7 Major Baha’i Temples Around The World

The world has been divided not only in the name of nation but also in the name of religion. Messengers of various faiths have been Preached the unity of mankind but the message was eventually lost when religion took control of man. Baha’ullah who founded the Baha’i faith, brought about a major change in the thought process of the people across the globe. he believed in unity and that was this message as well. Baha’i faith is a world religion that has its own laws, sacred writings, and holy day and like every other religion its own calendar. However it has no clergy and the administration at various levels is handled by elected assemblies. Some of the major principles of Baha’i faith include unity , abolition of discrimination of all sorts, compulsory education for all and striking harmony between science and religious truth.

Baha’ullah from Persia founded Baha’i faith over a hundred and fifty years ago. Baha’i temples are constructed in various parts of the world. They represent the essence of the faith, as visitors from all religions are welcome here to meditate . The temples offer serene atmosphere and each of these temples are uniquely designed sharing some common features. Every Baha’i temple has a central dome and nine entrances, which suggest that people from various directions gather at a common place to meditate and reflect without and inter-mediation in the form of clergy, sermons and rituals.There are seven Baha’i temples , referred to as Baha’i houses of worship, in seven continents of the world.
Chile in south America houses the eighth construction, which is underway. The seven places where Baha’i  temples are located are North America, Australia, Uganda, Germany, Panama, Samoa and India.

1. The Baha’i House of Worship, North America

the-bahai-house-of-worship-north-america
Photo by myself, CC BY-SA 3.0

The cornerstone for Baha’i temple in North America was laid in the year 1912 and the construction was completed in the year 1953. The stunning architecture of the temple amidst gorgeous gardens has earned it a place among the Seven Wonders of Illinois. Fountain Hall, which is the temple’s oldest part and Cornerstone Room are located in the lower level. The temple is the oldest and the largest of the Baha’i temples in the world. The intricate designs on the walls of the auditorium are awe-inspiring. From the main floor, the dome rises to 135 feet high and is amazing to look at.

Address:
100 Linden Ave
Wilmette, IL 60091
United States
Tel: 847-853-2300
Visiting hours:
All days: 6.00 am – 10.00 pm

2. The Baha’i House of Worship, Australia

the-bahai-house-of-worship-australia
Photo by Alex Proimos, CC BY 2.0

Located near the northern beaches of Sydney, the Baha’i temple looks stunningly gorgeous. Spread over an area of 9 hectares, the temple and the lush gardens have become one of the most frequented sites in Australia ever since it was constructed in the year 1961. The dome rises 38 meters above the floor. The gardens surrounding the temple contain unique and native plants.

Address:
173 Mona Vale Road
Ingleside
New South Wales 2101
Australia
Visiting hours:
All days:  9.00 am to 5.00 pm
December and January:  9.00 am to 7.00 pm on weekends.

3. The Baha’i House of Worship, Uganda

The Baha’i Temple in Uganda was built in the year 1962. It took four years to complete the construction, which began in the year 1958. Situated at Kikaaya Hill  on the outskirts of Kampala, the temple, like every Baha’i temple, has unique style. The green color dome is made of mosaic tiles acquired from Italy and the tiles in the lower roof are acquired from Belgium. The glass windows add beauty to the interior with its green, white, blue and amber colors. As the nine doors open, you are captivated by the stunning interior that resembles the fields and the skies on a sunny day.

Address:
Kikaaya Hill
Kampala
Tel: 256 (0)312 262680
256 (0)772 954379
Visiting hours:
All days: 8.00 am – 17.30 pm

4. The Baha’i House of Worship, Germany

the-bahai-house-of-worship-germany
Photo by Michael Paul Gollmer, CC BY-SA 3.0

Situated in a scenic location at the foot of the Taunus mountain range in Germany, Baha’i Temple was opened in the year 1964. Covering an area of 29,068 sq. m, the temple is a stunning display of architecture. The designer Teuto Rocholl was entrusted with the job of designing the temple following an architectural competition in which his design was selected. The dome looks amazingly sun-lit thanks to the 540 diamond-shaped windows in it.

Address:
Eppsteiner Str 95
Hofheim-Langenhain
D-65719 Frankfurt
Hesse,
Germany
Tel: 49 6192 901677
Visiting hours:
All days: 9.00 am – 17.00 pm

5. The Baha’i House of Worship, Panama

the-bahai-house-of-worship-panama
Photo by  Jorge57

The construction of Baha’i Temple in Panama began in the year 1967 and it was completed in 1972. Perched on Cerro Sonsonate (singing hill), a high cliff, the temple resembles fabric designs of Native Americans. The dome is fabulously made with over thousands of tiles, which are oval-shaped. The entrance gates have three-dimensional designs. The temple looks like a giant-sized egg. The interior of the temple is not only beautiful but it also has fresh breeze throughout the day.

Address:
Transistmica
Near Centro Comercial Milla Ocho
San Isidro
Panama City
Tel: 507-231-6909
507-231-1137
Visiting hours:
9.00 am to 6.00 pm

6. The Baha’i House of Worship, Samoa

The construction of Baha’i Temple commenced in the year 1979 in Samoa and it was completed in the year 1984. It is considered the Mother Temple of Pacific Islands. The king of Samoa Malietoa Tanumafili II dedicated the temple and he was the first reigning monarch to become a Baha’i. Spread across a sprawling 20 acres of land, the House of Worship in Samoa is well-structured striking similarity with all other Baha’i temples. The dome soars to a height of 92 feet and the main auditorium that houses the dome is exceptional. The prayer gardens house over 60 species of plants, trees and flowers.

Address:
Tiapapata
Samoa
Tel: 685-23348
685-20385
Visiting hours :
6.00 am to 6.00 pm

7. The Baha’i House of Worship, India

the-bahai-house-of-worship-india
Photo by Arian Zwegers, CC BY 2.0 

Resembling the lotus flower, the Baha’i Temple in India displays the richness of imagination of the architect behind the design. Fariborz Sahba, an Iranian, was the designer of this wonderful temple in the Capital city of India. The construction was completed in the year 1986. The 27 petal like structures with three in a cluster form the nine entrances. Constructed in 26 acres of land, the temple enjoys plenty of visits.

Address:
Kamal Mandir Road
Post Shambu Dayal Bagh
Bahapur
Near Kalkaji Temple
New Delhi – 110019
Tel: 011-23389326
Visiting hours:
Tuesday to Sunday: 8.30 am – 7.00 pm
Closed on Mondays

All the seven Baha’i Temples in the world offer unique experience. They offer a great atmosphere to meditate. The intricate designs, majestic construction and well-planned and maintained gardens combine to provide you one of the most memorable experiences of your lifetime.

About Rohit

An architect by profession, Rohit Agarwal is a curious traveller, seeking out the minutest detail about the places he travels to, and that’s what one will find in his writings. His writings have appeared in various blogs, he’s currently trying to bring forth as many different places a traveller who shares the same level of curiosity like him would like to visit through his writings.

3 thoughts on “7 Major Baha’i Temples Around The World”

  1. What about the one built in 1957 in Haifa, Israel? The gardens that were added, flowing down the Carmel mountain are THE most visible and prominent sight there.

    Reply
  2. The Baha’i buildings in Haifa and the terraces and the gardens are all part the the administrative World Centre of the Baha’i Faith. The gold domed Shrine pays homage to the Bab, known as the Gate, he is a prophet of God whose revelation began in 1844 and ended in 1863 with the Declaration of Baha’u’llah, known as the Glory of God in English. These shrines are holy places of prayer. The Oneness of Humanity and the establishment of World Peace are among the cornerstones of the structures of the Baha’i Faith.

    A Baha’i House of Worship is in fact referred to as the “Dawning Place of the Mention of God” and in the future all the Houses of Worship will be expanded outward with dependencies such as facilities for healing, education and social justice institutes.
    Both types of structures are open to all people and were built for all souls to come together to praise the Creator.
    https://www.bahai.us/

    Reply

Leave a Comment