Sacred architecture

Panorama view of a giant bronze buddha statue. Taken in Lantau Island, Hong Kong, China.

Red Torii gates and iron lamp at Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain which is 233 metres above sea-level, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines.

Kyoto, Japan - October 4, 2015: Low-angle view of one of the red pagodas at Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto, Japan. Founded in the Heian period in 778, it is one of the most famous temples in Kyoto and it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Kyoto, Japan - October 8, 2015: Exterior view of the Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as Rokuon-ji. Founded in 1397 and officially named Rokuon-ji, it is one of the most popular buildings in Japan.

Kyoto, Japan - October 8, 2015: Wide-angle view of the Zen rock garden (Karesansui Garden) at Ryoan-ji temple in Kyoto, considered one of the most notable examples of the dry-landscape style.

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Temple of Heaven, Beijing

Yangon, Myanmar - July 20, 2009: Worshippers at the Schwedagon Pagoda (Shwedagon Zedi Daw) after a heavy storm at dusk. Also known as the Great Dagon Pagoda or the Golden Pagoda, it is a 99 metre gilded pagoda and stupa located in Yangon, Burma. It is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda for the Burmese with relics of the past four Buddhas enshrined within.

Twilight view of Wat Arun across Chao Phraya River during sunset in Bangkok, Thailand

Detail of the dome and arabic architecture inside the magnificent Mihrab of the Mosque Cathedral (La Mezquita) of Córdoba, Spain, a domed shrine of Byzantine mosaics built by Al Hakam II (961-76).

Sevilla, Spain - September 20, 2015: Detail of arabic arches and engravings in the stunning moorish Alcazar of Seville, renowned as one of the most beautiful in Spain and as one of the most outstanding examples of mudejar architecture. It is the oldest Royal Palace still in use in Europe.

Wide-angle inside view of Córdoba's Synagogue, a historic building in Mudejar style in the Jewish Quarter of Córdoba, Spain, built in 1315.

Seville, Spain - September 20, 2015: Detail of arabic arches and engravings in the stunning moorish Alcazar of Seville, renowned as one of the most beautiful in Spain and as one of the most outstanding examples of mudejar architecture. It is the oldest Royal Palace still in use in Europe.

Inside view of the retable and High Altar of the Cathedral in Avila, a Romanesque and Gothic church in the South of Old Castile in Spain, considered by its age (12th century) as one of the first two Gothic cathedrals in Spain.

Madrid, Spain - September 22, 2015: Inside view of the organ, columns and colored ceiling of the neogothic interior of Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, Spain.

Inside view of the choir and Renaissance main nave of the Mosque Cathedral (La Mezquita) of Córdoba, one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture in Spain.

Inside view of the choir and Renaissance main nave of the Mosque Cathedral (La Mezquita) of Córdoba, one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture in Spain.

Inside view of the columns and decorated double arches of La Mezquita Catedral (Mosque Cathedral) of Córdoba, Spain.

Inside view of Barcelona's gothic Cathedral, also known as La Seu, located in the heart of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter.

Seville, Spain - September 20, 2015: Inside view of the vaulted ceiling of the medieval Cathedral of Seville, Spain, a Gothic and Baroque Cathedral that is currently one of the largest churches in the world.

Seville, Spain - September 20, 2015: Inside view of the vaulted ceiling of the medieval Cathedral of Seville, Spain, a Gothic and Baroque Cathedral that is currently one of the largest churches in the world.

Budapest, Hungary - June 4, 2015: Inside view of Matthias Church (Mátyás-templom, 14th century) in Budapest, a Roman Catholic church located in front of the Fisherman's Bastion at the heart of Buda's Castle.

Budapest, Hungary - June 4, 2015: Inside view of St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, Hungary, a Roman Catholic Neo-classical basilica named in honor of the first King of Hungary.

Wide-angle view of Budapest Great Synagogue (Dohány Street Synagogue - 1854-1859), the largest synagogue in Europe and one of the largest in the world.

Burning incense coils and lamps with wishes in Man Mo Temple, Hong Kong. Shallow DOF.

Side view of Santa María la Real de La Almudena, Madrid's Catholic cathedral.

Vienna, Austria - June 20, 2014: Local and tourist resting and passing by Vienna's Karlskirche in Karlsplatz on a cloudy Summer morning. This baroque church designed by architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach was completed in 1737 and is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo. The lake sculpture was designed by Henry Moore.

Inside view of Vienna's Stephansdom (St. Stephens Cathedral), the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the city. Toned.

View of Tayok Pye temple from inside a neighboring pagoda, Bagan, Myanmar.

Burning incense coils and lamps with wishes in Man Mo Temple, Hong Kong. Shallow DOF.

Figure of Christ crucified as sculpted by Juan Martinez Montañes in 1603 in polychromed wood, hosted in the chapel of San Andres in Seville's Cathedral.

Close-up of one of the numerous medieval cruceiros (calvary) in Combarro against a cloudy sky, with Jesus facing land and Mary facing the sea.