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Bahai Shrine & Gardens - Haifa
Undoubtedly the city of Haifa's most striking landmark, the Bahai Shrine and Gardens is a unique combination of immaculately manicured lawns and a delicately crafted place of worship. This blend of faith and aesthetics is not only one of the city’s central features, it is one of the most oft visited sites in Israel and, those who’ve been would argue, one of the most striking places of worship in the entire world. With its awe inspiring perfection and its unparallel attention to detail, the Bahai shrine and Garden is a must-see destination when on a tour to Israel.
Hailing from Persia, the Bahai faith has a relatively short history dating back only as far as the mid nineteenth century. It has its roots in all three monotheistic faiths, claiming that Judasim, Islam and Christianity all have their place in the world and thus in the Bahai faith. The Bahai’s central prophet, the Bab, is said to follow the teachings of the three monotheistic prophets that came before him: Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Since the conception of this faith in the nineteenth century, the Bahai has added millions of believers to the faith, currently serving approximately six million believers world round.
Despite having over 200 places of worship around the world, the faith’s foremost sanctuary was built on Jewish land, in the country’s northern city of Haifa and was dubbed the Bahai World Center. Erected in 1963, on the occasion of the faith’s hundred year anniversary, The Bahai World Center is not only the Bahai’s key place of worship; it is also the faith’s legislative center. From here, laws and regulations are sent out to the faith’s believers and it is to this site that Bahai pilgrimages are directed. Indeed, it is in Haifa’s Bahai Center that the faith’s founder was put to rest in a structure known as the Shrine of the Bab.
Regardless of whether you are on a Jewish Heritage tour, a Bar Mitzvah tour, a Bat Mitzvah tour or a family tour to Israel, regardless, furthermore, of your affiliation with a different faith, the Bahai Shrine and Garden, with its monumental shrine, its international teaching center and its famed Universal House of Justice are a site not to be missed by anyone!
The Bahai Faith- Inclusion and Unity
Perhaps the most central tenet of the Bahai faith is that of unison and harmony, a principle that comes across in the faith’s belief in the unity of all religions. Indeed according to Bahai teachings, the messengers of God Moses, Jesus and Muhammad where cast upon humanity at different times in history as they were intended to fit the specific needs of humanity at that given time. These prophets’ varying doctrines are a result of the changing social and political needs of their time yet they all carry a similar message.
In an effort to capture the faith’s belief in the unity of all monotheistic faiths, its chosen architecture is an interesting blend of Eastern and Western styles. The granite columns recall classic Roman architecture; the Corinthian capitals are reminiscent of ancient Greece, while the arches add a touch of the Orient.
The Bahai Faith- the Bab
As was the case with Jesus and Moses, the Bab—the originator of the Bahai faith—also died a painful martyred death. His martyrdom came in the form of persecution, having been run out of Persia for his beliefs, and eventually murder in 1850 on government order in Iran.
While on a visit to Palestine in 1890, the Bab’s successor and leader of the faith after his death, Baha' Allah, indicated were exactly the Bab was to be buried. The chosen place was, of course, the slopes of the majestic Mount Carmel in Haifa.
When on a tour to Israel and visiting the Bahai World Center, make note that upon entrance into the Shrine of the Bab visitors are asked to remove their shoes and cover bare shoulders with humble clothing. It is best that you come prepared.
The Bahai Gardens - A Beauty Like No Other
As you enter the Bahai Gardens you will most likely first encounter the spectacular site that is the Shrine of the Bab. However, this domed structure encrusted in gold is not the only breathtaking feature on the grounds. Tip your head back and your eyes will hit the Bahai International Teaching Center shaped like the most royal of the Roman temples. This is no coincidence as the building was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, as a symbol for the faith’s belief in the power of beauty and grandeur.
As for the landscape itself, it is nothing less than perfectly molded land, complete with hanging gardens, majestic terraces and flawlessly executed geometric shapes made of grass and flowers.
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