For most of human history, the Earth was inseparable from daily life. For thousands of years, people depended on the food they grew in their yards and the water that flowed in the rivers outside their doors. It’s no wonder, then, that the Earth has long been associated with mystical qualities, and many of the earliest deities on record correspond to various elements, from the sun and the moon to fire and water.
But some natural places hold uniquely potent positions in various faiths and cosmologies. These are some of those places that are still—according to tradition, religion, and legend—said to have magical, healing, or otherwise supernatural powers. Many of these places have been pilgrimage sites for thousands of years, and some are said to have various transformative effects on those who visit them. Read about some of the world’s most powerful pilgrimage sites below.
- Varanasi, India
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia
- The Pyramids of Egypt
- Stonehenge, England
- Mount Kailash, Tibet
- Mount Shasta, California
Varanasi, India
Varanasi is a city located in Northern India on the banks of the Ganges River, and it is considered India’s holiest city. It has been settled for thousands of years, making it one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, and it is a pilgrimage site for many Hindu and Jain people—many of whom believe that if you die here, your soul may be freed forever from the cycle of death and rebirth. Modern estimates say that up to 100,000 bodies are cremated on the banks of the Ganges here each year.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia
This national park is best known for its namesake, the massive monuments Uluru and Kata Tjuta. At over 1,100 feet tall, Uluru is one of the world’s largest sandstone monuments. This place has also been recognized as sacred for thousands of years by the local Anangu people.
According to Anangu cosmology, the central Australian landscape—including Uluru and Kata Tjuta—was created at the very beginning of time, and the place is the setting of countless creation stories and myths. Tjukurpa, or Dreamtime, is the Anangu people’s way of explaining how each part of the land was created by an ancestral, powerful being, and according to this system—which is at once a religious philosophy and an ethical code—Uluru was one of the first sites created by the earliest Anangu. Some Anangu beliefs also say that simply touching these rocks can put one in touch with spirits and ancestors.
The deed for the park was returned from the Australian government to the Anangu in 1985, and since then, the park has been a powerful pilgrimage site for those looking to engage with Aboriginal cosmology and history.
The Pyramids of Egypt
The Egyptian pyramids have fascinated travelers and scholars for thousands of years. Built as tombs for pharaohs, the specifics of how they were constructed have long mystified archaeologists and researchers of all kinds. The largest, the Great Pyramid of Giza, consists of 2.3 million stone blocks, and there’s still some debate about exactly how this ancient society managed to lift so many massive stones into the perfectly shaped arrangement that still stands today.
Naturally, this mystery has sparked many rumors and myths. There are also several well-supported theories about how the pyramids were built—the most prominent of which suggests that Ancient Egyptians may have used a sophisticated system of ramps that were able to lift the stones.
Many historians also say the pyramids may have been created to ensure the immortality of pharaohs’ souls. Still other legends—albeit with significantly less evidence behind them—claim that the pyramids can connect humans to higher states of consciousness, or that they can serve as bridges to the realm of the divine. Regardless, the pyramids remain stunning examples of human ingenuity and creativity.
Stonehenge, England
Salisbury Plain’s Stonehenge has long been a popular site of speculation, mythology, and lore. This monument’s exact purpose remains debated, but it is noted for aligning with solar events like the solstices, and some believe it may have been used to map out astrological movements. Other popular legends claim Stonehenge was created by Druids, Celtic priests who worshiped nature, though in actuality, there is little historical basis for this speculation. Regardless, today, it is a popular pilgrimage site for modern-day Druids.
Built between 3000 and 1520 BCE, this monument’s creation has also been attributed to everyone from the 5th-century Arthurian wizard Merlin to dancing giants in various legends. Folklore about the site’s supposed healing properties also abounds. Interestingly, many of the skeletons buried in the area showed signs of disease or injury, indicating that the place may have been an ancient site for healing.
Mount Kailash, Tibet
In Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, and other faiths, this 21,778-foot peak is regarded as the “center of the universe,” and is said to be a home of countless gods and spirits. It is located near Lake Manasarovar, a body of water that is also a pilgrimage site said to have the power to purify a person’s soul.
Known for its diamond shape, the mountain is associated with Mount Meru in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology—a peak said to be the center of the physical and spiritual planes—and walking around it a single time is believed to erase all the sins of a person’s life. The mountain has never been successfully summited, largely due to its religious importance but also due to its difficult terrain and freezing climate.
Mount Shasta, California
California’s Mount Shasta has long drawn spiritual seekers to its pine-covered peaks. According to some legends, the mountain sits upon a hidden city inhabited by Lemurians, a pseudoscientific and mythical race of early humans often cited in occult lore. Other myths about the mountain claim that its waters have healing powers, and all manner of phenomena—from UFOs to Bigfoot—have allegedly been spotted here.
The mountain, which New Age pilgrims sometimes refer to as the “root chakra of the world,” is a stratovolcano that is the second-highest peak in California’s Cascades.
