Objective: Considering the topography of religious sites is essential when traversing a religious pilgrimage. Analyses of terrain ruggedness convey the rigor of five pilgrimages and the relationship between culture and geography.
Figure 1. Terrain ruggedness rubric.
Figure 2. Near the home of the catholic pope, Saint Peter's Basilica is nestled in Rome's Vatican City. Rome has level terrain for a gentle pilgrimage.
Figure 3. For Muslims on the Hajj Pilgrimage, the land surrounding Mecca is slightly rugged resulting in mild conditions.
Figure 4. Adopted by multiple faiths including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity, Sri Prada is a popular hiking site with intermediately rugged areas, proving a more intense pilgrimage journey.
Figure 5. For the most scared site in Judaism, terrain around the Western Wall has intermediate ruggedness for a slightly rigorous expedition.
Figure 6. Positioned in the Garhwal Himalayas of India, Badrinath's rugged terrain is for dedicated Hindu devotees.