Baha'i World Centre, Haifa, Israel

I was invited to the Baha'i World Centre for consultations on 14 June and permitted to stay for an additional three days, returning on 18 June.  I gave a seminar for senior staff, and met with the External Affairs Policy Committee, the Institute for the Study of Global Prosperity, the Office of Public Discourse and the Office of Social and Economic Development. I also could catch up with friends and have interesting conversations in the cafeteria at lunchtime. The rest of the time was free, and gave me the opportunity to create a new photo album on the Baha'i Holy Places and gardens, both on Mount Carmel in Haifa, and across the bay in Bahji. Since the Shrine of the Bab was being restored and under scaffolding during my pilgrimage in 2010, and the weather this time was perfect, I was able to capture the full beauty of these wonderful places for the first time since my first pilgrimage in 1960 and visit in 1968. I was put up just across the street from the Pilgrim House and the Shrine of the Bab, and had a key to the gardens, so I could go where I wanted, in addition to time praying in the Holy Shrines. I climbed the nine upper terraces one day, and went down the nine lower terraces another. A good friend was driving to Bahji one afternoon, so I was able to go with him and his family to visit and pray at the Shrine of Baha'u'llah, see the extended gardens at Bahji, and have dinner in Akka as well.



The Shrine of the Bab on Mount Carmel

Shrine of the Bab . Shrine of the Bab . Shrine of the Bab

Shrine of the Bab . me at Shrine of the Bab . Shrine of the Bab
Views of the Shrine and its surrounding gardens; me near the Shrine

Shrine of the Bab . Shrine of the Bab . Shrine of the Bab


Shrine of the Bab . Shrine of the Bab . view of Haifa from Shrine of the Bab
Terrace behind the Shrine; view from the Shrine over Haifa and the bay

garden by Shrine of the Bab . garden next to Shrine of the Bab . Shrine of the Bab
Gardens near the Shrine

Shrine of the Bab detail, Shrine of the Bab Shrine of the Bab from the terrace below garden by Shrine of the Bab
Details of the Shrine and gardens

Shrine of the Bab, detail . garden by Shrine of the Bab . garden by Shrine of the Bab
Detail of the Shrine; worker patiently reparing an object in the garden; element of decoration from the Baha'i House of Worship in WIlmette

Pilgrim House . cactus garden by Pilgrim House
Pilgrim House and nearby cactus garden


The upper terraces

Upper terraces . upper terraces
Views up the nine terraces to the top of Mount Carmel

upper terraces . start of upper terraces . start of upper terraces

terrace behind Shrine of the Bab . upper terraces . path from Arc to terraces


first of the upper terraces . first of the upper terraces . first of the upper terraces and Archives
First terraces behind the Shrine of the Bab, where the road passes underneath; link to the buildings on the Arc

upper terraces . upper terraces . Archives from upper terraces
Blending of the formal gardens with nature; start of the upper terraces; Archives building

upper terraces . bonsai, upper terraces . bonsai, upper terraces
Climbing the terraces; some terraces have mineature bonsai tree arrangements

upper terraces . upper terraces and Archives . upper terraces
The terraces rise steeply up the mountainside

upper terraces . bonsai on upper terraces . upper terraces blending into native vegetation
Further terraces; another bonsai; blending into the original vegetation of the mountainside

upper terraces . upper terraces . upper terraces
Views of Haifa from further up the mountainside

upper terraces . upper terraces . arc from upper terraces
From the upper terraces, one can look down on the buildings on the Arc

upper terraces . bonsai, upper terraces . highest terrace
Reaching the top, with the viewpoint for visitors


The lower terraces

first terrace below Shrine of the Bab . lower terraces . lower terraces
Starting from the Shrine of the Bab, there are nine terraces down to Ben Gurion Avenue

lower terraces . Shrine of the Bab from first terrace . Shrine of the Bab
Looking down and up from the ninth terrace

lower terraces . Shrine of the Bab from lower terraces . lower terraces
Each terrace is separated by flights of stairs

lower terraces . bonsai on lower terraces . bonsai on lower terraces
Again, some of the terraces have miniature arrangements with bonsai trees

lower terraces . bonsai on lower terraces . lower terraces
Looking up and down; dwarf olive tree

lower terraces . lower terraces . lower terraces
The terraces are well isolated from the adjacent city

lower terraces . lower terraces, mowing lawn . bottom terraces 
The bottom terraces; maintaining a perfect lawn on a steep slope is not easy, but the volunteer gardeners do it well

terrace above bottom terrace . down to bottom terrace . looking up from bottom terrace
The bottom terrace and fountains rejoin the city beyond the gates

bottom terrace . bottom terrace . bottom terrace
Views of the bottom terrace

tent grove . tent grove and garden
The tent grove where Baha'u'llah pitched his tent when visiting Mount Carmel


The monument gardens

Monument Gardens . Monument Gardens . Monument Gardens
Monument to the Greatest Holy Leaf, daughter of Baha'u'llah; monuments to His wife Navvab and His son, the Purest Branch

Monument Gardens . Monument Gardens . Monument Gardens
The monuments are at the centre of the Arc; monument to the wife of 'Abdu'l-Baha

Monument Gardens Monuments to Baha'u'llah's wife and son



The Baha'i World Centre buildings on the Arc

Arc and Seat of the UHJ . Seat of the UHJ . Entrance to the Seat of the UHJ
The Seat of the Universal House of Justice; its entrance
Archives Building . Archives Building . Buildings on the Arc
The Archives Building at one end of the Arc

Centre for the Study of the Texts . Centre for the Study of the Texts . Arc with Centre for Study of Texts and Archives
The Centre for the Study of the Texts
International Teaching Centre . Entrance to the ITC . garden by ITC
The International Teaching Centre; its entrance; a side garden

Seat of the UHJ . ITC . gardens below Arc
Views of the buildings from the centre of the Arc


Archives Building from upper terraces . ITC from upper terraces . Shrine of the Bab and Archives from upper terraces
Looking down on the Archives Building, the International Teaching Centre and the Shrine of the Bab from the terraces


The Shrine of Baha'u'llah at Bahji

Shrine of Baha'u'llah . Shrine of Baha'u'llah . Shrine of Baha'u'llah
Entrance to the Shrine of Baha'u'llah; the room where Baha'u'llah is buried

Shrine of Baha'u'llah . Shrine of Baha'u'llah . Shrine of Baha'u'llah
Views of the Shrine of Baha'u'llah from which the gardens radiate in all directions

Shrine of Baha'u'llah . buildings by Shrine of Baha'u'llah . Shrine of Baha'u'llah
Shrine of Baha'u'llah and adjacent buildings


The Mansion of Baha'u'llah at Bahji

Mansion of Baha'u'llah . Mansion of Baha'u'llah . Mansion of Baha'u'llah
The Mansion where Baha'u'llah spent his last years, even though still a prisoner


The gardens around the Shrine of Baha'u'llah

gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji
Gardens adjacent to the Mansion

eagle in gardens . tree in a path . gardens at Bahji
An eagle near the Mansion; existing trees did not alter the formal layout of the gardens

gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji
The gardens radiate in all directions; some are not watered because of the drought

gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji
Gardens near the Shrine

gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji
Gardens by the Shrine; the main entrance from the Collins Gate to the Shrine of Baha'u'llah

gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji
Gardens by the Mansion and Shrine

gardens at Bahji . gardens at Bahji
New gardens completing the circle


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Last updated 1 August 2015

Photographs copyright © Arthur Lyon Dahl 2015