Sacred Mountains

Connected Sites: 60

Sacred mountains are mountains sacred to certain religion. Almost all religions have some sacred mountains.

Connected Sites

  • Sulaiman-Too
    Sulaiman-Too
    Kyrgyzstan
    Inscribed: 2009
    2.23
    63
    3
  • Mont-Saint-Michel
    Inscribed: 1979
    4.16
    328
    17
    Described as such by Unesco
    See whc.unesco.org
  • Machu Picchu
    Inscribed: 1983
    4.63
    261
    8
    Huayna Picchu
  • Hiraizumi
    Inscribed: 2011
    2.99
    60
    5
    Mount Kinkeisan
  • Pannonhalma
    Inscribed: 1996
    2.71
    149
    9
    Sacred Mount of Pannonia
  • Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple
    Inscribed: 1995
    3.32
    139
    10
    "Mount T'oham, the first to greet the sunrise in the capital of Shilla, was one of Shilla's five major mountains, even before Buddhism was introduced, and was revered as the spiritual mountain of the Shilla people." - AB document
  • Inscribed: 2011
    2.06
    7
    0
    Shiviit Khairkhan - "The mountain is still considered sacred by local people." (AB ev)
  • Jeju
    Jeju
    Republic of Korea
    Inscribed: 2007
    3.52
    117
    10
    "Shamanism and the traditional belief system played an important role in the daily life of Jeju people and show a strong relationship with the natural environment. Cultural resources in Mt. Hallasan include altars and shrines such as Sancheondan, providing traces of religious activities native to Jeju Island. Mt. Hallasan is also known for folk tales, such as Hojongdan and Gwangyangdang, showing that Mt. Hallasan served as a spiritual pillar for Jeju residents." - Nomination File
  • Gebel Barkal
    Inscribed: 2003
    3.13
    29
    4
    Jebel Barkal means 'holy mountain' in Arabic, it was believed to be the home of the god Amun (Sudan Bradt Guide)
  • Champaner-Pavagadh
    Inscribed: 2004
    2.84
    40
    3
    Pavagadh Hill: "Faith based legend surrounding Pavagadh formation suggests that the right foot of Sati is believed to have fallen at Pavagadh, thus forming a deep valley and the God later on "sent a large hill as per the request of Rishi Vishwamitra to fill up this deep valley so that the sage's sacred cows do not fall into it." Thus Kalika Mata Temple at Pavagadh is one of the holiest of Shaktipeets in Indian subcontinent." (wiki)
    See en.wikipedia.org
  • Querétaro
    Inscribed: 1996
    2.93
    104
    9
    Sangremal and which was called Ynlotepeque and considered sacred in pre-Hispanic times.
  • Quanzhou
    Inscribed: 2021
    3.40
    59
    4
    The juiri (stone inscriptions), quinyuan (lao tzu) and lingshan (islamic tombs) mountains around quanzhou are considered the three sacred mountains of quanzhou.
    See en.wikipedia.org
  • Khangchendzonga National Park
    Inscribed: 2016
    3.42
    15
    3
    sacred geography of the nominated property include: lakes, caves, sacred rocks, and sacred peaks (AB ev)
  • Central Highlands
    Inscribed: 2010
    3.09
    133
    7
    Adam's Peak
  • Al-Faw
    Al-Faw
    Saudi Arabia
    Inscribed: 2024
    1.29
    4
    3
    "sacred mountain of Khashm Qaryah" (AB ev)
  • Bom Jesus do Monte
    Inscribed: 2019
    3.06
    175
    8
    .. illustrates a European tradition of creating Sacri Monti (sacred mounts) (AB ev)
  • Mount Kumgang
    Mount Kumgang
    Korea (DPR)
    Inscribed: 2025
    3.48
    8
    1
    "In addition to its scenic beauty, Mount Kumgang is considered to be an important sacred mountain within the Buddhist world." - AB Evaluation
  • Yen Tu
    Yen Tu
    Viet Nam
    Inscribed: 2025
    1.87
    11
    2

    Yen Tu sacred mountain landscape
  • Yakushima
    Inscribed: 1993
    3.73
    32
    5
    Traditionally, the Island Mountains have been considered to have a spiritual value (Unesco website)
  • Wudang Mountains
    Inscribed: 1994
    3.42
    35
    3
    Taoist
  • Inscribed: 1996
    4.31
    15
    2
    Klyuchevskaya Sopka: "considered sacred by some indigenous peoples, being viewed by them as the location at which the world was created" (wiki without a citation)
  • Inscribed: 1995
    2.53
    13
    4
    Yalping Nyer is sacred to the Mansi
  • Vat Phou
    Inscribed: 2001
    2.96
    73
    8
    Phou Kao mountain
  • Uluru
    Uluru
    Australia
    Inscribed: 1987
    4.39
    139
    6
  • Tsodilo
    Tsodilo
    Botswana
    Inscribed: 2001
    3.08
    20
    11
  • Tongariro National Park
    Inscribed: 1990
    3.66
    119
    6
    Mounts Ruapehu, Ngaruhoe and Tongariro are sacred to the Maori
  • The Royal Court of Tiébélé
    Inscribed: 2024
    3.32
    7
    2
    located on a hill in a plain and considered sacred by the Kassena
  • Teide National Park
    Inscribed: 2007
    3.83
    189
    7
    In the Guanche cosmography Teide represented the ultimate Sacred Mountain and was also a symbolic reference for the aborigines that lived on the other islands (nom file)
  • Taputapuātea
    Inscribed: 2017
    3.00
    13
    2
    Tea’etapu and ‘Ōrofātiu
  • Si Thep
    Si Thep
    Thailand
    Inscribed: 2023
    2.48
    27
    5
    "Khao Thamorrat Cave ancient monument is a monastery with Dvaravati sculptures (382.319 ha), located within a sacred mountain" (AB ev)
  • Saint Catherine Area
    Inscribed: 2002
    3.50
    104
    8
    "centred on the holy mountain of Mount Sinaï (Jebel Musa, Mount Horeb)" (OUV)
  • Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy
    Inscribed: 2003
    2.98
    187
    10
    Christian
  • Risco Caido
    Inscribed: 2019
    2.49
    58
    4
    Offical name of the site is: Risco Caido and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria Cultural Landscape
  • Phu Phrabat
    Phu Phrabat
    Thailand
    Inscribed: 2024
    2.71
    34
    5
    as the Thai name implies, it is sacred for locals as the place where Holy Footprints of Lord Buddha are located
  • Old City of Jerusalem
    Inscribed: 1981
    4.36
    274
    12
    Temple Mount
  • Oaxaca and Monte Alban
    Inscribed: 1987
    3.72
    135
    7
    Monte Alban: "the terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds of Monte Albán were literally carved out of the mountain and are the symbols of a sacred topography." (OUV)
  • Nikko
    Nikko
    Japan
    Inscribed: 1999
    3.73
    180
    10
  • Mount Wuyi
    Inscribed: 1999
    3.43
    48
    4
    "With the consolidation of the Chinese Empire by the Han Dynasty (late 3rd century BC to early 3rd century AD) Wuyi was fully incorporated into the state system... It was at this time that Mount Wuyi (Wuyishan) acquired its status as a sacred mountain" (AB ev ICOMOS)
  • Mount Wutai
    Inscribed: 2009
    3.56
    45
    4
    One of the Buddhist Four Sacred Mountains in China
  • Mount Taishan
    Inscribed: 1987
    3.61
    71
    7
    One of the Taoist Five Great Mountains
  • Mount Sanqingshan
    Inscribed: 2008
    3.31
    36
    3
    Considered a Taoism Sacred Mountain (AB ev)
  • Mount Emei, including Leshan Giant Buddha
    Inscribed: 1996
    3.66
    97
    6
    One of the Buddhist Four Sacred Mountains in China
  • Mount Athos
    Inscribed: 1988
    3.50
    79
    8
    the sacred mountain of Athos became the principal spiritual home of the Orthodox Church in 1054 (OUV)
  • Laponian Area
    Inscribed: 1996
    3.36
    75
    7
    Áhkká in the southwestern corner of Stora Sjöfallet National Park: in the Sámi tradition it is a holy mountain (wiki)
  • Lake Baikal
    Inscribed: 1996
    3.59
    76
    5
    Shaman Rock at Olkhon is the holiest place for the Buryats, Yakuts and Altais.
  • Kinabalu Park
    Inscribed: 2000
    3.25
    93
    6
    Mount Kinabalu, sacred to the Dusun
  • Kilimanjaro National Park
    Inscribed: 1987
    3.91
    85
    7
    "sacred to the Chaga people who believe god Ruwa resides on the top" (wiki)
    See en.wikipedia.org
  • Kii Mountain Range
    Inscribed: 2004
    3.57
    121
    7
    Koyasan for Japanese Buddhism and Shinto
  • Itsukushima Shrine
    Inscribed: 1996
    3.56
    209
    11
    Mount Misen
  • Gyeongju
    Gyeongju
    Republic of Korea
    Inscribed: 2000
    3.30
    145
    14
    "Mount Namsan, which had been venerated by the existing cults of Korea, became a Buddhist sacred mountain and attracted its adherents, who employed the most outstanding architects and craftsmen of the day to create temples, shrines, and monasteries." - AB Document
  • Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain
    Inscribed: 2015
    2.48
    10
    1
  • Garajonay
    Inscribed: 1986
    3.19
    100
    6
    Sacred to the Guanche. At Alto Garajonay there are the remains of a Guanche sanctuary
  • Fujisan
    Fujisan
    Japan
    Inscribed: 2013
    3.60
    203
    8
  • Dengfeng
    Inscribed: 2010
    3.36
    67
    5
    Mount Song
  • Blue and John Crow Mountains
    Inscribed: 2015
    2.59
    41
    3
    "The mountains in themselves are held sacred by the Maroons, firstly because they are the burial ground of their ancestors and, according to West African belief, their spirits live close to these sites" (AB ev)
  • Bahá’i Holy Places
    Inscribed: 2008
    2.69
    160
    9
    Mount Carmel (North Slope included)
    See en.wikipedia.org
  • Inscribed: 2023
    2.72
    14
    3
    "Each village is guarded by a sacred mountain" (AB ev)
  • Los Glaciares
    Los Glaciares
    Argentina
    Inscribed: 1981
    4.35
    116
    7
    "The name Chaltén is of indigenous origin; the highest peak of the area Chaltén continues to be considered a sacred mountain in indigenous cosmovision." (IUCN Outlook 2020)
  • Mount Kenya
    Inscribed: 1997
    2.93
    44
    3
    It has been regarded as a sacred mountain by neighbouring Kikuyu and Meru people.
  • Sintra
    Sintra
    Portugal
    Inscribed: 1995
    3.88
    403
    14
    The sacred Mountains of Varro and Columela (AB ev)