things spiritual, they're generally far from serene, (lively music) with thousands of people on any given day vying for enlightenment.

The lakeside city of Pushkar is an exception.

From a distance, the 500 whitewashed, waterfront temples appear as an oasis on the edge of the desert in the northwest state of Rajasthan.

(gentle music) Far from the polluted Ganges, these waters are clean enough to support a large congregation of carp.

Its pilgrims are largely Hindus hoping to absolve their sins by bathing in the holy lake in a far more relaxed setting than Varanasi.

Pushkar has long been a center of trade and is still a popular camel market today, but it's uncertain when the town was first established.

Hindus believe Pushkar's three lakes were formed when Lord Brahma, the god of creation, dropped a lotus flower from the heavens to dispatch a demon inhabiting the region with holy waters springing from the barren ground in each of the three spots in which the flower rebounded.

(singing in a foreign language) Pushkar has the only temple in India devoted to the highly venerated god Brahma and devout Hindus travel from all over the country to pay their respects at the 14th century structure.

There is a frenetic pace to India that sits at odds with its spiritual side, a constant hustle and bustle even at its most sacred of sites.

But the faithful have learnt to ignore the intrusions into their moments of enlightenment, becoming even more determined to travel on their path to inner peace and redemption.

(dynamic music) The quest for a quiet place of contemplation is a common thread binding most religions, (gentle music) but few have taken it to the same extreme as the Greek Orthodox Church.

Meteora in the central plains of Greece is deserving of its name, meaning lofty or elevated.

These sandstone monoliths have been sculpted by the forces of nature, (ethereal music) rugged, remote, and for religious recluses, closer to Heaven than Earth.

Monks first sought refuge in the caves carved into the towering rock formations here around a thousand years ago (moving to lively music) a place to meditate and to remove themselves from everyday life.

But as Turkish attacks on Greece escalated in the 14th century, plans were made for a more permanent place of peace and refuge.

The first and largest of the six main monasteries was not the simple structure its location would have suggested.

Instead this elaborate complex was detailed in design, a feat even more astonishing considering that the solid stone used to construct the building had to be hoisted up the sheer cliff faces in nets.

(gentle music) The monks considered this arduous daily toil as God's work, and the monastery was all the more revered for it.

When completed, the only access was via a rope ladder, which was lowered or drawn up on demand, preventing invaders reaching the sacred sanctuary.

Over the centuries another five monasteries were constructed in a similar style on adjacent stone monoliths, each isolated from the next but symbolically unified in their outlook.

Steps were added in the 1920s, still an arduous climb but less of a leap of faith than previously required.

Not as isolated as they once were, the relative ease of access made the monasteries vulnerable to outside threats, and in World War II many valuable religious relics, rare books, and manuscripts, were stolen by invading Nazi forces, never to be returned.

(inspirational music) Today only a handful of monks and nuns continue to live in Meteora, trying to preserve its history and holy way of life.

Its only fitting UNESCO has added this mountaintop refuge to its list of World Heritage sites, something so spectacular, so unexpected born out of the simple desire for serenity and seclusion.

(dynamic music) (gentle music) There's a certain mystique surrounding Bhutan, a curiosity about the tiny Himalayan kingdom tied to its traditions, remote and resistant to modernization yet leading the world in its focus on well-being.

By western standards the Land of the Thunder Dragon, as it's sometimes known, is behind the times.

Internet and television were only introduced here 20 years ago.

Tourism is still in its infancy, and the one traffic light in the entire country has been removed in favor of people-powered policing.

Despite its late and somewhat tentative entry onto the global stage, Bhutan has demonstrated its progressive thinking in regards to its less than 800,000 citizens.

(gentle upbeat music) In 2008, the ruling family voluntarily relinquished its absolute monarchy with the king remaining head of state overseeing an elected parliament.

But most importantly, it created the concept of gross national happiness, a way of assessing the kingdom's success based on its people's outlook rather than more standard monetary measures.

But this is not a country that's thrown caution to the wind.

Guidelines are still in place to ensure traditions remain central to daily life.

National dress is mandatory for all visits to government departments and the overriding tenet of this religious nation is the way of the Buddha.

(gentle music) One in four Bhutanese males are monks and in the ultimate intermingling of state and spirituality, government offices and monasteries are housed together in buildings called dzongs, which are spread all over the country.

And while festivities are an important part of keeping traditions alive here, the holiest of all Buddhist sites demands serenity above all else.

(gentle flute music) Taktshang Goemba or Tiger's Nest Monastery is the epitome of splendid isolation.

It clings to a cliff face, 3,000 feet above the Paro Valley in western Bhutan.

This is where Buddhists believe Guru Rinpoche, who is widely recognized as the second Buddha, rode on the back of a flying tigress to meditate in a cave before emerging to convert local demons to the sacred teachings of Buddhism.

(inspirational music) Guru Rinpoche's mission proved so successful that this monastery was built in his honor.

Its very existence is a tribute to the dedication of the devout who constructed this precariously positioned outpost more than 300 years ago as a monument to meditation.

Sitting at more than 3,000 meters above sea level, it's reached, quite literally, by a breathtaking two-hour climb.

(somber music) And while outsiders are asked to keep a respectful distance, Bhutanese Buddhists are expected to make the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime.

There are few places left in the world where religion is so intrinsic to everyday life.

To experience Bhutan is to experience Buddhism at its purest.

(dynamic music) (upbeat music) If the Vatican City is the heart of the Catholic Church, then Melk Abbey in Austria must surely be its striking face.

In a region of Europe renowned for its classical architecture, this religious relic manages to stand out from the crowd.

(light upbeat music) Melk Abbey shows its most imposing side from a stretch of the Danube River just over an hour's drive from the capital Vienna.

Approached from the land, it looks like something else altogether, the first hint of its previous incarnation.

(lively classical music) This Benedictine abbey was once a summer palace for the ruling Babenberg dynasty in the later years of the first millennium before it was given to the church in 1089.

The monks turned the palace into a place of learning and culture, opening a school, which today is still in operation some 900 years later.

The monks' dedication to scholarly pursuits saw the creation of a library which continues to house historical manuscripts and over 100,000 leather bound books written in 25 different languages.

(gentle music) Amongst the more bizarre elements to be found within the abbey are the bejeweled remains of catacomb saints.

This one, named St.

Clements, is thought to have been assembled from the bones of several early Christian martyrs whose remains were discovered in a Roman catacomb in the 16th century.

These once revered holy relics were thought to protect the churches they inhabited, but this was not always the case.

The abbey's bold Baroque features were only added in the early 18th century following a damaging attack by invading Turks.

Under the watchful eye of architect Jakob Prandtauer, the edifice was transformed into a work of art, generously embossed with gold and marble.

His vision to bring heaven onto Earth was so effectively captured in this church that UNESCO granted the abbey World Heritage status.

Even away from the altar, the attention to detail is exquisite.

Painter Paul Troger's portraits of saints and sinners stretch across the ceiling of the great marble hall, enticing anyone who enters to look heavenward.

(gentle classical music) Melk Abbey's appeal extends far beyond the reach of Catholicism, monument to art, to academia, and to eye-catching architecture.

(dynamic music) From mountains to valleys, rivers to lakes, deserts to cities, we have staked our claim on spiritual places.

The faithful and the curious are drawn to these sacred sites, whether for enlightenment, or to marvel at the depths of devotion that created these man-made masterpieces.

For, in a world fixated on technology and trends, they stand as a timeless reminder of resilience, respect, and the need to reflect.