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Some religious buildings are so impressive that they attract millions of people from all over the world. More than faith, those churches are worth millions and some of them are considered priceless. Those buildings are part of history and most of them are standing for centuries.
The most expensive religious temples in the world are often lavish. They can be covered in gold and have countless art pieces. Unsurprisingly, those places often become popular among tourists all over the world.
Those places are so important that visitors often feel small in those sacred places. Keep scrolling and discover the most expensive religious buildings in the world.
Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida - $50.000.000
Brazil has the highest number of Catholics outside the Vatican. So it is no surprise that it also has some of the most valuable churches in the world.
In 1995, they started to build the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida. It is the greatest Catholic church after Saint Peter's Basilica and has 12,000 square-meters. The Basilica cost R$100.000.000 million ($50.000.000 million in 1995) and is one of the most sacred places for Catholics in Brazil.
Angkor Wat - Priceless
You might recognize the Angkor Wat, in Camboja, as one of the most unusual locations in Tomb Raider. The Angor Wat Temple is considered a World Heritage by Unesco and is one of the most relevant architectures in Asia. So it is easy to understand why it is impossible to estimate the value of Angkor Wat: it is priceless.
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Angkor Wat was built in the 14th century and is part of located in the city of Siem Reap. It is located in a park and you can easily spend the whole day exploring it.
Solomon's Temple - $300.000.000
According to the Bible, the original Salomon Temple was built in the 11th Century BC. In 2014, the Universal Church presented to the world a new version. The building cost impressive $300.000.000, according to Forbes and has 10 000 seats. The church members donated all that money. The inauguration had the presence of the then-president Dilma Roussef and the former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Although both of the politicians are not part of the church, Edir Macedo, the founder Universal is one of the most influential figures in the political world of Brazil.
Saint Peter's Basilica - $1.000.000.000
The Vatican is the heart of the Catholic Church. So it is no surprise this is one of the most expensive churches in the world. Although it is impossible to calculate the total fortune of the Catholic Church, the Saint Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel are evaluated at $1.000.000.000, according to the New Yorker Magazine.
The astronomical value is humble compared to other sacred places on this list. The Saint Peter's Basilica combines an opulent construction, priceless art pieces and historical significance. Those features combined make it one of the most valuable religious buildings in the world.
Notre Dame - over $1.000.000.000
Notre Dame is known as one of the most famous buildings in Paris and the construction dates from 1160. That means the building was the witness of countless historical moments like the French Revolution. It also inspired Victor Hugo to write one of his most beautiful works, the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Like other items in this list, it is hard to estimate the exact value of Notre Dame. In April this year, Notre Dame was on fire and it was severely damaged. In a few days, wealthy people around the world donated over 1 billion dollars for the renovation.
Harmandir Sahib - approximately $2.000.000.000
Harmandir Sahib is also known as the Golden Temple and the expression is not a metaphor. This temple is located in Punjab, India, and is made of gold. Literally.
The Golden Temple was built in 1830 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Reports say it cost 65 lakh ( over $1.5 billion) and 162 kgs of gold. During the '90s the Sikh Temple was renovated and received more than 500 kg of gold, which cost nearly 140 crores (approximately $340 million).
The Temple has more than 30 layers of 24-karat gold and is the most valuable of India. It is worth nearly $2 billion.
Shwedagon Pagoda - $3.000.000.000
It is impossible to walk around the Shwedagon Pagoda and not feel mesmerized by this place. It has 150 meters, but the opulence becomes even higher because Shwedagon Pagoda is covered in gold. It is hard to estimate the value, but according to The Culture Trip, the amounts are around 3 billion.
The Shwedagon Pagoda is located in Myanmar. It is one of the essential sightseeing locations in the country and the money charged from tourists helps to pay for the Pagoda maintenance.
La Sagrada Familia - Priceless
La Sagrada Familia is one of the most famous sights in Barcelona, Spain. The construction of the church started in 1883 and it will be concluded only in 2026. A weird coincidence is that it will also be the 100th death anniversary of Gaudi, who has idealized the church.
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When La Sagrada Familia is finished, it will have 564 feet and it will be the tallest religious building in the continent. However, it is impossible to calculate how much the construction cost. Especially because it became one of the most important symbols of Spain.
Padmanabhaswamy Temple -$22.000.000
The Padmanabhaswamy Temple, in Trivandrum India, is one of the most lavish temples you will ever seem. The building dates from the 16th century and is dedicated to the Lord Vishnu, a Hindy deity. It is impossible to ignore the magnificence of the gold temple. However, it took centuries to the world found out how precious this temple was.
In 2011, the Indian Supreme Court demanded the people in charge of the temple to open the vaults, that were closed for over 150 years. The discover mesmerized the world: the temple had a $22 billion treasure, that remained there for at least 500 years.
Masjid Al-Haram - $100.000.000.000
The Masjid Al-Haram is not only the most expensive religious building but the most costly building in the world. Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the outstanding place cost $100 billion, according to the Telegraph.
It is known as the Grand Mosque, the sacred place used to be the first stop for those who visit Mecca. It started to be built in the 7th century and has 356,800 square meters. It went under several renovations during the centuries and a new one is going on now. It might be concluded in 2020.