Holy Islamic site

Top pilgrimage sites for Shia or Sunni muslims. Mecca and Medina are generally considered no. 1 and no. 2, several others are vying for spots no. 3 - 5.

World Heritage Sites connected to 'Holy Islamic site':

  • Ancient ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata Chinguetti: major site for African pilgrims, principal gathering place for pilgrims of the Maghreb to gather on the way to Mecca
  • Damascus Umayyad Mosque, after Mecca and Medina possibly the world's third most important mosque
  • Harar "the fourth holiest city of Islam"
  • Kairouan Centre of Islamic faith in the Maghreb; "third-holiest site" in Islam
  • Old City of Jerusalem In terms of the virtue of a religious site, and the value of prayers performed within it, Muslims believe that the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is the third most virtuous mosque
  • Samarra Al-Askari Mosque, one of Shiite Islam's holiest sites, only exceeded by the shrines of Najaf and Karbala