"Dedicated to worship; holy" is Webster's definition of the word Sacred.
My idea of a sacred place is any location I can meditate, worship, prey and/or speak to God. It does not have to be a special room or in front of an alter. All I need is to have a since of solitude, peace and quite. I find that I can worship better in the midnight hours until early morning. It is the stillness that exists during those hours that help usher me into a state of meditation and prayer. I find that this calmness is not experienced during the day. For instance, I can worship in my car while driving in the middle of the night. While at home, I worship as I clean or lay in my bed. I can enter a state of worship as I walk down a quite street while the wind blow through the trees.
Growing up as a child, My ideal of a sacred place was the church. I was taught that the church was a place where the presence of God dwelt. The church was "holy ground" and was to be treated as such. There was protocol that everyone had to abide by. These set of rules range from appropriate conversations to acceptable attire. As I matured spiritually, I am aware that each person defines his or her idea of a "sacred place".
I arrived at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels for the 8 a.m. service. As I looked around at the large complex a feeling of sacredness came over me. I don't know if my spiritual background had anything to do with my feelings or the intended architectural design. I do know that I felt a since of worship and to worship once I entered the Cathedral. I stop at the information booth for literature and directions. I decided that my first stop would be the sanctuary. As I entered the building, a since of peace came over me. I decided to attend the morning service. It was the first time I had ever attended a Catholic service. I was free to worship as the service proceeded. The Priest burned incense, which created a mystical atmosphere.