Around 450M people visit religious sites globally each year, as sacred landmarks remain essential stops on every tourist itinerary. A new study by the religious jewelry company MyCross analyzed Instagram hashtag data to identify the most photographed sacred sites worldwide.
The research examined hashtag counts using both English and local language names for each landmark, ensuring comprehensive coverage of posting patterns. The methodology tracked variations across different naming conventions to provide accurate measurements of each site’s Instagram popularity, creating a ranking of the world’s most Instagrammable religious destinations.
Here’s a look at the top 10 most Instagrammable religious landmarks worldwide:
| Landmark | City | Country | Name in Main Language | Insta Hashtags |
| Notre Dame Cathedral | Paris | France | Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris | 5M |
| Taj Mahal | Agra | India | ताज महल | 3.7M |
| Sagrada Família | Barcelona | Spain | Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família | 3.6M |
| Angkor Wat | Siem Reap | Cambodia | អង្គរវត្ត | 2M |
| Basilique du Sacré-Cœur | Paris | France | Basilique du Sacré-Cœur | 1.3M |
| Al-Aqsa Mosque | Jerusalem | Israel | المسجد الأقصى | 1.24M |
| Sheikh Zayed Mosque | Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates | جامع الشيخ زايد | 1.23M |
| Sri Harmandir Sahib | Amritsar | India | ਹਰਿਮੰਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ | 1M |
| St Peter’s Basilica | Vatican City | Italy | Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano | 886K |
| Subotica Synagogue | Vojvodina | Serbia | Суботицка синагога | 829K |
You can access the complete research findings here.
Notre Dame Cathedral ranks first as the world’s most Instagrammed religious landmark, generating 5M hashtags despite the devastating 2019 fire. The Gothic church is projected to reach 12M visitors in 2025 following its reopening, making it one of France’s most visited monuments. Even during reconstruction, the cathedral continues attracting tourists drawn to its architectural and historical significance.
Taj Mahal comes in second with 3.7M hashtags, confirming its reputation as India’s most photographed monument. About 7-8M people visit this white marble tomb each year, keeping it among the world’s most popular heritage sites.
Sagrada Família takes third place with 3.6M Instagram hashtags. Antoni Gaudí’s unfinished basilica welcomes 3.2M visitors yearly, making it Barcelona’s major tourist attraction. This UNESCO site has been under construction for 140 years and is projected to be completed by 2026.
Angkor Wat holds fourth place with 2M hashtags, leading Southeast Asia’s religious sites on Instagram. The 800-year-old temple complex brings about 6M visitors to Cambodia each year, making it the country’s biggest tourist draw. Sunrise photos and the temple’s reflection in water create popular shots for social platforms.
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur takes fifth position with 1.3M Instagram hashtags, giving Paris two spots in the top five. The white church on Montmartre hill gets roughly 11M visitors yearly, just behind Notre Dame in tourist numbers.
Al-Aqsa Mosque lands in sixth place, collecting 1.24M hashtags from visitors to Jerusalem. This ancient mosque draws over 2M annual tourists who come for both worship and sightseeing at this historically significant site in the Old City.
Sheikh Zayed Mosque takes seventh position with 1.23M IG hashtags. Completed in 2007, the Abu Dhabi mosque welcomes over 3M annual visitors eager to experience this modern example of Islamic architecture.
Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, ranks eighth with 1M Instagram hashtags. The Sikh holy site in Amritsar receives approximately 6M pilgrims and tourists yearly, serving as a spiritual center and also an architectural attraction.
St Peter’s Basilica takes ninth place with 886K IG hashtags from its 7M yearly visitors. The Vatican church is one of the most important sites in Christianity, where visitors can photograph Michelangelo’s iconic dome. The site is expected to see a rise in tourist numbers this year following the recent papal transition at the Vatican, making it a historic time to visit.
Subotica Synagogue closes the top ten with 829K hashtags, doing surprisingly well on social even though it’s not as well-known as the other sites on the list. The Serbian synagogue gets tens of thousands of visitors each year, much fewer than the millions who visit other landmarks here, yet it still generates plenty of IG posts.
“Religious sites are some of the most photogenic subjects for travelers, combining unique architecture with historical significance,” says the spokesperson from MyCross. “These landmarks provide meaningful content that resonates with social media users beyond just aesthetic appeal. People are drawn to sharing images that represent both personal experiences and cultural heritage, which explains why religious sites get so many posts on social media.”