YASAKUNI SHRINE

Yasakuni Shrine, Tokyo

The Yasukuni Shrine, "Peaceful Nation Shrine" or "Pacifying the Nation Shrine") is a Shinto shrine in Tokyo built in 1869 to house the kami (spirits) of Japanese war dead.

The shrine was originally constructed in June 1869 by order of the Meiji Emperor to commemorate the victims of the Boshin War. Originally named Tōkyō Shōkonsha, the shrine was renamed Yasukuni Jinja in 1879.

The shrine houses the kami (spirits) of all Japanese and former colonial soldiers (Korean and Taiwanese) killed in conflict from the Meiji period to World War II. Currrently, the shrine's Book of Souls lists the names of some 2.5 million soldiers killed on the

DOHANY STREET SYNAGOGUE

Dohány Street Synagogue, Budapest:Pourtugal

The Dohány Street Synagogue also known as The Great Synagogue or Tabakgasse Synagogue, is located in Erzsébetváros, the 7th district of Budapest. It is the largest synagogue inEurope and the fifth largest in the world.[citation needed] It seats 3,000 people and is a centre of Neolog Judaism.

The synagogue was built between 1854 and 1859 in the Moorish Revival style, with the decoration based chiefly on Islamic models from North Africa and medieval Spain (the Alhambra). The synagogue's Viennese architect, Ludwig Förster, believed that no distinctively Jewish architecture could be

NIU JIE MOSQUE

Niu Jie Mosque, Beijing: China

Beijing Niujie Mosque is located at Xuanwu District of Beijing. Niujie Mosque is the largest and oldest mosque inBeijing.Beijing Niujie mosque was originally built by Nasruddin, the son of an Arabic priest who came to China to preach the Islamic faith in 996 (Northern Song Dynasty). Major renovation projects were carried out in 1442, during the time of Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722). After the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949 Beijing Niujie Mosque was entirely repainted and redecorated.

XIAN GREAT MOSQUE

Xian Great Mosque (Masjid), Xian: China

he Great Mosque of Xi'an is laid out like a traditional Chinese temple, with successive courtyards of pavilions and pagodas occupying a long and narrow site (48 meters by 248 meters).

But the buildings' Islamic function becomes clear on closer inspection, with the usual figurative decoration mostly replaced by Arabic and Chinese calligraphy. The complex is aligned on an east-west axis, facing Mecca.

The mosque has five courtyards in all, leading to a prayer hall (off-limits to non-Muslims) at the western end of the site.

Each courtyard has a monumental pavilion or gate.