Sacred space
A sacred space, sacred ground, sacred place, sacred temple, holy ground, holy place or holy site is a location which is deemed to be sacred or hallowed. The sacredness of a natural feature may accrue through tradition or be granted through a blessing. One or more religions may consider sacred locations to be of special significance. Often, such locations either are or become the home of sanctuaries, shrines, places of worship, or locations conducive to meditation. Regardless of construction or use, these areas may have a variety of ritual or taboo associations – including limitations on visitors or on allowed actions within the space. Such places may become the focus of pilgrimage, drawing pilgrims from great distances, or simply locations of significance for the local populace.
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Examples
Types of sacred places include:
- Australian Aboriginal sacred sites
- Sacred groves (such as those in India or in Germanic cultures)
- Sacred mountains
- Sacred trees
- Sacred waters
Specific sacred places include:
- The Holy Land
- Sapta Puri
See also
Further reading
- Bain, George. Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction. Dover, 1973. ISBN 0-486-22923-8.
- Bamford, Christopher. Homage to Pythagoras: Rediscovering Sacred Science, Lindisfarne Press, 1994, ISBN 0-940262-63-0.
- Calian, George. Sacred Spaces in Motion, RES, 2021, ISSN 2359-8107.
- Schneider, Michael S.: A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science. Harper Paperbacks, 1995. ISBN 0-06-092671-6.
- Pennick, Nigel: Beginnings: Geomancy, Builders' Rites and Electional Astrology in the European Tradition .
- Pennick, Nigel: Sacred Geometry: Symbolism and Purpose in Religious Structures.
