North America

Best temples in North America

10 temples in North America, ranked by why it makes the list from the catalogue data. Each page tells you what to see, which ticket or tour to book and when to go.

#	Temple	Country	Why it makes the list
1	Palenque	Mexico	A jungle-wrapped Maya city whose Temple of the Inscriptions held the tomb of Pakal the Great, with stucco reliefs among the finest the Maya made.
2	Chichen Itza	Mexico	The pyramid of Kukulcan, the largest ball court in Mesoamerica and the sacred cenote give the fullest picture of Maya power in the Yucatan.
3	Teotihuacan	Mexico	Walk the Avenue of the Dead between the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon in the greatest city of the ancient Americas, near Mexico City.
4	Uxmal	Mexico	The finest Puuc architecture in the Yucatan, with the rounded Pyramid of the Magician and stone mosaic friezes of rain-god masks on the Nunnery Quadrangle.
5	Tulum Archaeological Zone	Mexico	A walled Maya port on a cliff above the Caribbean, smaller than its inland neighbours but with the most striking setting of any Maya site.
6	Coba Maya Ruins	Mexico	Forest paths and ancient raised white roads link scattered temple groups between two lagoons, best covered by rented bicycle out to the tall Nohoch Mul pyramid.
7	Hsi Lai Temple	United States	A large Chinese-style Buddhist monastery on a Los Angeles hillside, with shrine halls, courtyards and gardens open free to visitors who dress modestly.
8	Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim and Coming Street Cemetery	United States	The Coming Street Cemetery of Charleston's Sephardi congregation, opened in 1762, is the oldest Jewish burial ground in the American South and still in use.
9	Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park	United States	A white Tibetan-style stupa among juniper and red rock outside Sedona, reached by a short loop path and visited for quiet reflection rather than sightseeing.
10	Xlapak	Mexico	A small, quiet Puuc site on the road south of Uxmal, whose single restored palace shows rain-god masks without the crowds of the bigger ruins.