Mountains are holy places, a bridge to the heavens Mountains are considered sacred by many people. To some, they are the home of gods or spirits. Other people value mountains as places of inspiration or rest. What do mountains mean to you? Sacred mountains
The remote peak of Mt. Kailas on the Tibetan Plateau is considered sacred by nearly a billion people. It is a symbol for a hidden spiritual mountain that directs Hindus and Buddhists toward a pure and holy life.	The Kikuyu people of Africa revere Mt. Kenya as the earthly home of god (Ngai). In their prayers they turn towards Mt. Kenya, and they build their houses with the door facing towards the peak.	The ancient Greeks believed that Mt. Olympus was the home of Zeus, the king of the ancient Greek gods. Mt. Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece.

In Jewish and Christian teachings, Mt. Sinai is a special place where God appeared in the midst of cloud and thunder and gave Moses the ten commandments.	The Hopi and Navajo peoples view the San Francisco Peaks of Arizona as sacred. Their communities depend on the fresh water that comes from these mountains.

Pilgrimage

More than half a million people climb Mt. Fuji in Japan each year to say their prayers on its summit. It is Japan’s highest mountain and one of its holiest places.

Topmost section of pou, carved by Maori Arts and Crafts Institute (image by Heurisko Ltd.)

Saving special mountains More than a century ago in New Zealand, Maori people feared that their sacred peaks would be taken over by European sheep farmers and other colonists. They came up with a plan that worked: the Tongariro Mountains were given to Queen Victoria, and New Zealand's first national park was created. The picture shows part of a carved wooden pou that describes the origins of the Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe, who made the original gift of land.

Would you like to go on a pilgrimage to a sacred mountain, or read a story by a young monk?

Climbing the pass at Torii-toge
Climb to a Shinto gateway to the sacred Mt. Ontake, Japan (Quicktime movie, part of "Nakasendo Highway: A Journey to the Heart of Japan", http://hkuhist2.hku.hk/nakasendo/, authored by R.T.A. Irving and Thomas A. Stanley)

Flyby of Mt. Fuji
Flyby animation of Mt. Fuji in Japan (NASA)

The Mountain of the Holy Footprint
Read a story written by a young monk in Sri Lanka named Dulanjalee Seneviratne (presented by the Spiny Babbler Museum)

Featured lesson plan on sacred mountains:

Views from the Mountain: A Lesson on Perceptions
Compare and contrast different cultural views of mountains.

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