Temple of Confucius, Qufu
Qufu, China
The temple is one of three Confucian sites in Qufu that make up a single World Heritage listing, together with the Kong…
2 tickets & tours
Asia
Oldest temples in Asia
Founding dates in Asia mix archaeology with tradition, and the ranking takes them as recorded. The Temple of Confucius at Qufu heads the list from 478 BC, the year after the sage's death, though its present layout is a Ming rebuilding. Japan's Aso Shrine, Hiyoshi Taisha and Ise follow on traditional dates; Ise is rebuilt every 20 years, most recently in 2013. For fabric that is truly ancient, look to the Ashokan remains at Lumbini, the Ajanta caves and Baalbek's Roman temples.
| # | Temple | Country | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Temple of Confucius, Qufu | China | 478 BC |
| 2 | Aso Shrine | Japan | 281 BC |
| 3 | Maya Devi Temple, Lumbini | Nepal | 249 BC |
| 4 | Ajanta Caves | India | 200 BC |
| 5 | Dambulla Cave Temple | Sri Lanka | 100 BC |
| 6 | Baalbek Roman Temples | Lebanon | 100 BC |
| 7 | Hiyoshi Taisha | Japan | 90 BC |
| 8 | Ise Grand Shrine | Japan | 4 BC |
| 9 | White Horse Temple | China | 68 |
| 10 | Garni Temple | Armenia | 77 |
| 11 | Famen Temple | China | 100 |
| 12 | Dau Pagoda (Chua Dau) | Vietnam | 187 |
| 13 | Sumiyoshi Taisha | Japan | 211 |
| 14 | Wuhou Shrine (Temple of Marquis Wu) | China | 223 |
| 15 | Longhua Temple | China | 242 |
| 16 | Jing’an Temple | China | 247 |
| 17 | My Son Sanctuary | Vietnam | 300 |
| 18 | Changu Narayan Temple | Nepal | 300 |
| 19 | Lingyin Temple | China | 328 |
| 20 | Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) | Nepal | 400 |
Aso Shrine
Aso, Japan
There is nothing to book for Aso Shrine. It is an active Shinto shrine in the town of Ichinomiya, part of Aso city on…
No online ticket
Maya Devi Temple, Lumbini
Lumbini, Nepal
No online ticket is sold for the Maya Devi Temple. Foreign visitors pay an admission fee at the ticket office by the…
No online ticket
Ajanta Caves
Aurangabad, India
The Ajanta Caves lie in a remote gorge about 100 km north of Aurangabad, now officially Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, so…
29 tickets & tours
Dambulla Cave Temple
Dambulla, Sri Lanka
Dambulla is easy to visit on your own. Foreign visitors buy a ticket at the office near the Golden Temple at the foot…
192 tickets & tours
Baalbek Roman Temples
Baalbek, Lebanon
Baalbek sells its own entry ticket at the gate of the archaeological site, payable in cash, and it covers the temples,…
2 tickets & tours
Hiyoshi Taisha
Otsu, Japan
Hiyoshi Taisha sells no tickets online. A modest admission fee is paid at the booth by the entrance to the inner…
1 ticket or tour
Ise Grand Shrine
Ise, Japan
Ise Jingu charges no entrance fee and sells no tickets: both main shrines and their forests are open to everyone during…
4 tickets & tours
White Horse Temple
Luoyang, China
The White Horse Temple sells its entry ticket at the main gate, with no need to book in advance, and the ticket covers…
4 tickets & tours
Garni Temple
Garni, Armenia
Garni is about 30 km east of Yerevan and almost every visit is made by road, either by taxi or private driver or on an…
31 tickets & tours
Famen Temple
Baoji, China
Famen Temple stands in the countryside of Fufeng County, about 120 km west of Xi'an, and no ticket for the temple…
5 tickets & tours
Dau Pagoda (Chua Dau)
Bac Ninh, Vietnam
Entry to the pagoda is free, and there is no ticket to buy online.
3 tickets & tours