Holy Places: How Pilgrimage Changed the World

by Kathryn Hurlock

This year, as they have for millennia, many people around the world will set out on pilgrimages. But these are not only journeys of personal and spiritual devotion - they are also political acts, affirmations of identity and engagements with deep-rooted historical narratives.

Kathryn Hurlock follows the trail of pilgrimage through nineteen sacred sites - from the temples of Jerusalem to the banks of the Ganges, by way of Iona, Lourdes, Amritsar and Buenos Aires - revealing the many ways in which this ancient practice has shaped our religions and our world. Pilgrimages have transformed the fates of cities, anointed dynasties, provided guidance in hard times and driven progress in good. Filled with fascinating insights, Holy Places unveils the complex histories and contemporary endurance of one of our most fundamental human urges.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, History

462 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 6, 2025

Reviews

[Omar Rana · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a poorly-researched, hastily-written book with significant inaccuracies. There are nineteen pilgrimages described by the author in individual chapters. I suppose one could find more information on Wikipedia. I am a Muslim and just to provide one example of incorrect statements by the author, she mentions in the Chapter on Mecca and The Hajj that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) started receiving revelations at the age of fifty. That is false. Every single one of the one billion muslims leaving on this planet that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) started receiving revelations at the age of forty.

[Abbas Moosajee · Rating 4 out of 5]

 Kathryn Hurlock takes 19 different Holy Places of pilgrimage and discuses its  history and who visits there and why.

More importantly, though, is the discussion of how people have continuously vowed to control these places, as a way to legitimize their power, showcasing that for all the differences between religions, they all share the same things too.

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I skimmed this really didn't read it. It appears to be ridiculously well researched (based on the notes & bibliography) but too much information on too many places crammed into 1 book for me. If I'd been able to look pick it up & look at before having it delivered to my library I wouldn't have bothered but I saw it in a shop window in Madrid & was drawn to it

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. It has the usual places of pilgrimage but also some lesser known ones. A really good diverse selection in terms of faiths, geography and ethnic groups.

[Julie Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating journey through the history of pilgrimage. We follow the trails of nineteen sacred sites and how they have changed over the years. So interesting.