A temple is derived from the Latin word templum, which refers to a place reserved for religious or spiritual activities. Temple also became associated wit the dwelling places of a God or gods. The word “temple” (which dates back to 16th century BC), despite the specific set of meanings associated with the religion of the ancient Rome. Now it is frequently used for a place where The Hindus Or Bhudists worship before their God or gods. There are thousands of temples in the world but most of these temples are present in Asia. Here is the list of names of the biggest or largest temples in the world according to their size, area or beauty.

Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched precariously on the edge of a 3,000-feet-high cliff in Paro Valley, and it is one of the holiest places in Bhutan. The monastery, formally called Taktshang Goemba, was built in 1692 and reconstructed in 1998 after a fire. Now, the monastery is restricted to practicing Buddhists on religious retreats and is off-limits to ordinary tourists.
Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai, Thailand is unlike any Buddhist temples in the world. Its constructions work started in the 1998 and completed in 2008. The all-white, highly ornate structure gilded in mosaic mirrors that seem to shine magically, is done in a distinctly contemporary style. It is the brainchild of renowned Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat.
Prambanan is a Hindu temple in Central Java, Indonesia. The temple was built in 850 CE, and is composed of 8 main shrines and 250 surrounding smaller ones. Nearly all the walls of the temple are covered in exquisite bas relief carvings, which narrate stories of Vishnu’s incarnations, adventures of Hanuman-the Monkey King, the Ramayana epic and other legends.
Shwedagon is the one of the most beautiful temple in the world. According to an estimate, it was built between the 6th and 10th century. Now, when people say “golden temple” they usually mean that the structure is golden in color. But when it comes to the Shwedagon Pagoda, golden literally means covered in gold!. In 15th century, a queen of the Mon people donated gold to the temple.
The Temple of Heaven is a Taoist temple in Beijing, the capital of China. The temple was constructed in 14th century by Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty where he would pray for good harvest and to atone for the sins of his people. Everything in the temple, which represents Heaven, is circular whereas the ground levels, which represent the Earth, are square.
Chion-in Temple located in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan was built in 1234 CE to honor the founder of Jodo Buddhism, a priest named Honen, who fasted to death in the very spot. Due to earthquakes and fire the oldest surviving building is from the 17th century. The temple bell is also a record setter: it weighs 74 tons and needs 17 monks to ring it during the New Year celebrations.
Borobudur founded in the 19th century deep in the jungles of Java. Built nearly 2 million cubic feet (55,000 m³) of stones. The temple has nearly 2,700 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. Some scholars believe that Borobudur is actually a giant textbook of Buddhism. To “read,” a pilgrim must make his way through nine platforms and walk a distance of over 2 miles. This is the one of the most beautiful and amazing temples in the world.
The Harmandir Sahib is located in punjab, India. For the Sikhs, the Golden Temple symbolizes infinite freedom and spiritual independence. This is the one of the most beautiful temples in the world. Construction of the Golden Temple began in the 1500. The Temple itself is decorated with marble sculptures, gilded in gold, and covered in precious stones.
Vishnu Temple of Srirangam located in the Indian city of Tiruchirapalli, is the largest and beautiful functioning Hindu temple in the world. The temple complex covers an area of over 150 acres (63 hectares) with seven concentric walls, the outermost being about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long. The temple has 21 gopurams total, with the largest one having 15 stories and is nearly 200 feet (60 m) tall.
Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century in what is now Cambodia. The world famous temple was first a Hindu one. Due to its complex construction, it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world. Nearby ruins of Angkor Thom and Bayon , two fantastic temples that serve as the ancient capital of Khmer empire. It is one of the 7 old wonders of ancient world.
February 21, 2010 | Mohsin Ali | 1 Comment | 6 views