Temple
Temple (from the Latin templum ) is the German name of buildings that served since the Neolithic period in many religions as a sanctuary. The oldest buildings, to which the label is applied directly, are the temple of Gobekli Tepe (from about 9600 BC) and the Maltese temples (from 3800 BC).
Starting from the basic meaning of the word is Latin templum ( in the Etruscan and Roman religion) initially nothing more than a demarcated from the realm of the profane district in which augurs the observation and interpretation of the flight of birds and other characters exercised. In ancient Greek religion, the temple was the repository for the idol, while the worship of God and the ritual sacrifice in the open air, at the altar, who was also inside the Holy district, took place.
The temple is involved in various ways in the religious system. The visual aspect is initially not in the foreground. The temple is the place where the ritual acts for or by the believers will ( likely by acting on their behalf ) executed. In some cultures, the temple represents the cosmos as such. Temples are often regarded as an abode of the gods. If you look at the mountain as the seat of the gods before ( Olympus ), as well as the Temple Mount ( Pyramid, Ziggurat ) is designed may. It finally comes to the idea of a domestic life of the gods, corresponding to that of humans; eg daily routines with awakening, toilet, power. The sacred district is always room separated from the profane ( Temenoi ); the temple can be certain gods reserved or be divided into several areas.
In many urban cultures of the temple is the central structure and shapes the settlement. Besides the religious significance of the temple, is particularly high in cultures, even to not underestimate economic. Training institutions are often tied to the temple.
The Israelite sanctuaries
The Hebrews had only a single official sanctuary at the same time, although there were other minor shrines. The oldest Israelite sanctuary was the " tent of meeting ", also called Mishkan or Tabernacle, is reported from the in the Hebrew Bible. The first stone of the Solomonic temple was built around 950 BC. After its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 BC The Second Temple was built by Zerubbabel to 515 BC. After his transformation and expansion by Herod the Great, he was also named Herodian temple. The temple of Judaism differed from the temples of classical antiquity, large atria with altar of burnt offering and a much membered temple building with multi-storey suites were her mark. The Herodian temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem was destroyed in the year 70 after Christ was born in the reign of the Emperor Vespasian by the Romans. Today, stand on the Temple Mount of Muslim Dome of the Rock, with its golden dome and the Al -Aqsa Mosque.
A unique model of the baroque era is a more than 12 -square-meter wooden model of Solomon's Temple, which was built from 1680 to 1692 in Dresden. Since 1734, the model was exhibited at the Wall Pavilion of the Dresden Zwinger, along with other Judaica and was to be seen there until the 1830s. It reached via various detours around the end of the 19th century Hamburg and is now at the Museum of Hamburg History. For this model gave Michael Korey and Thomas Ketelsen in 2010 in the German art publishing a book entitled Fragments of memory. The Temple of Solomon out in the Dresden Zwinger.
Since the 19th century Reform synagogues temples were called. The first temple of this kind was the Israelite Temple in Hamburg. The orientation of the Temple in Jerusalem was reinterpreted on the temple site.
Temple of the Greeks
The Greek Temple (Greek ὅ ναός - Flat, content not to be equated with the Latin templum - Temple ) is originally the cult image sheltering building of a Greek sanctuary. He served in general not the cult, because the worship of God as well as victims took place outdoors, but could accommodate votive offerings or ritual objects. So the temple was not strictly part of a Greek sanctuary. He is the most important and most widespread building type of Greek architecture.
Within a few centuries, the Greeks developed the temple from the small adobe buildings of the 9th and 8th century BC to monumental buildings with double porticos of the 6th century BC, which reached slightly over 20 meters height without roof. For the design they took this back to the scenic embossed architectural elements of the Doric and the Ionic order, which BC joined the Corinthian order from the late 3rd century. A variety of floor plan options was developed, which were combined with the various orders of the Rising architecture. From the 3rd century BC, the construction of large temple subsided to completely come to a halt after a brief final flowering in the 2nd century BC. The Greek temple was designed and built, could be the most important benchmarks of the lower diameter of the columns or the dimensions of the foundation according to fixed rules. Optical refinements solved the rigidity of the thus resulting almost mathematical design basics. Contrary to today still widespread idea that Greek temples were painted, with rich reds and blues stood by the dominant white. The extremely rich in elaborately designed temples of figurative decorations in the form of reliefs and gable figures. In general, the buildings of cities and sanctuary administrations were commissioned and funded, there were also individuals, mostly Hellenistic rulers who act as owners and founders.
Temple of the Romans
The term temple is a direct borrowing from the Latin. Templum turns to the Greek verb τέμνω ( cut ) or Indo-European * temp ( stretch, stretch ). Originally called Templum that area, the Augur from the natural topography " cut out " or " spanned " to make his observations in this area. Only the auspices and was interpreted as applicable to the divine character, what happened in this area, just in Templum. This activity of the augurs called " contemplatio ", from where the concept of contemplation, the internalized view derives. The development of the building was probably in such a way that such a Fanum, that sanctuary was later material from the " profane ", ie the outside of the shrine located world ends separated. After all, the characters were seen as manifestations of God, and that this God then claimed the area for themselves.
In the Roman sacred building itself Etruscan and Greek influences mix. The Etruscan temples rise on a high pedestal as base and thus are noticeably on the environment. They are in relation to direction, so have a rectangular floor plan. A staircase on the narrow side leads into the entrance hall, an open portico, which is often in front of the three-part Cella, the interior. The whole is covered by a flat roof with clay tiles.
The Roman temple take over the Etruscan models, Greek influences, but over time - especially after the Roman conquest of Greece in the 2nd century BC - more and more: the layout is stretched in the longitudinal direction, the cella is in proportion to the porch larger, their tripartite division is abandoned in favor of a metropolitan area. A well-preserved example of the Augustan period is the Maison Carrée in Nîmes.
Temple in the Christianity
In Judeo-Christianity played in the early days of the Jerusalem Temple still play a role. Since Jesus had critical behavior towards the temple and the baptized person was even seen as a temple of God, the Temple cult in Christianity ended with the destruction of the second Jewish Temple, which was actually only temple of the tribe of Judah.
From Constantine ( Rome), a new form arose in the church buildings. The construction of the basilica is on the one hand a neutral, as well as court costs and market building looked similar, but also the cult of the deified emperor had last served, and on the other hand made so far as the replacement of the imperial cult by the new religion visible.
In the Orthodox Church the worship are called temples (Greek naos ), while the word church ( ekklesia in Greek ) is used only for the community itself.
Among the newer communities on a Christian basis, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ( " Mormons " ) for its world- built temple is known. Another community that relies on the same founding figure Joseph Smith, the Community of Christ, has two temples. The Community in Christ Jesus you call the most holy shrines, the Elias castle, temple.
Temple in Hinduism
In Hinduism, the temple ( Mandir ) represents the cosmos as such. In the temple, " touch" the world of the gods and the world of men is. However, in contrast to the House rites of temple attendance is not mandatory.
Temples in Buddhism
Among the religions have temples as sanctuaries, part of Buddhism, which also includes Zen, Tantra ( - ism) and Lamaism. In Buddhism, the term temple is closely associated with the monastery and not always clearly separated.
Important elements of a Buddhist temple are Pagoda and the Dhamma hall for ceremonies and teaching lectures in Thailand also Bot and known in Japan Zendo.
A ritual that is often held in temples, is the puja, a prayer service in honor of Buddha. Although smoke, flowers, food offerings, and the like are used more, but the Buddha refused (large ) victims as meaningless from. Therefore, it is to be understood that by good works (eg gifting of monks ) acquires merit, which should be well affect our own happiness.
The temple can be very different depending on the school and culture. So are known for their cave temples, for example, India and Sri Lanka. With the spread in Germany such as The Buddhist House also emerged there Buddhist temples, which are adapted to local climatic and cultural needs.
Shinto temple in
For better distinction from the Buddhist temples in Japan has become the norm for religious Baustätten of Shinto, the term " shrine " or " Shinto shrine ", even though a long time has been made in Japan, no substantial difference between the religions of Buddhism and Shinto.
Bahai temple
The Bahai build their houses of worship, dedicated to the unity of religions and all people are open to the world. The focus of worship are the holy scriptures of all religions of the world, which are recited without preaching, interpretation or comment in the original language or translation.
Sung prayers in all languages and spiritual traditions of humankind are welcome in the temples. The acoustics of the central communal dome structure carries the human voice. No other sounds to the individual reflection and meditation interfere.
In the top of the dome, the Traffic Light, is an Arabic calligraphy to see an expression of praise: " O Glory of the All-Glorious! ". Another feature connects the temple: Nine goals in all directions symbolize the openness for the followers of different religions.
Otherwise, the houses of worship are characterized by that its architectural diversity, representing deliberately different styles and symbols of different cultures.
The most famous Bahai Temple is located in Delhi, India, and is known as the Lotus Temple.
Temple of Freemasonry
The Freemasons call the meeting places of their lodge as a temple. So especially in the U.S. - - Here, the entire building can or even the space for the ritual work in this building are so designated. Masonic Temple are often characterized by a separate " Masonic architecture style " from.
Temple as a tourist attraction
The temple ruins of ancient civilizations such as those of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Rome, or in the New World Maya, Aztecs and Incas and the prehistoric cultures of Malta, Sardinia, etc., are important archaeological monuments and today i d R frequently. tourist attractions.