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Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

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SRI PADA

June 26, 2016 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Sri Lanka (2,243 m) – Sacred Mountain of Sri Lanka Sri Pada is one of the most universally sacred mountains in the Far East.  A towering, almost perfectly conical peak, it is considered to be an important religious site by Buddhists and Hindus as well as by Muslims and Christians.  Its name means “butterfly mountain”, and though primarily a Buddhist site, is also known as … [Read more...]

JABAL AL-NOUR

June 26, 2016 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Saudi Arabia (842 m) – Periodic Home of the Prophet Muhammad Jabal Al-Nour is a tall, rocky hill just outside of the city of Mecca.  According to Muslim tradition, it was on this mountain where the Prophet Muhammad received his earliest divine revelations that ultimately led to the foundation of Islam.  Often overlooked because of its proximity to the great shrines of Mecca, … [Read more...]

BARA IMAMBARA

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh The Bara Imambara is, depending on who you ask, the largest mosque in India. However, an Imambara is technically not a mosque but rather a Shia ceremonial building used for the commemeroation of the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammed. This tremendous building, a public works project which ran for years in order to keep … [Read more...]

TAJ-UL-MASAJID

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh The Taj-ul-Masajid is the largest mosque in India (not counting the Bara Imambara), the second largest outside of the Middle East and the tenth largest in the world. It was the last major construction project to be initiated by the Mughal Empire in its last days, and it was not completed until 1985 after a construction hiatus that lasted more than a … [Read more...]

MAKKAH MOSQUE

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh The Makkah Mosque is often overlooked in the shadow of its more famous neighbor, the Charminar Mosque. However, the Makkah Mosque is more than worthy of attention in its own right. Begun during the reign of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty and completed under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, this 17th century masterpiece is the largest mosque in Southern India. It … [Read more...]

BIBI KA MAQBARA

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer 1 Comment

Aurangabad, Maharashtra The Bibi Ka Maqbara is arguably India’s second greatest mausoleum. However, being in the shadow of the world famous Taj Mahal, the Bibi Ka Maqbara is virtually forgotten in wider India, and almost unknown around the world. Built by the son of Shah Jahan for his first wife, the Bibi Ka Maqbara bears a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal, to which it is … [Read more...]

MOTI MOSQUE

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Delhi, NCT The Moti Mosque is part of the architectural legacy of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, the son of famed builder Shah Jahan. Like his father, Aurangzeb ruled a great realm that covered most of India, and like his father he endeavored to adorn many of its cities with civic improvements and architectural marvels. Though he did not rival his father in the latter, he did … [Read more...]

JAMA MASJID – DELHI

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer 2 Comments

Delhi, NCT Many cities grew in magnificence under the reign of Shah Jahan, but few benefited as much from his patronage as the city of Delhi. Delhi, which had previously served as a capital during the age of the Sultanate of Delhi, was established as the capital of the Mughal Empire by Shah Jahan in the early 17th century. The city was rebuilt with many new civic buildings and … [Read more...]

JAMA MASJID – AGRA

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Agra, Uttar Pradesh The last great Turkic empire to arise in Central Asia was that of the Mughals, which at its height in the late Middle Ages dominated much of Afghanistan, Persia, Pakistan and India. The Mughal Empire reached its peak during the reign of Shah Jahan in the 17th century. Shah Jahan, who was largely responsible for expanding the Mughal Empire into India, made … [Read more...]

JAMA MASJID – AHMEDABAD

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Ahmedabad, Gujarat The Jama Masjid of Ahmedabad, also known as the Jumma Mosque, was the largest mosque constructed in India prior to the arrival of the Mughals. Part of a fort complex built in the early 15th century, the Jumma Mosque is arguably the most magnificent mosque of the era. Other than its missing minarets, it is also one of finest surviving examples of pre-Mughal … [Read more...]

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THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

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Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

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