A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated orworshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated.A shrine at whichvotive offerings are made is called an altar. Shrines are found in many of the world's religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism,Buddhism, Chinese folk religion, Shinto, and Asatru as well as in secular and non-religious settings such as a war memorial. Shrines can be found in various settings, such as churches, temples, cemeteries, or in the home, although portable shrines are also found in some cultures.Many shrines are located within buildings and in the temples designed specifically for worship, such as achurch in Christianity, or a mandir in Hinduism. A shrine here is usually the centre of attention in the building, and is given a place of prominence. In such cases, adherents of the faith assemble within the building in order to venerate the deity at the shrine. In classical temple architecture, the shrine may be synonymous with the cella.Historically, in Hinduism, Buddhism and Roman Catholicism, and also in modern faiths, such asNeopaganism, a shrine can commonly be found within the home or shop. This shrine is usually a small structure or a setup of pictures and figurines dedicated to a deity that is part of the official religion, toancestors or to a localised household deity.
Traditional cultural geographical approaches to the study of religion mainly seek to determine religion’s impact on the landscape. A more contemporary approach to the study of the intersections of geography and religion not only highlights the role of religion in effecting landscape changes and in assigning sacred meanings to specific places, but also acknowledges how in turn, religious ideology and practice at specific spaces are guided and transformed by their location.
Religious experiences and the belief in religious meanings transforms physical spaces into sacred spaces. These perceptions and imaginings influence the way such spaces are used, and the personal, spiritual meanings developed in using such sacred spaces. These religiously significant spaces go beyond officially religious/spiritual spaces such as places of worship to include non-official religious spaces such as homes, schools and even bodies.These works have focused on both material aspects of spaces such as architectural distinctiveness) and socially constructed spaces such as rituals and demarcation of sacred spaces to present religious meaning and significance.