Database: Amritsar (India)

Situated in the northwestern part of India in the Punjabi state, Amritsar is the spiritual center of the Sikh community. The city owes its name to the sacred lake constructed in 1574 by Ram Das, the fourth ranked Guru in Sikhism. In 1588, his successor, Guru Ar Jan, ordered the construction of a sacred place at the same location where Guru Nanak, the very first Guru, would go to meditate.

The Harmandir Sahib, commonly known as the "Golden Temple," was completed in 1604. Guru Arjan had the manuscript of his commandments installed there. His writings today are the basis of the Sikh faith, which considers this book as the words of its last living Guru.

In 1801, Ranjit Singh was crowned Maharajah of Punjab, subsequently creating the Sikh Empire. During his reign, Amritsar became the region's capital.