10. Baalbek
Baalbek, which is also known as Heliopolis, is an ancient archeological site found in eastern Lebanon. It was once home to three Roman temples, with the Temple of Jupiter being the largest. Sadly, only 6 of its 54 original columns still stand, but they’re still impressive to behold. The best-preserved temple on the site, the Temple of Bacchus, was built sometime between 150 and 250AD. Some 19 of the original 42 columns that lined its walls still stand today. They are 62 feet high.
9. Temple of Christ the Savior
Moscow’s Temple of Christ the Savior was originally commissioned after the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, but construction did not begin until 1839. Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin ordered its demolition in 1931 in order to make way for the Palace of the Soviets, which was never built. Some 60 years later, the Russian Orthodox Church was granted permission to rebuild the cathedral. It was completed in 2000 and towers 344 feet above Moscow, making it the tallest Orthodox temple (or church) in the world.
8. Temple of Saint Sava
Belgrade, the Serbian capital, is home to the world’s largest Orthodox Church building. The Temple of Saint Sava began to be built in 1985, with most of the work being completed by 2004. With that being said, work on the interior is ongoing. The building measures 299 feet in length, 266 feet in width and stands 230 feet tall. On the ground floor, it has a surface area of over 36,700 square feet.
7. Tikal (Temple IV)
Between 200 and 900AD, Tikal was the largest city in the Mayan Empire, with between 100,000 and 200,000 inhabitants. The site also contains six impressive step pyramids, with the largest of them being some 230 feet high. Temple-pyramid IV is believed to have been completed around 720AD and is the tallest pre-Columbian structure in the Americas.
6. Jetavanaramaya
A stupa is a place of meditation that is primarily associated with Buddhism. The one you see above, which can be found in Sri Lanka, is the largest in the world if measured by volume. It was constructed in the 3rd Century AD, and took 15 years to complete. No less than 93.3 million backed bricks were used to complete the 400-foot-high structure, making it the third tallest structure in the world after the Pyramids of Giza at the time of its construction.
5. Sri Ranganathaswamy
Millions of visitors and pilgrims make the trip to the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple each year. The Hindu temple complex covers 156 acres, making it the largest active one in the world (Karnak in Egypt is larger, but is not in active use). Some 21 gopurams (monumental gatehouses) can be found on the site, with the Rajagopuram being the largest of all. It stands 240 feet tall and dates back to the 17th Century.
4. Akshardham Temple
BAPS, a Hindu spiritual organization, completed this temple in 2005, and no expense was spared in its creation. The Akshardham Temple was inspired by the current head of Swaminarayan Hinduism, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, and its central monument is 141 feet high. It is also 370 feet long and 317 feet wide. A particularly wonderful feature of this temple is that it’s covered in carvings of flora, fauna, dancers, musicians, and deities from top to bottom.
3. Borobudur
Feast your eyes on the world’s largest Buddhist temple, which can be found on the Indonesian island of Java. The Borobudur was built over a 75-year period during the 8th and 9th Centuries. Over 2 million stone blocks were used in its construction, and its base measures 403.5x403.5 feet. Furthermore, the Borobodur is divided into three groups, namely the base, body, and top, resembling the major divisions of the human body.
2. Karnak (Great Hypostyle Hall)
Despite it being badly ruined, Karnak is undoubtedly one of the most impressive archeological sites in Egypt. It’s the world’s largest ancient temple complex, and it represents the achievements of many generations of Egyptian builders. One of its most famous structures is the Hypostyle Hall, an area that covers 50,000 square feet and features no less than 134 massive columns arranged in 16 rows. They previously supported a roof. The highest columns are 80 feet high.
1. Angkor Wat Temple
Angkor Wat is the largest temple complex in the world bar none and represents the very pinnacle of Khmer architecture. It was constructed during the 12th Century AD at the height of the Khmer Empire. The central temple stands on a raised terrace above the rest of the complex and what was once the wider city. Its outer gallery measures no less than 614x705 feet, and the central tower rises some 213 feet above the ground.
