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The United States of America was founded on the principle of freedom, including freedom of religion. What that actually means continues to be a controversial issue. However, one consequence of the principle is that religious minorities have arrived at its shores in great numbers over the centuries, escaping persecution in their home country and seeking religious freedom in their new home.
In addition, the lack of an established state religion throughout its history has helped a variety of new religious movements develop and flourish more easily in the United States than they might have elsewhere.
Today, Americans are known for being more "religious" than other nationalities, yet religious life in the United States is also characterized by astouding diversity. In 2002, the religions of the United States were as follows: Protestant 52% (including a great variety of churches), Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10%.
The diversity and importance of religion in the United States is reflected in the great variety of religious sites that dot the landscape of this large country. They include sacred mountains venerated by the Native Americans, "power vortexes" sought by New Agers, Mormon temples, Muslim mosques, Jewish synagogues, Hindu-inspired retreat centers, Catholic cathedrals and shrines, Jesuit missions, Protestant country chapels, Buddhist temples, and still others besides.
| USA Sacred Sites List Our index of churches, temples, shrines and other religious sites in the USA. |
Interactive USA Map Our fully interactive map of the USA with high-resolution satellite imagery. |
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Los Angeles The "City of Angels" is home to a wide array of unique religious sites from Chinese temples to the Church of Scientology Center. |
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New Orleans This lively and recovering southern city is home to Catholic cathedrals, historic convents, Mardi Gras, and Voodoo. |
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New York City New York City is home to the largest synagogue in the world, towering cathedrals, and other important sacred sites that serve its diverse population. |
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Salt Lake City The Utah capital is the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who founded both the city and the temple that dominates the skyline. |
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San Francisco Historical Spanish mission and modern home to a large Asian population, San Francisco has cathedrals, Chinese temples and museums full of religious art. |
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Seattle This cosmopolitan city is home to many cultures and religions, and offers visitors interesting sacred sites ranging from to Greek Orthodox churches to Tibetan Buddhist temples. |
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Sedona An important site for New Age devotees, Sedona is believed to have several "power vortexes" that are sources of energy. It also has spectacular scenery and Native American ruins to explore. |
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Washington, D.C. The nation's capital has several places of worship that are used for official ceremonies and have the grand scale to match. |
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Native American Sacred Sites From Crater Lake to the Cahokia Mounds, explore some of the sites revered as holy ground by the Native Americans. |
