Geography of ReligionReligious Landscapes

Conflict and Interaction

Cultural GeographyC.J.Cox, Instructor

Religions Overview

• What is Religion?

• Major Religions & Their Divisions

• The Geography Religion

• Religious Landscapes

• Religious Conflict and Interaction

Religious Landscapes

• Sacred Structures – Temples / Pagodas– Churches / Basilicas– Mosques

• Sacred Sites– mountains– rivers– caves

Holy Places reflect the Religious Beliefs

Ethnic religions • rooted in a distinctive

physical environment

• For example:

– Hindu - The Ganges River in India.

– Hindu - Himalayas Mt. Kalias in Nepal.

Universal religions • holy places are associated

with the founder’s life.

• For example:

– Christian - The city of Jerusalem

– Muslim - The city of Mecca

– Buddhist- Locations of important events in Buddha's life.

Rome- Christian

Jerusalem

- Jewish

-Christian

-Moslem

Ganges River-Hindu

Salt Lake City -Mormon

Lhasa -Buddhist

Medina- Muslim

Mecca -Muslim

Gaya and Lumbini-Buddhist

Selected Religious Landscapes of the World

Tenochitlan -Aztec

Himalayas- Hindu

How Did These Religions Diffuse to Where They Are?

Islam Christianity Buddhist•Traveling merchants go to North Africa

•Early believers spread ideas to the Roman Empire.

• European Colonization spreads Christianity worldwide.

•Monks travel into China, Tibet and Southeast Asia.

•Sea routes to Indonesia and Philippines introduced Islam.

•Ocean trading routes to China brought Buddhism.

•Missionaries •Missionaries •Missionaries

•Alliance with powerful communist countries.

•Alliance with technologically powerful western world & capitalism.

•Powerful kingdom of Magadhan Empire helped establish religion.

• Structure often dominates landscape with spirals, towers, or roofs

• Center of city or village often used for gathering of community

• Structure used as a reference point

Commonalties of Holy Locations

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A HOLY PLACE• A place of worship and teaching. -

Church • A space for prayer. -Mosques

• Buildings to house relics and artifacts or entomb a leader. –Pagodas, Temples & Pyramids

• A environmental astronomical calendar

• A destination goal.-pilgrimage

• Create an environment in the image of God or gods

Buddhist Stupas

ThailandCambodia

Tibet

Buddhist Landscapes

Buddhist Stupa, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand

Buddhist Temple, Louang Phrabang, Laos

Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Wheels Tibetan Landscapes

Wat Chedi Luang, Chang Mai Thailand

Grand Palace, Bangkok Thailand

Borobodour, Indonesia

Golden Temple, Kyoto Japan

Buddhist Temple, Kharkorin, Mongolia

Angor Wat, Cambodia

Christian Landscapes

Catholic Church, San Jose, CA Saint Peters Church, Vatican

Toledo, Spain

Segovia, Spain(1577)

Saint Peters at the Vatican, Rome Italy

Cathedral at Chartres, France

Templo Expiatrorio de al Sagrada Familia, Spain

Church of ResurrectionSaint Petersburg, Russia

St. Basil, Moscow, Russia

Russian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem

Taj Mahal, Agra inNW India(mausoleum)

Muslim Landscapes

Alhambra, Granada, Spain

Moorish (Muslim) Córdoba, Spain

Sultan Dascan Mosque, Madrasa

Saint Sophia, Istanbul Turkey

The Kaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

The Kaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Hindu Landscape

Hindu Landscapes

Western Wall, Jerusalem

Masada, Israel

Jewish Landscapes

Confucious Temple in Taiwan Temple of Kukuklan, Chitchen

Itzu

Ethnic & Animist Religious Landscapes

Ziggurat, Ur Iraq

Machu Picchu, Peru

Easter Island

Stonehenge, England

Parthenon, Athens Greece

Temple of Sobek, Egypt

Indian Grinding Rock

Urulu, Australia

Religions Overview

• What is Religion?

• Major Religions & Their Divisions

• The Geography Religion

• Religious Landscapes

• Religious Conflict and Interaction

Religious Conflicts & Interactions

• Israel - a case study

• Jerusalem - mixed quarters– Jewish quarter– Muslim - temple mount– Christian orthodox quarter

Western Wall & Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

Religions Overview

• What is Religion?

• Major Religions & Their Divisions

• The Geography Religion

• Religious Landscapes

• Religious Conflict and Interaction