pilgrimage site
A place that is widely or formally recognized as a destination for devotional travelers.
Pictured: Catedral de Santiago
A pilgrimage site is a place that is widely recognized or formally designated by some religion as a destination for persons making a pilgrimage. Pilgrims are persons of religious faith who travel a great distance (the length of the journey being relative to cultural and other factors) with the primary purpose of reaching the pilgrimage site for spiritual or devotional reasons. They may be associated with any religion or religious denomination.
Pilgrimage sites can be various types of places. Some of the most common are religious buildings such as churches, mosques, synagogues, shrines, and temples; they can also be graves, holy cities or towns, natural places, or even festivals whose location rotates.
The destination is defined by devotional travel and religious recognition, rather than by a particular building form. Formal designation is one basis of recognition, while widespread recognition can also establish the site's role.
