sacred place; holy ground; the Holy Land
Refers to a place of religious significance, such as a shrine, temple, or a region like the Holy Land. Can be used literally or metaphorically.
Jerusalem is a sacred place for three religions.
This mountain has been revered as a sacred place since ancient times.
real-life location used as a setting in fiction
Slang used by fans of anime, manga, novels, or films to refer to actual places that appear as settings in those works. Often visited as a form of pilgrimage.
Trips to visit the real-life locations from that anime are popular.
This park is known to fans as a real-life location from the movie.
That shrine became a sacred site for many believers.
It's said that the real-life setting for this anime is in Nagano Prefecture.
Many pilgrims visit that holy site every year.
霊場 is a more traditional, often Buddhist term for a sacred pilgrimage site, whereas 聖地 is broader and can apply to any faith or even fictional settings.
メッカ is used metaphorically for the 'mecca' of a hobby or activity, matching the fandom slang sense of 聖地.
pilgrimage to sacred places · visiting real-life locations from anime, manga, etc.
Compound of 聖 (sei, 'holy, sacred') and 地 (chi, 'land, place'). The slang sense is a metaphorical extension from the religious meaning.