Top 10 Most Instagrammable Religious Landmarks To Visit In 2025

The world has many dynamic and moving religious landmarks to explore, but a recent study has ranked the top ten world’s most Instagrammable religious landmarks. Each was based on its Instagram popularity and engagement. Moreover, the study specifically focused on the number of Instagram posts associated with each landmark, the frequency of tags, and the overall social media buzz generated.

Study ranks the world’s 10 top religious landmarks on Instagram posts

The study, run by Judaica WebStore, ranks the top 10 most Instagrammable religious landmarks to visit. It uses data from a specific time period and is ranked by comparing the number of posts and engagement levels associated with each location. Moreover, it also considered the global relevance of the landmark within various religious and cultural contexts. The results of the study placed the religious landmarks as follows:

1. Notre Dame Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris), Paris, France

Ranking at number 1, the Notre Dame Cathedral drew the highest number of hashtags on Instagram at more than 4.7 million. Attracting 15 million visitors each year, the iconic Gothic building also came second most visited landmark among others in the study.

The cathedral stands on the Île de la Cité, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. Meanwhile, Notre Dame Cathedral recently reopened after a devastating fire closed it to the public in April 2019.

2. Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Coming in second place is the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra, India, and its historical significance has attracted a huge presence online, reaching up to 3.7 million Instagram posts. Meanwhile, “The Crown of the Palace” was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

The structure also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself, and the iconic landmark attracts 7.5 million visitors each year.

3. Basílica de la Sagrada Família, Barcelona, Spain

Dubbed the Sagrada Familia for short, the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona still receives plenty of Instagram momentum, even though it is still under construction. It comes in third place with more than 3.3 million tags on Instagram and attracts 3.2 million visitors each year.

Meanwhile, the structure, which is found in the Eixample neighborhood of the city, is unfinished as its designer, the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, died in 1926 before its conclusion.  The Sagrada Familia was added as part of an existing 1984 UNESCO World Heritage Site relating to Gaudi’s iconic work.

4. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Ranking fourth in the study, Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia has garnered more than 1.9 million Instagram posts. Moreover, it is the largest religious monument in the world, attracting 2.6 million visitors each year.

The Hindu-Buddhist temple complex nestles on a site within the ancient Khmer capital city of Angkor and was originally constructed in 1150 CE as a Hindu temple, dedicated to the deity Vishnu.

5. Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Montmartre, Paris, France

Located atop Montmartre in Paris, France, the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur comes in fifth place, with more than 1.2 million Instagram posts. Moreover, it attracts 11 million visitors annually, revealing it is a favorite among travelers and social media users alike. This Catholic church and the minor basilica is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

6. Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem

Coming in sixth place, the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is one of the holiest sites in Islam. Due to this, the beautiful mosque has seen more than 1.1 million posts on Instagram.

The mosque is the third holiest place in Islam after Mecca and Medina and the Al-Aqsa plaza is home to two holy places: the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The structure was built in the 8th century AD.

7. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE, has attracted more than 1.1 million Instagram hashtags and attracts 4.37 million visitors each year. The mosque is renowned for its beautiful designs and intricate details, including the world’s largest marble mosaic floors and its distinctive domes topped with iconic gold leaf spires. Each feature or detail represents a form of global unity.

8. Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, India

The Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) comes in eighth place with 935,900 Instagram posts. Despite its relatively smaller social media presence, the temple attracts 36 million visitors each year, the highest number among all the studied religious landmarks.

The Golden Temple is the pre-eminent spiritual site of Sikhism. It is one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Kartarpur.

 

9. St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City

This iconic and beautiful basilica ranks ninth with 10 million visitors annually. Moreover, St. Peter’s Basilica ranks high in physical foot traffic and Instagram engagement, with over 807,600 posts.

The Basilica of the Italian High Renaissance nestles in the independent, microstate enclave of the Vatican within the city of Rome.

10. Subotica Synagogue, Subotica, Serbia

Rounding out the top ten most Instagrammable religious landmarks, the Subotica Synagogue attracted 756K Instagram hashtags. Moreover, the Synagogue attracts 1.7 million visitors each year.

Officially known as the Jakab and Komor Square Synagogue, the structure is a former Neolog Jewish congregation and synagogue in Subotica, Serbia.

Sharing cultural heritage

A spokesperson from Judaica WebStore commented on the study:

The increasing digital presence of these landmarks reflects a broader shift in how we experience and share cultural heritage. As people around the world capture and share their visits in real-time, these landmarks have become more than just physical locations – they’ve evolved into symbols of global connection, illustrating the powerful role of digital engagement in both preserving and promoting our cultural sites.