Temple

{{Short description|Structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities}}
{{Redirect|Temples|the region of the forehead|Temple (anatomy)|other uses|Temple (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect-distinguish|house of the lord|The House of the Lord|House of Lords (disambiguation){{!}}House of Lords|Lord House (disambiguation){{!}}Lord House}}
[[File:Ankor Wat temple.jpg|thumb|299x299px|The 12th-century [[Angkor Wat]] temple complex in [[Cambodia]] is the largest Religious complex in the world dedicated to [[Hindu|Hindu deity]] [[Maha Vishnu|Vishnu]].]]
[[File:Panoramic views of Borobudur.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Borobudur]] temple, the largest [[Buddhist temple]] in the world, located in [[Central Java]], [[Indonesia]].]]
[[File:Athen Erechtheion BW 2017-10-09 13-58-34.jpg|thumb|300x300px|The [[Erechtheion]] in [[Athens]], [[Greece]], is associated with some of the most ancient and holy relics of the Athenians, such as the [[Palladion]], a ''[[xoanon]]'' of [[Athena Polias]]]]

A '''temple''' (from the [[Latin]] {{lang|la|[[templum]]}}) is a [[place of worship]], a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as [[prayer]] and [[sacrifice]].  By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temple" in English, while those of other religions are not, even though they fulfill very similar functions.  The religions for which the terms are used include the great majority of ancient religions that are now extinct, such as the [[Ancient Egyptian religion]] and the [[Ancient Greek religion]].  Among religions still active: [[Hinduism]] (whose temples are called [[Mandir]] or [[Kovil]]), [[Buddhism]](whose temples are called [[Vihāra|Vihar]]), [[Sikhism]] (whose temples are called [[Gurdwara|gurudwara]]), [[Jainism]] (whose temples are sometimes called [[derasar]]),  [[Zoroastrianism]] (whose temples are sometimes called [[Agiary]]), the [[Baha'i Faith]] (which are often simply referred to as [[Baha'i House of Worship]]), [[Taoism]] (which are sometimes called [[Daoguan]]), [[Shinto]] (which are sometimes called [[Shinto shrine|Jinja]]), [[Confucianism]] (which are sometimes called the [[Temple of Confucius]]).

Religions whose places of worship are generally not called "temples" in English include [[Christianity]], which has [[church (building)|churches]], [[Islam]] with [[mosques]], and [[Judaism]] with [[synagogues]] (although some of these use "temple" as a name).

The form and function of temples are thus very variable, though they are often considered by believers to be, in some sense, the "house" of one or more [[Deity|deities]].  Typically, offerings of some sort are made to the deity, and other rituals are enacted, and a special group of [[clergy]] maintain and operate the temple.  The degree to which the whole population of believers can access the building varies significantly; often parts, or even the whole main building, can only be accessed by the clergy.  Temples typically have a main building and a larger [[religious precinct|precinct]], which may contain many other buildings or may be a dome-shaped structure, much like an igloo.

The word comes from [[Ancient Rome]], where a {{Lang|la|templum}} constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or [[augur]].<ref>{{Cite book | title = Latin Dictionary and Grammar Aid | publisher = University of Notre Dame | date = 26 May 2009 | url = http://www.archives.nd.edu/cgi-bin/lookup.pl?stem=Templum&ending= | access-date = 24 July 2009}}</ref> It has the same root as the word "template", a plan in preparation for the building that was marked out on the ground by the augur.

==Hindu temples==
{{Main|Hindu temple}}
{{see also|List of Hindu temples}}

Hindu temples are known by many different names, varying on region and language, including Alayam,<ref>ALAYAM : The Hindu Temple;An Epitome of Hindu Culture; G.Venkataramana Reddy;  Published by Adhyaksha; Sri Ramakrishna Math; {{ISBN|978-81-7823-542-4}} ; Page 1</ref> ''Mandir'', ''Mandira'', ''Ambalam'', ''Gudi'', ''Kavu'', ''Koil'', ''Kovil'', ''Déul'', ''Raul'', ''Devasthana'', ''Devalaya'', ''Devayatan'', ''Devakula'', ''Devagiriha'', ''Degul'', ''Deva Mandiraya'', and ''Devalayam''. Hindu temple architecture is mainly divided into the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style]] of the south and the [[Nagara architecture|Nagara]] style of the north, with other regional styles.

The basic elements of the [[Hindu temple]] remain the same across all periods and styles. The most essential feature is the inner sanctuary, the ''[[garbhagriha]]'' or womb-chamber, where the primary ''[[murti]]'' or [[cult image]] of a deity is housed in a simple bare cell. Around this chamber there are often other structures and buildings, in the largest cases covering several acres. On the exterior, the garbhagriha is crowned by a tower-like ''[[shikhara]]'', also called the ''[[Vimana (architectural feature)|vimana]]'' in the south. The shrine building may include an [[ambulatory]] for ''parikrama'' ([[circumambulation]]), one or more [[mandapa]]s or congregation halls, and sometimes an [[antarala]] antechamber and porch between garbhagriha and mandapa.

A Hindu temple is a symbolic house, the seat and dwelling of [[Hindu gods]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Stella|last=Kramrisch|title=The Hindu Temple|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NNcXrBlI9S0C|year=1946|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0223-0|pages=135, context: 40–43, 110–114, 129–139 with footnotes}}, Quote: "The [Hindu] temple is the seat and dwelling of God, according to the majority of the [Indian] names" (p. 135); "The temple as Vimana, proportionately measured throughout, is the house and body of God" (p. 133).</ref> It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together according to [[Hinduism|Hindu faith]]. Inside its ''garbhagriha'' innermost sanctum, a Hindu temple contains a ''[[murti]]'' or Hindu god's image. Hindu temples are large and magnificent with a rich history. There is evidence of the use of sacred ground as far back as the [[Bronze Age]] and later during the [[Indus Valley civilization]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hinduism - Early Hinduism (2nd century bce–4th century ce) {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism/Early-Hinduism-2nd-century-bce-4th-century-ce |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

Outside of the Indian subcontinent ([[India]], [[Bangladesh]] and [[Nepal]]), Hindu temples have been built in [[List of Hindu temples outside India|various countries around the world]]. Either following the [[Indianized kingdom|historic diffusion of Hinduism across Asia]] (e.g. ancient stone temples of [[Cambodia]] and [[List of Hindu temples in Indonesia|Indonesia]]), or following the migration of the [[Indian diaspora|Indian Hindus' diaspora]], to Western Europe (esp. [[Great Britain]]), North America (the [[United States]] and [[Canada]]), as well as Australia, [[Malaysia]] and Singapore, Mauritius and [[South Africa]].

<gallery widths="200px" heights="160px">
File:Sripuram Temple Full View.jpg|The Golden temple of Mahalakshmi, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
File:Guruvayoor Temple 1.jpg|Famous [[Guruvayur Temple]], a Traditional Hindu Temple in Kerala, India.
File:Maa Naina Devi Temple, Mallital, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India.jpg|A view of the Maa Naina Devi Temple, Mallital, [[Nainital]], Uttarakhand, India
File:New Delhi Temple.jpg|[[Akshardham (Delhi)|Akshardham Temple]], a Hindu temple in [[New Delhi]], [[India]] built in 2005.
File:Dakshineswar Temple1.jpg|[[Dakshineswar Kali Temple]], a Hindu temple in [[Kolkata metropolitan area|Greater Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], India
File:Venkateshwara Temple.jpg[[Venkateshwara Temple]], a Hindu temple in [[Tirupati]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], India
</gallery>

==Buddhist temples==
{{main|Buddhist temple}}
[[File:Mahabodhitemple.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Mahabodhi]] temple, [[Bihar, India]]]]

Buddhist temples include the structures called [[stupa]], [[wat]] and [[pagoda]] in different regions and languages. A Buddhist temple might contain a [[meditation]] hall hosting ''[[Buddharupa]]'', or the image of [[Buddha]], as the object of concentration and veneration during a meditation. The stupa domed structures are also used in a circumambulation ritual called ''[[Pradakshina]]''.

Temples in [[Buddhism]] represent the pure land or pure environment of a [[Buddha (general)|Buddha]]. Traditional Buddhist temples are designed to inspire inner and outer peace.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kadampanewyork.org/temple/ |title=New York Buddhist Temple for World Peace |publisher=Kadampanewyork.org |date=1997-08-01 |access-date=2012-06-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611060043/http://www.kadampanewyork.org/temple/ |archive-date=2012-06-11 }}</ref>

Three types of structures are associated with the [[Sacred architecture|religious architecture]] of [[Pre-sectarian Buddhism|early Buddhism]]: monasteries ([[vihara]]s), places to venerate relics ([[stupa]]s), and shrines or prayer halls ([[chaitya]]s, also called ''chaitya grihas''), which later came to be called temples in some places. The pagoda is an evolution of the Indian stupas.

The initial function of a stupa was the veneration and safe-guarding of the relics of [[Gautama Buddha]]. The earliest archaeologically known example of a stupa is the relic stupa located in [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]], [[Bihar]] in India.

In accordance with changes in religious practice, stupas were gradually incorporated into chaitya-grihas (prayer halls). These are exemplified by the complexes of the [[Ajanta Caves]] and the [[Ellora Caves]] ([[Maharashtra]]). The [[Mahabodhi Temple]] at [[Bodh Gaya]] in [[Bihar]] is another well-known example.

As Buddhism spread, Buddhist architecture diverged in style, reflecting the similar trends in Buddhist art. Building form was also influenced to some extent by the different forms of Buddhism in the northern countries, practising [[Mahayana]] Buddhism in the main and in the south where [[Theravada]] Buddhism prevailed.

==Jain temples==
{{Main|Jain temple}}
{{see also|List of Jain temples}}
[[File:Jain Temple Ranakpur.jpg|thumb|[[Ranakpur Jain temple]], [[Rajasthan]], [[India]].]]

A Jain temple, called a [[Derasar]], is the [[place of worship]] for [[Jainism|Jains]], the followers of [[Jainism]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Babb |first=Lawrence, A |url=https://archive.org/details/absentlordasceti0000babb |title=Absent lord: ascetics and kings in a Jain ritual culture |publisher=Published [[University of California Press]] |year=1996 |page=[https://archive.org/details/absentlordasceti0000babb/page/66 66] |url-access=registration}}</ref> Some famous Jain temples are [[Shikharji]], [[Palitana temples]], [[Ranakpur Jain temple]], [[Shravan Belgola]], [[Dilwara Temples]] and [[Lal Mandir]]. Jain temples are built with various architectural designs. Jain temples in North India are completely different from the Jain temples in South India, which in turn are quite different from Jain temples in West India. Additionally, a ''[[manastambha]]'' (literally 'column of honor') is a pillar that is often constructed in front of Jain temples.

==Sikh temples==
{{Main|Gurdwara}}
[[File:Darbar Sahib 27 September 2018.jpg|thumb|[[Harmandir Sahib]] in [[Amritsar]], [[India]]]]

A Sikh temple is called a gurdwara, literally the "doorway to the Guru". Its most essential element is the presence of the Guru, [[Guru Granth Sahib]]. The gurdwara has an entrance from all sides, signifying that they are open to all without any distinction whatsoever. The gurdwara has a [[Darbar Sahib Hall|Darbar Sahib]] where the Guru Granth Sahib is seen and a [[Langar (Sikhism)|Langar]] where people can eat free food.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gurdwara |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/ritesrituals/gurdwara_1.shtml |access-date=18 March 2013 |work=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC}}</ref> A gurdwara may also have a library, nursery, and classroom.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gurdwara Requirements |url=http://www.worldgurudwaras.com/gurudwaras/gurdwara-requirements |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004220923/http://www.worldgurudwaras.com/gurudwaras/gurdwara-requirements |archive-date=4 October 2013 |access-date=18 March 2013 |work=worldgurudwaras.com}}</ref>

==Mesopotamian temples==
[[File:Ziggarat of Ur 001.jpg|thumb|[[Ziggurat of Ur]], [[Iraq]]]]
The temple-building tradition of [[Mesopotamia]] derived from the cults of gods and deities in the [[Mesopotamian religion]]. It spanned several civilizations; from [[Sumer]]ian, [[Akkadian Empire|Akkadian]], [[Assyria]]n, and [[Babylonia]]n. The most common temple architecture of Mesopotamia is the structure of sun-baked bricks called a [[ziggurat]], having the form of a terraced [[step pyramid]] with a flat upper terrace where the shrine or temple stood.

==Egyptian temples==
{{main|Egyptian temple}}
[[File:Philae temple at night.jpg|thumb|left|Temple of [[Philae]], [[Egypt]]]]

[[Ancient Egypt]]ian temples were meant as places for the [[Ancient Egyptian deities|deities]] to reside on earth. Indeed, the term the Egyptians most commonly used to describe the temple building, {{Lang|egy-latn|ḥwt-nṯr}}, means 'mansion (or enclosure) of a god'.<ref>Spencer 1984, p. 22, 44; Snape 1996, p. 9</ref>

A god's [[Divine presence|presence]] in the temple linked the human and divine realms and allowed humans to interact with the god through ritual. These rituals, it was believed, sustained the god and allowed it to continue to play its proper role in nature. They were, therefore, a key part of the maintenance of ''[[maat]]'', the ideal order of nature and of human society in Egyptian belief.<ref>Dunand and Zivie-Coche 2005, pp. 89–91</ref> Maintaining {{Lang|egy-latn|maat}} was the entire purpose of [[Ancient Egyptian religion|Egyptian religion]],<ref>Assmann 2001, p. 4</ref> and thus it was the purpose of a temple as well.<ref>Shafer, Byron E., "Temples, Priests, and Rituals: An Overview", in Shafer 1997, pp. 1–2</ref>

[[Ancient Egypt]]ian temples were also of economic significance to Egyptian society. The temples stored and redistributed grain and came to own large portions of the nation's arable land (some estimate as much as 33% by the [[New Kingdom of Egypt|New Kingdom]] period).<ref>André Dollinger. The Ancient Egyptian Economy. pp. 5 [http://www.saylor.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/The-Ancient-Egyptian-Economy.pdf] Retrieved June 19, 2012</ref> In addition, many of these Egyptian temples utilized the Tripartite Floor Plan in order to draw visitors to the center room.

==Greco-Roman temples==
{{Main|Greek temple|Roman temple}}
[[File:Parthenon (30276156187).jpg|thumb|The [[Parthenon]] on the [[Acropolis of Athens]]]]
Greek and Roman temples were originally built out of wood and mud bricks, but as the empires expanded, the temples grew to monumental size, made out of materials such as stone and marble on raised platforms. While the color has long since faded, The columns would have been painted in white, blue, red, and black. Above the columns would have been a sculpted or painted depiction of a myth or battle, with freestanding sculptures in the [[pediment]] triangles. The roofs were tiled and had sculptures of mythical animals or deities on the tops or corners. Greek temples also had several standard floor plans with very distinct column placement.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |author=Denova, Rebecca I. |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1243160502 |title=Greek and Roman religions |year=2018 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-78785-765-0 |oclc=1243160502}}</ref>

Located in the front of the temple were altars intended for sacrifices or offerings. [[Olympic gods|Ouranic]] altars were usually square, lined with a metal pan for burnt offerings, and a flat top which was necessary for the ouranic gods to receive offerings. [[Chthonic]] altars, called [[bothros]], were pits dug into the earth for liquid libations of animal sacrifices, milk, honey, and wine. The building which housed the cult statue or ''[[Cult statue|agalma]]'' in its ''[[cella]]'' was located in the center of the temple in Greek architecture, while in Rome, the cella was in the back.<ref name=":0" /> Greek temple architecture had a profound influence on ancient architectural traditions.

Greco-Roman temples were built facing eastward, utilizing the rising sun in morning rituals. The location each temple was built also depended on many factors such as environment, myth, function, and divine experience. Most were built on sites associated with myths or a place a god had been believed to have performed a feat, or founded a town or city. Many Roman temples had close associations with important events in Roman history, such as military victories. Temples in cities were often dedicated to the founding deity of the city, but also served as civic and social centers. The [[Temple of Saturn]] even held the state treasury and treasury offices in its basement.<ref name=":0" />

==European polytheistic temples==
{{See also|List of modern pagan temples}}
[[File:Templo de Garni, Armenia, 2016-10-02, DD 94.jpg|thumb|[[Temple of Garni]], [[Armenia]]]]
The Romans usually referred to a holy place of a [[pagan]] religion as {{Lang|la|fanum}}; in some cases this referred to a sacred grove, in others to a temple. Medieval Latin writers also sometimes used the word ''{{Lang|la|templum}}'', previously reserved for temples of the ancient Roman religion. In some cases it is hard to determine whether a temple was a building or an outdoor shrine. For temple buildings of the [[Germanic peoples]], the [[Old Norse]] term ''[[Heathen hofs|hof]]'' is often used.

==Zoroastrian temples==
{{Main|Fire temple}}
[[File:Yazd fire temple.jpg|thumb|The Yazd Atash Behram]]
A [[Zoroastrian]] temple may also be called a ''Dar-e-mehr'' and an ''[[Fire temple|Atashkadeh]]''. A fire temple in Zoroastrianism is the place of worship for Zoroastrians. Zoroastrians revere [[fire]] in any form, and their temples contains an [[eternal flame]], with ''[[Atash Behram]]'' (Fire of Victory) as the highest grade of all, as it combines 16 different types of fire gathered in elaborate rituals.

In the Zoroastrian religion, fire (''Atar''), together with clean water (''Aban''), are agents of ritual purity. Clean, white "ash for the purification ceremonies is regarded as the basis of ritual life," which, "are essentially the rites proper to the tending of a domestic fire, for the temple fire is that of the hearth fire raised to a new solemnity".{{Quote without source|date=September 2022}}

==Chinese temples==
{{main|Chinese temple architecture}}{{See also|Joss paper|Air pollution|Particulates}}
[[File:Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest.JPG|thumb|left|[[Temple of Heaven]], [[Beijing]]]]

Chinese temples refer to temples in accordance with [[Chinese culture]], which serve as a house of worship for Chinese faiths, namely [[Confucian Temple|Confucianism]], [[Taoist Temple|Taoism]], [[Chinese Buddhism|Buddhism]] and [[Chinese folk religion]]. Chinese temples were born from the age-old religion and tradition of [[Chinese people]] since the ancient era of imperial [[China]], thus they are usually built in typical classical [[Chinese architecture]].

Other than the base constructed from an elevated platform of earth and stones, most parts of Chinese temples are made of timber carpentry, with parts of brick masonry and glazed ceramics for roofs and tile decorations. Typical Chinese temples have curved overhanging eaves and complicated carpentry of stacked roof construction. Chinese temples are known for their vivid colour and rich decorations. Their roofs are often decorated with mythical beasts, such as [[Chinese dragon]]s and [[qilin]]s, and sometimes also Chinese deities. Chinese temples can be found throughout [[Mainland China]] and [[Taiwan]], and also where [[Chinese emigration|Chinese expatriate]] communities have settled abroad; thus Chinese temples can be found in [[Chinatown]]s worldwide.

==Indonesian temples==
{{Main|Candi of Indonesia|Balinese temple}}
[[File:Sojiwan temple 2.jpg|thumb|right|[[Sojiwan]] temple, an example of typical 9th-century Javanese temple architecture.]]

[[Candi of Indonesia|''Candi'']] is an [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] term to refer to ancient temples. Before the rise of Islam, between the 5th to 15th centuries, Dharmic faiths (Hinduism and Buddhism) were the majority in the Indonesian archipelago, especially in [[Java]] and [[Sumatra]]. As a result, numerous Hindu temples, locally known as {{Lang|id|candi}}, were constructed and dominated the landscape of Java. The {{Lang|id|candi}} architecture follows the typical [[Indonesian architecture|Indonesian architectural]] traditions based on [[Vastu Shastra]]. The temple layout, especially in the [[Central Java]] period, incorporated [[mandala]] temple plan arrangements and also the typical high towering spires of [[Hindu]] temples. The ''{{Lang|id|candi}}'' was designed to mimic [[Mount Meru (mythology)|Meru]], the holy mountain and the abode of the gods. In contemporary [[Buddhism in Indonesia|Indonesian Buddhist]] perspective, ''{{Lang|id|candi}}'' refers to a shrine, either ancient or new. Several contemporary ''[[vihara]]s'' in Indonesia, for example, contain an actual-size replica or reconstruction of famous Buddhist temples, such as the replica of [[Pawon]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Replika Candi Pawon|work=Vihāra Jakarta Dhammacakka Jaya|url=http://www.dhammacakka.org/?channel=tentangkami&mode=detailfasilitas&id=93}}</ref> and [[Plaosan]]'s {{Lang|id|perwara}} (small) temples.

According to local beliefs, the Java valley had thousands of Hindu temples that co-existed with Buddhist temples, most of which were buried in the massive eruption of [[Mount Merapi]] in 1006 AD.

==Mesoamerican temples==
{{main|Mesoamerican pyramids}}
[[File:Chichen Itza 2.jpg|thumb|[[El Castillo, Chichen Itza|Temple of Kukulcan]] in [[Chichen Itza]] located on top of Kukulcan pyramid.]]
Temples of the [[Mesoamerican]] civilization usually took the shape of [[Mesoamerican pyramids|stepped pyramids]] with temples or shrines on top of the massive structure. They are more akin to the ziggurats of Mesopotamia than to Egyptian ones. A single or several flight(s) of steep steps from the base lead to the temple that stood on the plateau on top of the pyramid. The stone temple might be a square or a rounded structure with a door opening leading to a cella or inner sanctum. The plateau on top of the pyramid in front of the temple is where the ritualistic sacrifice took place.

Some classic Mesoamerican pyramids are adorned with stories about the feathered serpent [[Quetzalcoatl]] or [[Mesoamerican creation myths]], written in the form of hieroglyphs on the rises of the steps of the pyramids, on the walls, and on the sculptures contained within.<ref>{{Cite book |title = Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs |last = Koontz|first = Rex |publisher = Thames and Hudson|year = 2013 |isbn = 9780500290767 |location = New York, New York}}
</ref> Notable example include [[Aztec]] [[Santa Cecilia Acatitlan|Acatitlan]] and [[Maya civilization|Mayan]] [[Chichen Itza]], [[Uxmal]] and [[Tikal]].

==Jewish synagogues and temples==
In [[Judaism]], the ancient Hebrew texts refer to a "sanctuary", "palace" or "hall" for each of the two ancient temples in [[Jerusalem]], called in the [[Tanakh]] {{Lang|he-latn|Beit YHWH}}, which translates literally as '[[YHWH]]'s House'.  In English "temple" is the normal term for them. 

The [[Temple Mount]] in [[Jerusalem]] is the site where the [[First Temple]] of Solomon and the [[Second Temple]] were built. At the center of the structure was the [[Holy of Holies]] where only the [[High Priest of Israel|High Priest]] could enter. The Temple Mount is now the site of the [[Islamic]] edifice, the [[Dome of the Rock]] ({{Circa|690}}).

The Greek word ''[[synagogue]]'' came into use to describe Jewish (and [[Samaritanism|Samaritan]]) places of worship during [[Hellenistic]] times and it, along with the Yiddish term ''[[shul]]'', and the original Hebrew term ''[[Synagogue|Beit Knesset]]'' ('House of meeting') are the terms in most universal usage.  

Since the 18th century, Jews in Western and Central Europe began to apply the name ''temple'', borrowed from the French where it was used to denote all non-Catholic prayer houses, to synagogues. The term became strongly associated with [[Reform Judaism|Reform]] institutions, in some of which both congregants and outsiders associated it with the elimination of the prayers for the restoration of the Jerusalem Temple, though this was not the original meaning—traditional synagogues named themselves "temple" over a century before the advent of Reform, and many continued to do so after.<ref>Michael A. Meyer, ''Response to Modernity: A History of the Reform Movement in Judaism'', Wayne State University Press, 1995. p. 42.</ref> In American parlance, ''temple'' is often synonymous with ''synagogue'', but especially non-Orthodox ones.

The term ''[[kenesa]]'', from the Aramaic for 'assembly', is used to describe the places of worship of [[Karaite Judaism|Karaite Jews]].

Example of such temple is the [[Sofia Synagogue]], [[Bulgaria]] the largest [[synagogue]] in [[Southeastern Europe]] and third-largest in [[Europe]].<ref>[http://www.dnes.bg/sofia/2009/09/06/100-godishnina-na-sinagogata-v-sofiia.77248 100-годишнина на синагогата в София], dnes.bg, September 6, 2009</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="145px">
File:Jerus-n4i.jpg|A model of [[Herod's Temple]] adjacent to the [[Shrine of the Book]] exhibit at the [[Israel Museum]], Jerusalem.
File:Kenessa Vilnius (5970197134).jpg|The Kenesa in [[Vilnius]], [[Lithuania]].
</gallery>

==Christian temples==
===Orthodox Christianity===
[[File:Russia-Moscow-Cathedral of Christ the Saviour-8.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Cathedral of Christ the Saviour]] in [[Moscow]], [[Russia]].]]

The word ''temple'' is used frequently in the tradition of [[Eastern Christianity]]; particularly the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], where the principal words used for houses of worship are ''temple'' and ''church''. The use of the word ''temple'' comes from the need to distinguish a building of the church vs. the church seen as the Body of Christ. In the [[Russian language]] (similar to other [[Slavic languages]]), while the general-purpose word for 'church' is ''[[Russian church architecture|tserkov]]'', the term {{Lang|ru-latn|khram}} ({{Lang|ru|Храм}}), 'temple', is used to refer to the church building as a temple of [[God]] ({{Lang|ru-latn|Khram Bozhy}}). The words ''church'' and ''temple'', in this case are interchangeable; however, the term ''church'' ({{lang-grc|ἐκκλησία}}) is far more common. The term ''temple'' ({{lang-grc|ναός}}) is also commonly applied to larger churches. Some famous churches which are referred to as temples include the [[Hagia Sophia]], [[Saint Basil's Cathedral]], [[Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia]], the [[Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Moscow)|Cathedral of Christ the Saviour]] and the [[Temple of Saint Sava]] in [[Belgrade]], [[Serbia]].

===Catholicism===
[[File:Basilique du Sacré-Cœur IMG 1271.jpg|thumb|left|[[Basilique du Sacré-Coeur]] in [[Paris]]]]

The word ''temple'' has traditionally been rarely used in the English-speaking [[Western Christian tradition]]. In [[Irish language|Irish]], some [[East–West Schism|pre-schism]] churches use the word ''[[wiktionary:teampall|teampall]]''. The usual word for ''church'' in the [[Hungarian language]] is ''[[wiktionary:templom|templom]]'', also deriving from the same Latin root. [[Spanish language|Spanish]] distinguishes between the temple being the physical building for religious activity, and the church being both the physical building for religious activity and also the congregation of religious followers.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Baldayac|first1=Rafael|title=Iglesia y templo: diferencia|url=http://www.lainformacion.com.do/noticias/opinion/columnas/869/iglesia-y-templo:-diferencia|website=La Informacion|access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref>

The principal words typically used to distinguish houses of worship in Western Christian architecture are ''[[abbey]]'', ''[[basilica]]'', ''[[cathedral]]'', ''[[chapel]]'' and ''[[Church (building)|church]]''. The Catholic Church has used the word temple in reference of a place of worship on rare occasions. An example is the Roman Catholic [[Sagrada Familia]] Temple in Barcelona, Spain and the Roman Catholic [[Basilique du Sacré-Cœur]] Temple in Paris, France. Another example is the Temple or Our Lady of the Pillar, a church in [[Guadalajara]], [[Mexico]].

===Protestantism===
Some Protestant churches use this term; above main entrance of the [[Lutheran]] Gustav Vasa church in [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] is a [[cartouche]] in Latin which reads "this temple (...) was constructed by king Oscar II."

Beginning in the late eighteenth century, following the [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]], some Protestant denominations in France and elsewhere began to use the word ''temple'' to distinguish these spaces from Catholic churches. [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] and other Protestant churches make use of a wide variety of terms to designate their worship spaces, such as church, [[tabernacle]] or temple. Additionally some breakaway Catholic churches such as the [[Mariavite Church]] in [[Poland]] have chosen to also designate their central church building as a temple, as in the case of the [[Temple of Mercy and Charity]] in [[Płock]]. 

===Latter Day Saint movement===
{{main|Temple (Latter Day Saints)}}
[[File:KirtlandTemple Ohio USA.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kirtland Temple]] in Kirtland, Ohio]]

According to [[Latter Day Saint]]s, in 1832, [[Joseph Smith]] received a [[Revelation#Latter-day Saint concept of revelation|revelation]] to [[Restoration (Latter Day Saints)|restore]] the practice of [[Temple (Latter Day Saints)|temple worship]], in a "house of the Lord". The [[Kirtland Temple]] was the first temple of the [[Latter-day Saint movement]] and the only one completed in Smith's lifetime, although the [[Nauvoo Temple]] was partially complete at the time of [[death of Joseph Smith|his death]]. The [[schism (religion)|schisms]] stemming from a [[Succession crisis (Latter Day Saints)|succession crisis]] have led to differing views about the role and use of temples between various groups with competing succession claims.

[[Book of Mormon|The Book of Mormon]], which Latter Day Saints believe is a companion book of scripture with the Bible, refers to temple building in the ancient Americas by a group of people called the [[Nephites]]. Though Book of Mormon authors are not explicit about the practices in these Nephite temples, they were patterned "after the manner of the temple of Solomon" (<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/5?lang=eng |title=The Second Book of Nephi Chapter 5 - 5:16 |publisher=Lds.org |date=2012-02-21 |access-date=2012-06-20}}</ref>) and served as gathering places for significant religious and political events (e.g. Mosiah 1–6; 3rd Nephi 11–26).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.achoiceland.com/temples |title=Temples |publisher=Achoiceland.com |date=2010-10-01 |access-date=2012-06-20}}</ref>

====The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints====
{{See also|Temple (LDS Church)|List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints}}
[[File:Salt Lake Temple, Utah - Sept 2004-2.jpg|thumb|[[Salt Lake Temple|LDS temple]] in Salt Lake City, Utah]]

[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] is a prolific builder of temples. {{LDS Temple status}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lds.org/temples/chronological/0,11206,1900-1,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020214012225/http://www.lds.org/temples/chronological/0,11206,1900-1,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-02-14|title=List of Temples}}</ref> [[Temple (LDS Church)|Latter-day Saint temples]] are reserved for performing and undertaking only the most holy and sacred of covenants and [[Ordinance (Mormonism)|special of ordinances]]. They are distinct from [[meeting house]]s and [[chapel]]s where [[Worship services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints#Weekly services|weekly worship services]] are held. The temples are built and kept under strict sacredness and are not to be defiled.  Thus, strict rules apply for entrance, including church membership and regular attendance. During the open-house period after its construction and before its dedication, the temple is open to the public for tours.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lds.org/temples/faq/0,11264,1904-1,00.html#3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020214012007/http://www.lds.org/temples/faq/0,11264,1904-1,00.html#3|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-02-14|title=Frequently Asked Questions}}</ref>

====Other Latter Day Saint denominations====
Various [[List of sects in the Latter Day Saint movement|sects]] in the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith have temples.<ref>Utah Attorney General's Office and Arizona Attorney General's Office. [http://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/cmsdocuments/The_Primer.pdf The Primer, Helping Victims of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse in Polygamous Communities] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127133628/http://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/cmsdocuments/The_Primer.pdf |date=2013-01-27 }}. Updated June 2006. Page 23.</ref>
*The [[Church of Christ (Wightite)]], a Latter Day Saint denomination formed by [[Lyman Wight]] following the [[Succession crisis (Latter Day Saints)|death of Joseph Smith]], built first Mormon temple west of the Mississippi in [[Zodiac, Texas]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Johnson|first1=Melvin C.|title=Polygamy on the Pedernales:Lyman Wight's Mormon Villages in Antebellum Texas, 1845-1858|date=2006|page=125|url=http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1042&context=usupress_pubs|access-date=6 February 2015|publisher=Utah State University Press|location=Logan, Utah}}</ref> about three miles from [[Fredericksburg, Texas|Fredericksburg]]. 
* In 1990 or earlier a temple in [[Ozumba]], [[Mexico]] was built by the [[Apostolic United Brethren]].<ref name = Moore>Andrea Moore-Emmett. God's Brothel. Pince-Nez Press: June 1, 2004. {{ISBN|1-930074-13-1}}</ref>
*On April 17, 1994, the [[Independence Temple]] in [[Independence, Missouri]], was open by the [[Community of Christ]] by then-church [[Prophet-President]] [[Wallace B. Smith]]. The Community of Christ also currently owns the original [[Kirtland Temple]], dedicated in 1836 by the [[Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)|Church of the Latter Day Saints]] (later renamed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), in [[Kirtland, Ohio]].  The Community of Christ operates the Kirtland Temple as a historic site.
*In 2005<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.myeldorado.net/YFZ%20Pages/YFZ010605.html | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20050307015520/http://www.myeldorado.net/YFZ%20Pages/YFZ010605.html | url-status= dead | archive-date= March 7, 2005 | title= Jeffs dedicates FLDS temple site at YFZ Ranch | newspaper= [[The Eldorado Success]] | date= January 11, 2005 | access-date= April 6, 2008 }}</ref> construction on the [[YFZ| YFZ Ranch Temple]] by the [[Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]] Church began.  It is located just outside [[Eldorado, Texas|Eldorado]] in [[Schleicher County, Texas|Schleicher County]], [[Texas]].<ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.deseretnews.com/article/635180342/FLDS-temple-appears-complete.html | title= FLDS temple appears complete | publisher= [[Ben Winslow]] (AP) | date= 31 January 2006}}</ref>  However, as of April 2014, the [[Texas|State of Texas]] took physical and legal possession of the property.<ref name="NBC">{{cite news |title= Texas Seizes Polygamist Warren Jeffs' Ranch |url= https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-seizes-polygamist-warren-jeffs-ranch-n83736 |publisher= NBC News |agency= Associated Press |date= April 17, 2014 |access-date= April 18, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Carlisle">{{cite news |last1= Carlisle |first1= Nate |title= Texas takes possession of polygamous ranch |url = http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57832276-78/ranch-texas-amp-jeffs.html.csp |newspaper= [[The Salt Lake Tribune]] |date= April 17, 2014 |access-date= April 17, 2014}}</ref> as it was used to "commit or facilitate certain criminal conduct."<ref name="NBC"/><ref name="Carlisle"/>
* A pyramid-shaped temple near [[Modena, Utah]], was built by the [[Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]].<ref name = Moore/>

===Esoteric Christianity===
* [[Mount Ecclesia]] [[Esoteric Christian]] Temple of the [[Rosicrucian Fellowship]] with its round 12-sided building architecture set on top of a [[mesa]] and facing east, the rising Sun. This modern-day temple is ornamented with [[Alchemy|alchemical]] and [[Astrology|astrological]] symbols.

[[File:temple99.JPG|thumb|center|[[Mount Ecclesia]]'s Temple]]

==Masonic temples==
[[File:Kimbolton Lodge 123.JPG|thumb|A typical Masonic Lodge]]

[[Freemasonry]] is a [[fraternal organization]] with its origins in the eighteenth century whose membership is held together by a shared set of moral and [[Metaphysics|metaphysical]] ideals based on short role play narratives concerning the construction of King Solomon's Temple. Freemasons meet as a Lodge. Lodges meet in a [[Masonic Temple]] (in reference to King Solomon's Temple), Masonic Center or a Masonic Hall, such as [[Freemasons' Hall, London]]. Some confusion exists as Masons usually refer to a Lodge meeting as being ''in Lodge''.

==Others==
[[File:Temple of Neptune in Monrepos 1.jpg|thumb|The Temple of [[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune]] at the [[Monrepos Park]] in [[Vyborg|Vyborg, Russia]]]]
*''[[Göbekli Tepe]]'', located in southern [[Turkey]], was built between the 8th and 10th millennium BCE. Its circular compounds on top of a [[Tell (archaeology)|tell]] are composed by massive T-shaped stone [[pillar]]s decorated with abstract, enigmatic [[pictogram]]s and animal [[relief]]s. 
*Temples of Sheikh, ancient temples in [[Sheikh, Somalia]]
*Temple of Yeha, the oldest standing structure in [[Yeha]], [[Ethiopia]]; built around 700 BCE
*In the Star Wars films, the ''[[Jedi Temple]]'' is located on ''[[Coruscant]]''.
*[[Wolmyeongdong|Wolmyeongdong Natural Temple]], located in [[South Korea]], was developed beginning in 1990 and continues to this day.
*[[Pashupatinath Temple|Pashupatinath]] is one of the most famous temples<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.prasantbhatt.com/nepal-travel-trekking/9-amazing-nepali-temple-you-must-visit-before-you-die/|title=9 Amazing Nepali Temple You Should Visit Before You Die|date=2018-04-13|work=Prasant Bhatt|access-date=2018-04-13|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-04-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414092341/http://www.prasantbhatt.com/nepal-travel-trekking/9-amazing-nepali-temple-you-must-visit-before-you-die/|url-status=dead}}</ref> of [[Hindu]] religion, which is located at [[Kathmandu]], [[Nepal]].

Convention sometimes allows the use of temple in some of the following cases:

* [[Baháʼí Faith]] temple ([[Baháʼí House of Worship|Mashriqu'l-Adhkárs]] or 'Houses of Worship').
* Shrines of the traditional [[Chinese folk religion|Chinese Ethnic Shenism]] are called ''[[joss house|miao]]'', or ''ancestral hall'' in English. ''Joss house'' is an obsolete American term for such kind of places of worship.
* [[Confucian temple]] or [[Temple of Confucius]].
* [[Mankhim]], the temple of the ethnic group the [[Rai (ethnic group)|Rai]], located at [[Aritar]], [[Sikkim]].
* [[Shintoist]] ''[[Jinja (Shinto)|jinja]]'' are normally called ''[[shrine]]s'' in English in order to distinguish them from Buddhist temples (''-tera'', ''-dera'').
* [[Taoism|Taoist]] temples and monasteries are called {{Lang|zh-latn|guan}} or ''[[daoguan]]'' ({{Lang|zh|道观}}, literally 'place of contemplation of the Tao') in Chinese, ''{{Lang|zh-latn|guan}}'' being the shortened version of {{Lang|zh-latn|daoguan}}.

==See also==
* [[Balinese temple]]
* [[Candi of Indonesia]]
* [[Chinese pagoda]]
* [[Chinese temple]]
* [[Dravidian architecture]]
* [[Jangam]]
* [[List of temples of Tamil Nadu]]
* [[Mandi (Mandaeism)]]
* [[Mosque]]
* [[National Temple of Divine Providence]]
* [[Place of worship]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* Hani, Jean, ''Le symbolisme du temple chrétien'', G. Trédaniel (editor); [2. éd.] edition (1978), 207 pp., {{ISBN|2-85707-030-6}}

==External links==
{{commons|Temple}}
{{Wikiquote|temple}}
{{Wiktionary|temple}}
* [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=temple&searchmode=none Definition of 'temple'] at the ''[[Online Etymology Dictionary]]''
* [http://www.aldokkan.com/art/temple.htm Comparison between Egyptian and Greek temples]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Temples| ]]
[[Category:Building types]]
[[Category:Types of monuments and memorials]]
[[Category:Sacral architecture]]
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures]]