Believed to be built in 547 by Byzantine emperor Justinian I, the Monastery of Our Lady of Sednayah is one of the oldest monasteries in the world. The monastery is currently maintained by a religious order of nuns and overlooks the small town of Sednayah. The religious outpost is about 34 kilometers north of Damascus. Inside the convent is an icon of St. Mary allegedly painted by St Luke.
August 3, 2019
Azrou, Morocco
Set up in 1953, abandoned in 1978, and became a movie set in 2009.
Simalchaur Syampati, Nepal
This pilgrimage site was built to honor an incarnation of Buddha who sacrificed himself to save a tiger and her two cubs.
Bangkok, Thailand
Displaying religious art made almost exclusively in modern styles helps set this Buddhist temple apart from the myriad others in Bangkok.
Bârsana, Romania
The most impressive example of contemporary Romanian architecture in wood
Akhtala, Armenia
This often-missed monastery, set in a scenic mountain landscape, features unique frescoes, fortifications and legends.
Athens, Greece
This lesser-visited World Heritage site in Athens boasts an impressive ensemble of medieval gold mosaics.
Hisardžik, Serbia
This medieval fortress guards a monastery near the border of Serbia and Montenegro.
Curtea de Argeș, Romania
According to a gruesome legend, an architect sacrificed his wife to build this spectacular, 16th-century cathedral.
