# Holy city

A holy city is a city important to the history or faith of a specific religion. Such cities may also contain at least one headquarters complex (often containing a religious edifice, seminary, shrine, residence of the leading cleric of the religion and/or chambers of the religious leadership's offices) which constitutes a major destination of human traffic, or pilgrimage to the city, especially for major ceremonies and observances. A holy city is a symbolic city, representing attributes beyond its natural characteristics. Marketing experts have suggested that holy cities may be the oldest brands, and more specifically, place brands because they have value added via the perception of religious adherents.

## List of holy cities in the world
### Africa

| City | Country | Religion(s) |
| Axum | Ethiopia | Christianity |
| Alexandria | Egypt | Christianity |
| Ewu | Nigeria | Christianity |
| Harar | Ethiopia | Islam |
| Ifẹ | Nigeria | Yoruba religion |
| Lalibela | Ethiopia | Christianity |
| Nkamba | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Kimbanguism |
| Zion City Moria | South Africa | Christianity |
| Kairouan | Tunisia | Islam |
| Nri-Igbo | Nigeria | Odinala |
| Point of Sangomar | Senegal | Serer religion |
| Yaboyabo | Senegal | Serer religion |

### Asia
#### Western and South Asia

| City | Country | Religion(s) |
| Amritsar | India | Sikhism |
| Anandpur Sahib | India | Sikhism |
| Antakya (Antioch) | Turkey | Christianity |
| Ayodhya | India | Hinduism |
| Balkh | Afghanistan | Islam (Shia) |
| Beirut | Lebanon | Christianity |
| Bethlehem | Palestine | Christianity, Islam, Judaism |
| Bodh Gaya | India | Buddhism, Hinduism |
| Dwarka | India | Hinduism |
| Haifa | Israel | Baháʼí Faith |
| Hebron | Palestine | Judaism, Islam |
| Hittin | Israel | Druze faith |
| Jerusalem | Israel / Palestine (Status of Jerusalem) | Judaism, Christianity, Islam |
| Kanchipuram | India | Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism |
| Haridwar | India | Hinduism |
| Karbala | Iraq | Islam (Shia) |
| Kathmandu | Nepal | Hinduism |
| Khalwat al-Bayada | Lebanon | Druze faith |
| Kufa | Iraq | Islam (Shia) |
| Lahore | Pakistan | Islam, Sikhism |
| Lumbini | Nepal | Buddhism |
| Mashhad | Iran | Islam (Shia) |
| Mathura | India | Hinduism |
| Mecca | Saudi Arabia | Islam |
| Medina | Saudi Arabia | Islam |
| Meron | Israel | Judaism |
| Mtskheta | Georgia | Christianity |
| Nashik | India | Hinduism, Buddhism |
| Nablus | Palestine | Judaism, Samaritanism |
| Najaf | Iraq | Islam (Shia) |
| Nankana Sahib | Pakistan | Sikhism |
| Nazareth | Israel | Christianity |
| Prayagraj | India | Hinduism |
| Qom | Iran | Islam (Shia) |
| Safed | Israel | Judaism |
| Tiberias | Israel | Judaism |
| Vagharshapat | Armenia | Christianity |
| Varanasi | India | Hinduism, Buddhism |

#### Central and East Asia

| City | Country | Religion(s) |
| Beigang | Taiwan | Folk religion |
| Dajia | Taiwan | Folk religion |
| Ise | Japan | Shinto |
| Kyoto | Japan | Buddhism, Shinto |
| Tenri | Japan | Tenrikyo |
| Lhasa | China | Buddhism |
| Turkistan | Kazakhstan | Sufism |

#### Southeast Asia

| City | Country | Religion(s) |
| Bali | Indonesia | Hinduism |
| Cebu City | Philippines | Christianity |
| El Salvador, Misamis Oriental | Philippines | Christianity |
| Naga, Camarines Sur | Philippines | Christianity (Roman Catholicism) |
| Siem Reap | Cambodia | Buddhism, Hinduism |

### Europe

| City | Country | Religion(s) |
| Assisi | Italy | Christianity |
| Athens | Greece | Hellenism, Christianity |
| Avila | Spain | Christianity |
| Barcelona | Spain | Christianity |
| Canterbury | England | Christianity |
| Caravaca de la Cruz | Spain | Christianity |
| Cologne | Germany | Christianity |
| Corinth | Greece | Christianity |
| Częstochowa | Poland | Christianity |
| Fátima | Portugal | Christianity |
| Istanbul (Constantinople) | Turkey | Christianity |
| Kilkenny | Ireland | Christianity |
| Kraljevo | Serbia | Christianity |
| York | England | Christianity |
| Madrid | Spain | Christianity |
| Marija Bistrica | Croatia | Christianity |
| Medjugorje | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Christianity |
| Milan | Italy | Christianity |
| Moscow | Russia | Christianity |
| Munich | Germany | Christianity |
| Veliky Novgorod | Russia | Christianity |
| Ohrid | North Macedonia | Christianity |
| Paris | France | Christianity |
| Prague | Czech Republic | Christianity |
| Rome | Italy | Christianity |
| Santiago de Compostela | Spain | Christianity |
| Santo Toribio de Liébana | Spain | Christianity |
| Sergiyev Posad | Russia | Christianity |
| Thessaloniki, Mount Athos | Greece | Christianity |
| Toledo | Spain | Christianity |
| Trondheim | Norway | Christianity |
| Uman | Ukraine | Breslov, Hasidic, Judaism |
| Uppsala | Sweden | Christianity |
| Vatican City | Vatican City | Christianity |
| Vladimir | Russia | Christianity |
| Walsingham | England | Christianity |
| Warsaw | Poland | Christianity |
| Wittenberg | Germany | Christianity |

### North America

| City | Country | Religion(s) |
| Clearwater, Florida | United States | Church of Scientology |
| Mexico City | Mexico | Christianity |
| Quebec City | Canada | Christianity |
| Salt Lake City | United States | Latter Day Saint movement |
| Siparia | Trinidad and Tobago | Christianity, Hinduism |

### South America

| City | Country | Religion(s) |
| Aparecida | Brazil | Christianity |
| Luján | Argentina | Christianity |