Top 10 Best Monasteries in the World

In this travel blog, explore monasteries that are majestic feats of architecture and engineering.

#12 Xuan Kong Si (China)

This paradise is located in the Shanxi province of China. The Xuan Kong Si is a hanging temple that is placed on a Cliffside. No one knows how it was built 1,400 years ago. This amazing place has gone through a lot of terrible and horrifying phenomena including a dreadful earthquake that occurred in 1556 that caused the loss of 830,000 people. Despite facing such a disastrous event, the Xuan Kong Si is still an iconic landmark in China.

#11 Kiev Monastery of the Caves (Ukraine)

Kiev is the astounding giant complex of dramatic buildings in the heart of Ukraine’s main city. Based on its historical creation, it is said that Kiev Monastery of the Caves was originally crafted in 1051. The monastery was destroyed twice by the Mongols in the years 1240 and 1480. It was rebuilt, and over the centuries this exceptional complex has been able to develop its gorgeous size and fascinating wealth. Today, you can witness its amazing and alluring golden domes which are its iconic trademark.

#10 Gandantegchinlen Monastery (Mongolia)

The beautiful Gandantegchinlen Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia is serving as a working monastery place of monks with an epic and deep history including the Dalai Lama. It also serves as their home and is known to have been their narrow escape from the devastation during the chaos in Soviet times. In modern days, the monastery has been a popular sacred spot for locals where they bring offerings to monks as they pray and share their concerns about life, particularly health matters of a loved one. They also get to receive holy chants and books as a prescription to aid their problems. You can see how religious and spiritual the Mongolians are whenever they go there to find answers to their questions, peace to rejuvenate the soul, and a haven to practice their faith.

#9 Kykkos Monastery (Cyprus)

You can find remarkable history, incredible art, and fascinating structures in this magnificent monastery in Cyprus. Kykkos Monastery can show you the 11th century with fantastic highlights including the astonishing mosaic artwork and paintings. Located in the Troodos Mountains, this monastery is open for visitors and they can visit daily. Inside the historical and sacred haven, explorers are bound to encounter real monks who are living and walking around the grounds. Staying in this paradise won’t be possible, but you can check in at nearby hotels if you want to discover more about this marvelous place. Kykkos Monastery is highly recognized as one of the three legendary icons that are relevant with Apostle Luke.

#8 Geghard Monastery (Armenia)

Situated beside the mountain at Azat River Valley, this epic monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Geghard Monastery in Armenia has been known for its phenomenal composition and one-of-a-kind construction. Don’t miss out on the wonderful rock bridge located at the back part of the monastery as it is truly a majestic feature. Also, make sure you explore the entire paradise so you won’t miss any of the impressive displays inside the sanctuary.

#7 Ostrog Monastery (Montenegro)

This monastery is actually carved right in the walls of a soaring cliff! In Montenegro, there is an incredible monastery that is stuck on cliff walls which makes it have a phenomenal panoramic view of stunning plains. Ostrog Monastery is famously recognized as Europe’s most visually amazing religious structure that is fantastically unbeatable. The monastery is a significant dedication to Saint Basil of Ostrog who is the founder of this marvelous wonder. Ostrog Monastery is able to welcome thousands of pilgrims who are bound to pray before Saint Basil, and because of it, this popular spot has been included in the nation’s most visited pilgrimage places.

#6 Haeinsa Temple (South Korea)

Literature buffs and history hunters are sure to find this next paradise a haven for them. It serves as the home of one of the most legendary and iconic works of literature in the world known as “Tripitaka Koreana”, an astounding collection of over 81,000 woodblocks that are creatively carved along with Tripitaka or the Buddhist holy scriptures. UNESCO highly recognized and included this sanctuary on the list of World Heritage Sites. Haeinsa Temple is historically known as the most significant Buddhist monastery in the entire nation as on the precious million characters carved that were made only by a few people, there are no single mistakes, errors, or corrections that can be found!

#5 Wat Xieng Thong (Laos)

Translated, its name means “Temple of the Golden City” and it is widely-recognized as one of the largest temples in the town of Luang Prabang. Wat Xieng Thong of Laos is situated near the Mekong River, and is flourished with magnificent wall carvings, interesting mosaic patterns, and gold leaf. The main feature of this monastery is the impressive exterior which has the “tree of life” mosaic and the most amazing building, the “sim”. This wondrous site was built mainly for the purpose of the coronation of Laos’ Kings. Today, the Wat Xieng Thong monastery is now the present home of monks who are working, praying, and living inside of this marvelous treasure. When visiting this haven, be sure you wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. Entering the sacred place, you are expected to remove your shoes as part of their etiquette rules.

#4 Tabo Monastery (India)

For an ultimate and absolute trip in Spiti Valley, check out this beautiful place. This sacred paradise is the oldest operating Buddhist enclave in the nation of India. Sitting on a high-altitude village, Tabo Monastery houses nine temples, four stupas, and countless decorated cave shrines with wonderful frescoes that are a trace of the 10th century. Today, the monastery is home to dozens of monks who are living and studying at the monastery, and hundreds of students who are schooling at the Serkong School. Inside Tabo Monastery, you can see for yourself the fantastic paintings and murals that were made hundreds of years ago! To make your trip even more exciting, stay at the Tabo Monastery Guesthouse that is just at the back of the main temple.

#3 Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe (Spain)

This splendid monastery is known to be the most significant monastery in Spain. Hiding in the secluded region of the country, the Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe serves as a royal haven and a sacred site for worship of Spanish kings and queens. It was the exact place where Ferdinand and Isabella officially signed the letter authorizing the very first voyage of Christopher Columbus, and it is also the spot where Columbus made his first pilgrimage, right after he landed at the New World. When visiting, you can learn about the dazzling architecture, get to know the building’s iconic history, and dine at the courtyard of the cloister.

#2 Sumela Monastery (Turkey)

Found in the province of Trabzon in Turkey, this sanctuary is a cliffhanger site. The Sumela Monastery has an epic story behind its astounding creation. It is said that a pair of priests from Athens were having a voyage at the eastward passes by the steep cliff of this overlooking valley and thought that it might be a great spot to build a monastery. The location of Sumela Monastery is a tough challenge to every explorer.

#1 Sveti Marija Benedictine Monastery (Croatia)

Resting on a small island in Croatia at Mljet National Park, Sveti Marija Benedictine Monastery is famously known to be among the oldest religious places in the country, and it has a lot of astonishing history. This haven is situated in the middle of two lakes. The two lakes and the ocean weren’t originally connected to each other. Since monks from this monastery in the past were clever enough to make a way, they dug a pathway between the lake and ocean where they discovered a thin part of land that was enough for them to create a passageway for the two waters to meet. Another remarkable thing about this place is that during the 14th century when there was a plague pandemic, the Benedictine monastery served as a quarantine place for those who were infected. During those times, the monks acted as pharmacists to aid people who were victims of the Black Death.

Thanks for reading, Revellers! There are beautiful monasteries around the world where you can have an exciting getaway. You can learn and discover some of the world’s impressive religious traditions and cultures there. Which of these glorious monasteries would YOU like to visit? Comment below, we’d love to hear which ones you’d like to see!