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Jerónimos Monastery, Portugal -

One of Europe's most beautiful monasteries is found in Belém in Lisbon. Built on the orders of King Manuel I and completed in 1502, Jerónimos symbolizes the power and wealth Portugal wielded during the Age of Discovery. The tombs of explorer Vasco da Gama and the poet Luís de Camões are found in the nave of the monastery's church.

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Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe, Spain -

Guadalupe's renowned 14th-century monastery is located in the hills of Cáceres province. Popular lore suggests it was built on a site where the Virgin Mary appeared to a shepherd.

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Santuario Madonna della Corona Monastery, Italy -

Built over 609 m (2,000 ft) above sea level into a vertical cliff face on Italy's Mount Baldo in Val d'Adige, the Santuario Madonna della Corona Monastery is one of the most famous landmarks in the region.

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Rila Monastery, Bulgaria -

Founded in the 10th century by St. John of Rila, a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church, Rila Monastery is the most famous of Bulgaria's monasteries, applauded for its remarkable candy-striped architecture.

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Meteora, Greece -

Arguably the most precipitously built of all Europe's religious buildings, the monastery perched on top of the Meteora rock formation in central Greece is a worldwide Instagram favorite.

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Lake Tana monasteries, Ethiopia -

The collection of ancient monasteries set on the shore and islands of Lake Tana are among the most remote in the world. The murals decorating the adobe walls of the inner ambulatory of the Debre Maryam Church are simply stunning.

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Fountains Abbey, England -

One of the largest and best-preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England, Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire stands as an evocative symbol of the dissolution of the monasteries ordered by Henry VIII between 1536 and 1541.

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Arkadi Monastery, Crete -

Baked under the Cretan sun for 500 years, Arkadi Monastery is a place of special historical interest, known for the events that took place during the revolution of 1866 when Crete rose up against Ottoman rule.

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Sveti Marija Benedictine Monastery, Croatia -

The Benedictine monastery on the island of Sveti Marija (St. Mary's) was founded in 1198 but has been rebuilt several times, adding Renaissance and Baroque features to the Romanesque structure. The island lies on Veliko Jezero, not far from its southern shore.

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Mar Saba Monastery, Israel -

Mar Saba has the distinction of being one of the oldest continuously inhabited monasteries in the world. It was founded in 483 and overlooks the Kidron Valley.

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Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, Spain -

One of the great landmarks of the Catalonian landscape, Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, located about 45 km (27 mi) northwest of Barcelona, is visited not only for the 12th-century statue of the Black Madonna enthroned above the high altar in the monastery's basilica, but the  outstanding views of the Conserolla Mountains.

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Mont-Saint-Michel, France -

One of Europe's most celebrated visitor attractions, Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy comprises an 8th-century abbey perched above a hamlet clad in stone, all set on a tidal island.

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Fo Guang Shan Monastery, Taiwan -

The largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan, Fo Guang Shan, located in Kaohsiung, features the world's tallest bronze sitting Buddha statue.

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Thikse Gompa, India -

One of Ladakh’s biggest and most recognizable monasteries, the early 15th-century Thikse Gompa is located north of the Indus River, the complex cascading down from a rocky promontory like loose Lego bricks.

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Santa Catalina de Siena, Peru -

Santa Catalina de Siena Monastery was built in 1579 and is located in the historical center of Arequipa. It's a monastery of nuns of the Dominican Second Order.

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Ostrog Monastery, Montenegro -

Appearing as if carved out of solid rock, the remarkable Ostrog Monastery is set high up in the Ostroška Greda ridge. Founded in the 17th century, the monastery is dedicated to St. Basil of Ostrog.

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Kykkos Monastery, Cyprus -

Tucked away in the mountainous region of Marathasa Valley, the Monastery of Kykkos is considered the wealthiest on the island, partly due to the possession of several rare and valuable relics including one of three icons attributed to Luke the Evangelist. The icon—finished in silver guilt—is kept in a shrine made of tortoiseshell and mother of pearl.

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Taktsang Lhakhang, Bhutan -

One of the most iconic of the world's mountain monasteries, Taktsang Lhakhang—"Tiger's Nest Temple"—is perched on a cliffside of the upper Paro Valley.

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Geghard Monastery, Armenia -

The medieval monastery of Geghard, located in the beautiful and verdant Kotayk region of Armenia, is partially carved out of the adjacent mountain.

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Sam Poh Tong Temple, Malaysia -

A limestone cave serves as the foundation and gateway for the scenic Sam Poh Tong Temple at Ipoh. The cave was discovered in 1890 by a Chinese monk, though the temple complex itself dates back to as recently as 1950.

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Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain -

Located in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama just 50 km (31 mi) from Madrid, the monumental Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is the most important architectural monument of the Spanish Renaissance. The monastery's crypt—the royal burial vaults—contains the remains of the kings and queens of the Habsburg and Bourbon dynasties.

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Wat Xieng Thong, Laos -

Completed in 1560, Wat Xieng Thong is one of the largest temples in Luang Prabang. It's also one of the most important of Laos' monasteries, known for a stunning 'tree of life' mosaic set on its western exterior wall.

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Caldey Abbey, Wales -

Caldey Abbey on the island of Caldey is relatively modern, built in 1910 by Anglican Benedictine monks. A working monastery, Caldey is noted for its industrious Trappist residents and their production of lavender perfume, shortbread, and chocolate.

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Jerichow Monastery, Germany -

The 12th-century basilica and complex of Kloster Jerichow is the oldest brick building east of the Elbe river. Careful restoration work has maintained the building's pure Romanesque architectural signature.

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Bodbe Monastery, Georgia -

Often called St. Nino for the 4th-century female evangelist of Georgians, whose relics are shrined here, Bodbe Monastery was originally built in the 9th century but much of what you see today dates back to the 17th century.

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Carthusian Monastery of Our Lady of Defense, Spain -

Completed in the 17th century, Carthusian Monastery of Our Lady of Defense is a historic landmark of Jerez de la Frontera, in Cádiz province. 

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Sumela Monastery, Turkey -

Sumela is a Greek Orthodox monastery despite it being situated in Turkey's Trabzon province. It's set within Altındere National Park, with both the park and monastery hugely popular tourist attractions.

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Tabo Monastery, India -

Established over 1,000 years ago, Tabo Monastery is the oldest earthen Buddhist monastery in the Himalayan region to have survived unchanged and comparatively well intact.

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Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, Russia -

Founded in 1397 on the banks of Lake Siverskoye, Kirillo-Belozersky was once the largest and most impressive monastery in Russia's Far North. Today, the fortress-like complex serves as a museum and cultural center.

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Haeinsa Temple, South Korea -

Haeinsa Temple is one of Korea's three largest temples, founded in 802 during the third year of King Ae-jang's reign. Haeinsa is revered for being the home of the Tripitaka Koreana, a collection of Buddhist scriptures carved onto thousands of wooden printing blocks.

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Monastery of Christ in the Desert, USA -

As its name suggests, the Monastery of Christ in the Desert is set in the desert at Abiquiú in New Mexico. Founded in 1964, the monastery is home to a community of Benedictine monks who welcome guests for day visits or self-directed personal retreats.

Sources: (Historic UK) (The Slavonic and East European Review) (UNESCO)

See also: Most influential religious figures in US history

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