As of 2026-10-12, Saidnaya tops the list with 25,194.
- #1 Saidnaya — 25,194
village in Syria
Saidnaya, also transliterated as Saydnaya, Seidnaya or Sednaya, is a city located in the mountains, 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level, 27 km (17 mi) north of the city of Damascus in Syria. It is the home of a Greek Orthodox monastery traditionally held to have been founded by Byzantine emperor Justinian I, and where a renowned icon of the Virgin Mary is revered by Christians to this day. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Saidnaya had a population of 5,194 in the... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #2 Deir el-Adra, Gebel et-Teir — 13,025
Monastery of the Holy Virgin, Gebel et-Teir, Middle Egypt east of Samalut
source Wikidata - #3 Bawit — 9,516
village in Asyut Governorate, Egypt
Bawit is an archaeological site located 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Asyut, near the village of Dashlout, in Egypt. It covers an area of 40 hectares, and houses a cemetery and the ruins of the Hermopolite monastery of Apa Apollo founded by Apollo in the late fourth century. The structures on this site are relatively well preserved, and demonstrate different aspects of a monastic complex of Middle Egypt. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #4 Deir el-Sanquriya — 8,911
village in Minya Governorate, Egypt
source Wikidata - #5 Wangdue Phodrang — 6,714
city in Bhutan
Wangdue Phodrang is a town and capital of Wangdue Phodrang District in central Bhutan. It is located in Thedtsho Gewog. Khothang Rinchenling Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #6 Deir Durunka — 3,370
village in Asyut Governorate, Egypt
source Wikidata - #7 Dayr al-Maymun — 1,966
village in Giza Governorate, Egypt
Dayr al-Maymūn, more known by its former name Pispir as it is referred to by Athanasius of Alexandria in his biography of St. Anthony, is a mountain in Giza Governorate, Egypt, directly east of the Nile River. It is known to be the place where Anthony the Great settled from 286 – 305 AD after leaving his spoils in Alexandria to pursue a more ascetic lifestyle following his inspiration by a verse from Mark (10:21b), which stated, "Go, sell what you have and give it to [the] poor." During his... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #8 Tatev monastery — 864
9th-century Armenian Apostolic monastery in Syunik Province in southeastern Armenia
The Tatev Monastery is a 9th-century Armenian Apostolic Christian monastery located on a large basalt plateau near the village of Tatev in the Syunik Province in southeastern Armenia. The term "Tatev" usually refers to the monastery. The monastic ensemble stands on the edge of a deep gorge of the Vorotan River. Tatev is known as the bishopric seat of Syunik and played a significant role in the history of the region as a center of economic, political, spiritual and cultural activity. Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #9 Ganden Sumtseling Monastery — 700
monastery and former palace of local government
The Ganden Somtseling Monastery, also known as Somtseling and Guihuasi, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery situated 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the city of Shangri-La at elevation 3,380 metres (11,090 ft) in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan. Built in 1679, the monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Diqing and is sometimes referred to as the Little Potala Palace. During the 9th century, high demand for trade goods on the path to Lhasa brought Naxi administrators, Han... Read more on Wikipedia.
Wikidata - #10 Lokova monastery — 304
former monastery turned psychiatric clinic in Greece
source Wikidata