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The World’s 100 Best Archaeological Sites & Ruins · 2026

The Best Temple Sites in the World

22 of the 100 sites in The World’s 100 Best Archaeological Sites & Ruins 2026 are temple sites, in 10 countries. The highest placed is Dendera Temple in Qena, Egypt, at number 4 in the world. Baalbek in Baalbek, Lebanon (number 11) and Abu Simbel in Abu Simbel, Egypt (number 14) follow.

Dendera Temple
N° 4 · Dendera Temple, Qena

Egypt

Nine of the 22 are Egyptian: Dendera, Karnak, Abu Simbel, the Temple of Hatshepsut, Esna, Abydos, Edfu and Philae, most of them along the Nile between Qena and Aswan. Several keep their painted ceilings and reliefs.

Greece, Rome and the Near East

Baalbek in Lebanon has the temples of Jupiter and Bacchus. Delphi, the Acropolis of Athens, Paestum, Didyma and Garni are temples or sanctuaries of the Greek and Roman world; Takht-e Soleyman in Iran was a Sasanian fire temple.

South and South-east Asia

Angkor counts as one entry with Angkor Wat, the Bayon and Ta Prohm. Beng Mealea, Preah Vihear and Phanom Rung are Khmer temples in Cambodia and Thailand. In India the list has the temples of Khajuraho and the sun temples of Konark and Modhera, which are no longer used for worship.

Sites

93. Garni Temple 89. Acropolis of Athens 88. Preah Vihear 87. Philae 81. Temple of Edfu 77. Paestum 75. Phanom Rung 74. Abydos 73. Beng Mealea 69. Konark Sun Temple 61. Takht-e Soleyman 56. Temple of Apollo at Didyma 54. Temple of Khnum 53. Sun Temple of Modhera 43. Khajuraho 38. Temple of Hatshepsut 31. Angkor 30. Delphi 19. Karnak 14. Abu Simbel 11. Baalbek 4. Dendera Temple
93. Garni Temple 89. Acropolis of Athens 88. Preah Vihear 87. Philae 81. Temple of Edfu 77. Paestum 75. Phanom Rung 74. Abydos 73. Beng Mealea 69. Konark Sun Temple 61. Takht-e Soleyman 56. Temple of Apollo at Didyma 54. Temple of Khnum 53. Sun Temple of Modhera 43. Khajuraho 38. Temple of Hatshepsut 31. Angkor 30. Delphi 19. Karnak 14. Abu Simbel 11. Baalbek 4. Dendera Temple
  1. Dendera Temple N° 4 Dendera Temple Qena, Egypt Temple site
  2. Baalbek N° 11 Baalbek Baalbek, Lebanon Temple site
  3. Abu Simbel N° 14 Abu Simbel Abu Simbel, Egypt Temple site
  4. Karnak N° 19 Karnak Luxor, Egypt Temple site
  5. Delphi N° 30 Delphi Delphi, Greece Temple site
  6. Angkor N° 31 Angkor Siem Reap, Cambodia Temple site
  7. Temple of Hatshepsut N° 38 Temple of Hatshepsut Luxor, Egypt Temple site
  8. Khajuraho N° 43 Khajuraho Khajuraho, India Temple site
  9. Sun Temple of Modhera N° 53 Sun Temple of Modhera Modhera, India Temple site
  10. Temple of Khnum N° 54 Temple of Khnum Esna, Egypt Temple site
  11. Temple of Apollo at Didyma N° 56 Temple of Apollo at Didyma Didim, Turkey Temple site
  12. Takht-e Soleyman N° 61 Takht-e Soleyman Takab, Iran Temple site
  13. Konark Sun Temple N° 69 Konark Sun Temple Konark, India Temple site
  14. Beng Mealea N° 73 Beng Mealea Svay Leu, Cambodia Temple site
  15. Abydos N° 74 Abydos El Balyana, Egypt Temple site
  16. Phanom Rung N° 75 Phanom Rung Buriram, Thailand Temple site
  17. Paestum N° 77 Paestum Paestum, Italy Temple site
  18. Temple of Edfu N° 81 Temple of Edfu Edfu, Egypt Temple site
  19. Philae N° 87 Philae Aswan, Egypt Temple site
  20. Preah Vihear N° 88 Preah Vihear Sra Em, Cambodia Temple site
  21. Acropolis of Athens N° 89 Acropolis of Athens Athens, Greece Temple site
  22. Garni Temple N° 93 Garni Temple Garni, Armenia Temple site

Best by region

  1. EuropeNuraghe Santu AntineTorralba, ItalyN° 8
  2. AsiaEllora CavesEllora, IndiaN° 6
  3. The Middle EastPetraWadi Musa, JordanN° 2
  4. North AmericaCalakmulCalakmul, MexicoN° 1
  5. Latin AmericaMachu PicchuAguas Calientes, PeruN° 3
  6. AfricaDouggaTéboursouk, TunisiaN° 5

Best by kind

  1. Ancient citiesCalakmulCalakmul, MexicoN° 1
  2. Temple sitesDendera TempleQena, EgyptN° 4
  3. Pyramids & TombsPyramids of GizaGiza, EgyptN° 17
  4. Amphitheatres & TheatresAmphitheatre of El JemEl Jem, TunisiaN° 23
  5. Rock-cut sitesEllora CavesEllora, IndiaN° 6

Best by country

  1. TurkeySagalassosAğlasunN° 16
  2. MexicoCalakmulCalakmulN° 1
  3. EgyptDendera TempleQenaN° 4
  4. IndiaEllora CavesElloraN° 6
  5. ItalyNuraghe Santu AntineTorralbaN° 8