Novice Buddhist monk kneeling beneath the Phra Atchana Buddha statue, Wat Si Chum, Sukhothai, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sukhothai Province, Thailand, Asia

Gopuram of the ancient Dravidinian style Lakshmi Ramana Swami temple within the grounds of Amba Vilas Palace in Mysore, India, Asia

The world's largest book, set in stone, in the grounds of the Kuthodaw pagoda at the foot of Mandalay Hill, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

The world's largest book, set in stone, in the grounds of the Kuthodaw pagoda at the foot of Mandalay Hill, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Temple of Concordia, Valley of Temples, Agrigento, UNESCO, Sicily, Italy

Standing Buddha statue in Atadage building in the Quadrangle, ancient city of Polonnaruwa, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sri Lanka, Asia

Lanterns at Bulguksa Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gyeongju, South Korea, Asia

Templo Romano (Roman temple) (Temple of Diana), ruins dating from 2nd or 3rd century, possibly dedicated to Julius Caesar, with 14 Corinthian columns capped with Estramoz marble, Evora, UNSCO World Heritage Site, Alto Alentejo, Portugal, Europe

Tourists in grounds of Silver Pagoda in Royal Palace, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Exterior view of a stupa inside the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Exterior view of a stupa inside the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Exterior view of a stupa inside the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Exterior view of a stupa inside the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Exterior view of a stupa inside the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Kinpusenji Temple and red autumn leaves of maple trees, Yoshino Yama holy temple mountain near Nara, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Exterior view of the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Temple of Ramesses III, Medinat Habu, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Thebes, Luxor, Egypt, North Africa, Africa

Prambanan, 9th century Hindu temple, UNESCO, Java, Indonesia

Prambanan, 9th century Hindu temple, visitors taking pictures with smartphone, UNESCO, Java, Indonesia

View of Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo, Honshu, Japan

The Sun Temple dedicated to the Hindu solar deity Surya, built in 1991, constructed as an 18-wheeled chariot drawn by seven white horses, outside Bundu, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, Asia

Shoro (Bell Building) and tunnel to Rengeoin Todaimon (Grand East Gate) in Sanjusangendo Temple, Sanjusangendomawari, Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

View of Torii Gate at Fushimi Inari Shrine at dusk, Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

View of Higashi Hongan-ji Temple, Shimogyo Ward, Higashishiokoji Kamadonocho, Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

View of Nidec Kyoto Tower from Higashi Hongan-ji Temple at night, Shimogyo Ward, Higashishiokoji Kamadonocho, Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

View of Shitenno-ji Gojunoto (Five Story Pagoda) and Shitenno-ji Kondo (Golden Hall) on sunny day, Shitennoji, Tennoji Ward, Osaka, Honshu, Japan

Entrance of Kaiyuan Temple, first established 738AD, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, China

Words (fate brings visitors to Kaiyuan) on a red wall in Kaiyuan Temple, first established 738AD, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, China

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Singapore

Wat Benchamabopit (The Marble Temple), Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Rong Khun, the famous White Temple, Chiang Rai, Thailand

Wat Rong Khun, the famous White Temple, Chiang Rai, Thailand

Wat Rong Khun, the famous White Temple, Chiang Rai, Thailand

Buddhist monks at Wat Rong Khun, the famous White Temple, Chiang Rai, Thailand

Jizo statue adorned with vines, amidst vibrant greenery and autumn trees in the peaceful grounds of Sanzen-in Temple, Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

A traditional Japanese temple surrounded by gravestones and vibrant autumn foliage in sacred grounds of Koyasan (Mount Koya), Honshu, Japan

Quan Am Phat Dai Buddhist temple, Quan Am (Quanyin) (Bodhisattva of Compassion) (Goddess of Mercy), Bac Lieu, Vietnam

A majestic red gate leading to the Enryaku-ji Temple complex, surrounded by autumn trees, Mount Hiei, near Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

Serene bamboo grove growing on a lush mossy forest floor at Tenryu-ji Temple in Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

Panoramic view over vast autumnal valley of Arashiyama, with grey tiled temple roofs of Daihikaku Senkoji Temple, Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

A temple gate frames vibrant autumn foliage at a historic Zen temple in Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

Vibrant pumpkin sculpture by Yayoi Kusama outside Kyoto temple, blending contemporary art with traditional surroundings, Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

The grounds surrounding the Buddhist Mahabodhi Mahabihara Temple originally erected around 260 BCE where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment and formulated his teachings, Bodh Gaya, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bihar, India, Asia

Haw Pha Bang Temple, built in grounds of Royal Palace Museum to enshrine the most highly revered Phra Bang Buddha, Luang Prabang, Laos

The Red Chapel (Haw Tai Pha Sai-Nyaat) (Chapel of the Reclining Buddha), Buddhist temple of Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang, Laos

An ornate Buddhist temple in the grounds of Buddha's birth place, Lumbini, Nepal, Asia

An ornate Buddhist temple in the grounds of Buddha's birth place, Lumbini, Nepal, Asia

Exterior view of a stupa inside the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

The Greek temples of Paestum, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Campania, Italy, Europe

Sewu Temple Compound, 8th century Buddhist temple located at the north of Prambanan Temple Compounds, UNESCO World Heritage Site, region of Yogyakarta, Java island, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

A tranquil pathway leading to Sanzen-in Temple, surrounded by vibrant autumn foliage and moss-covered grounds in Kyoto, Honshu, Japan

Antique votive stupas line the Chankramana Walk adjacent to the ancient north wall of the Buddhist Mahabodhi Mahabihara Temple (Great Stupa), Bodh Gaya, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bihar, India, Asia

The hilltop Digambara Jain Temple stands above the Udayagiri and Khandagiri complex of caves dating back to over 100 years BCE, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, Asia

Entrance gate to a government building at night in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Angkor Wat, UNESCO World Heritage Site, a Hindu-Buddhist temple complex near Siem Reap, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Itsukushima Shrine, Shinto temple, on Miyajima Islan, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hiroshima Prefecture, , Honshu, Japan, Asia

Sweeper in front of Sewu Temple Compound, 8th century Buddhist temple located at the north of Prambanan Temple Compounds, region of Yogyakarta, Java island, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Stone gate guardian (dvarapala) of Sewu Temple Compound, 8th century Buddhist temple located at the north of Prambanan Temple Compounds, UNESCO World Heritage Site, region of Yogyakarta, Java island, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Stone gate guardian (dvarapala) of Sewu Temple Compound, 8th century Buddhist temple located at the north of Prambanan Temple Compound, UNESCO World Heritage Site, region of Yogyakarta, Java island, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Sweeper in front of Sewu Temple Compound, 8th century Buddhist temple located at the north of Prambanan Temple Compounds, region of Yogyakarta, Java island, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Ranakpur Jain temple (Chaturmukha Dharana Vihara), Ranakpur, Rajasthan, India

Stone bridge at Dongwang Temple, Yuyuan Ancient Village, datig back to the Song Dynasty, Wuyi County, Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, China

The ancient bell, cast in 1254, of Yanfu Temple, Wuyi County, Jinhua City, Zhejiang, China

Stone statue of a mythical creature among ruins in the grounds of the mid 13th century Sun Temple, dedicated to Surya, the Hindu Sun God, constructed as a twelve-wheeled chariot drawn by seven horses, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Konarak, Puri District, Odisha, India, Asia

Pilgrims and views of the Kumano Hongu Shrine along the Kumano Kodo ancient pilgrimage route near Hongu, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Itsukushima Shrine, Shinto temple, on Miyajima Island, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hiroshima Prefecture, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Itsukushima Shrine, Shinto temple, on Miyajima Island, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hiroshima Prefecture, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Pilgrims among ruins in the grounds of the mid 13th century Sun Temple, dedicated to Surya, the Hindu Sun God, constructed as a twelve-wheeled chariot drawn by seven horses, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Konarak, Puri District, Odisha, India, Asia

Stone statues of elephants among ruins in the grounds of the mid 13th century Sun Temple, dedicated to Surya, the Hindu Sun God, constructed as a twelve-wheeled chariot drawn by seven horses, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Konarak, Puri District, Odisha, India, Asia

The bazaar in the street leading to the entrance gate to the grounds of the mid-13th century Sun Temple dedicated to the Hindu Sun God, Surya, Konarak, Puri District, Odisha, India, Asia

The ruins of the Roman town of Dougga, a UNESCO World Heritage site, valley of Oued Khalled, northwest Tunisia

Exterior view of the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

An ornately decorated gate in the grounds of the Tu Duc Tomb near Hue, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Gateway in the grounds of Kek Lok Si Buddhist temple, Air Itam, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Hindu shrine in grounds of temple, for women who want to have a child, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India, Asia

Water fountain in the grounds of a temple in Kyoto, Japan, Asia

The world's largest book, set in stone, in the grounds of the Kuthodaw Pagoda at the foot of Mandalay Hill, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Devotees gathered in the grounds of the 12th century Jagannath Temple, dedicated to Lord Jagannath, embodiment of Krishna, waiting for a sign from Krishna, in Puri,the oldest of India's four holiest Hindu religious centres, State of Odisha, India, Asia

Locals playing cards in front of a small temple in the grounds of the 12th century Jagannath Temple, dedicated to Lord Jagannath, an embodiment of Krishna, Puri, in the State of Odisha, India, Asia

A monk in maroon robes holding a staff and a steel alms bowl standing in the grounds of a temple, Sittwe, Rakhine, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Holy woman sitting on the ground at the Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Some religious people reach Brahmayani temple measuring their body length. To do so, a person prostrates on the ground and extends his clasped hands above his head. An assistant puts a few grains of rice at the end of the clasped hands as a marking point. Then, the man steps to this marking point and then prostrates again. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Some religious people reach Brahmayani temple measuring their body length. To do so, a person prostrates on the ground and extends his clasped hands above his head. An assistant puts a few grains of rice at the end of the clasped hands as a marking point. Then, the man steps to this marking point and then prostrates again. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Some religious people reach Brahmayani temple measuring their body length. To do so, a person prostrates on the ground and extends his clasped hands above his head. An assistant puts a few grains of rice at the end of the clasped hands as a marking point. Then, the man steps to this marking point and then prostrates again. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Some religious people reach Brahmayani temple measuring their body length. To do so, a person prostrates on the ground and extends his clasped hands above his head. An assistant puts a few grains of rice at the end of the clasped hands as a marking point. Then, the man steps to this marking point and then prostrates again. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Royal garden, Gyeongbokgung palace grounds, Seoul, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea, Asia

Aerial views of El Castillo and the Ruins of the Mayan temple grounds at Tulum, Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Mexico. Tulum is the site of a pre-Columbian Mayan walled city which served as a major port for Coba, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. The ruins are situated on 12 meter 39 ft tall cliffs along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya; it was at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries and managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico. Old World diseases brought by the Spanish settlers appear to have resulted in very high fatalities, disrupting the society, and eventually causing the city to be abandoned.

Aerial views of El Castillo and the Ruins of the Mayan temple grounds at Tulum, Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Mexico. Tulum is the site of a pre-Columbian Mayan walled city which served as a major port for Coba, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. The ruins are situated on 12 meter 39 ft tall cliffs along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Tulum was one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Maya; it was at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries and managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico. Old World diseases brought by the Spanish settlers appear to have resulted in very high fatalities, disrupting the society, and eventually causing the city to be abandoned.

Visiting Buddhist monks at Wat Phra Kaeo, The Temple of the Emerald Buddha, on the grounds of The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

Traditional Thai dancers performing for Brahma, they dancing on request for donations, Erawan Shrine, Ratchadamri Road near Siam Square, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand

Traditional Thai dancers performing for Brahma, they dancing on request for donations, Erawan Shrine, Ratchadamri Road near Siam Square, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand

Butter lamps at the Mahabodhi Temple, place of enlightenment or awakening, "Bodhi" of Siddhartha Gautama, Bodhgaya, Bihar, India, Asia

Almaqah Temple, Arsh Bilqis, of Marib, Yemen

Venus temple in the Schlosspark Linderhof palace gardens, castle of Bavarian King Ludwig II, Graswangtal valley, Oberammergau, Ammergau Alps, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Burmese women sweeping the floor of the Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Rangoon, Myanmar, Asia

Wide green lawn in front entrance facade on grounds of main Great Buddha Hall, Daibutsuden, on a beautiful, blue sky summer morning at Todai-ji temple in Nara, Japan. Horizontal

Theravada Buddhism, ornate grave stupas, Wat Xayaphoum temple, Savannakhet, Laos, Southeast Asia, Asia

Burmese women sweeping the floor of the Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Rangoon, Myanmar, Asia

Schwetzingen Castle, Apollo Temple in the castle garden, Schwetzingen, Electoral Palatinate, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, Europe

Tombs of the Kings, Paphos, Cyprus, Greece, Europe