When I travel, I usually have a one church rule per destination. If I try to cram too many sites into one trip, I lose the moment–not to mention–the detailed memories of special places and experiences.

So when I seek out that one special place of worship, I look for something not in most brochures or guidebooks that have great histories.

One favorite is the Cathedral of Saint Domnius in Croatia. It used to be the mausoleum of the Roman persecutor of the Christians and was built in the beginning of the 4th century.

And how about the 7th century Cheraman Juma Mosque in India? It’s one of the oldest on the planet, complete with thousand-year-old relics. Even the lamps still function.

In Prague, the Old-New Synagogue dates back to the 13th century. It survived the Nazi occupation and still holds services.