Places of Worship and Holy Sites in Europe and the Middle East : Status and Protection under National and International Law

Worship places - churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, shrines and many others - are a key feature in most religions, a part of cultural heritage with a high symbolic and emotional value attached to them. Unfortunately, as a consequence of armed conflict or actions by radical nationalists, worship places are often targeted to inflict damage and eradicate identity. For this reason, national and international laws exist to award special protection to such places. This collection of essays explores the relevance the protection of religious sites has in implementing the freedom of religion or belief and in fostering peaceful relations among different religions.