The Bahai Faith is a monotheistic religion emphasizing the spirtual unity of all humanity, while maintaining a harmony with nature. This religion only has 5-6 million followers within more than 200 countries and territories world wide. Originally created in the late 19th Century in Iran, it was soon percieved as a threat to Shi’ite Islam and banned. The Bahai people, while largely concentrated in Iran, have now immigrated and created large communities throughout the world. The Bahai faith preaches service, meditation, and accepting others.
But why discuss a religion in such detail on the Urban Studies blog? In order to achieve their outlines goals, the Bahai people create luxurious temples on each continent—but not in the traditional sense of a temple. Their temples are simply elaborate no-cost-admission urban parks, which invite all to stroll through on a contemplative afternoon. They include terraces, temples, event areas, rooms, and of course flora.
In today’s second installment of The Urban Park, I will be looking at the Bahai Gardens in Haifa, Israel. These giants, lavish parks are in my hometown of Haifa, Israel. I have had the pleasure and opportunity to visit them. Astounding in their design, these terraces serve as a beautiful model for urban parks throughout the world.
The Bahai Gardens, formally known as the Bahai World Centre, serve as the largest meeting spot worldwide for Bahai. This center houses the Shrine of Bab, the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the Centre for the Study of the Sacred Texts, and the Seat of the International Teaching Centre, which were completed in 1909, 1982, 1999 and 2000 respectively. This massive monument to the Bahai faith attracts both local and international tourists and is a Haifa must-see.
These gardens, located in the heart of Haifa, are comprised of nineteen staircase terraces extending all the way up the northern slope of Mount Carmel. The golden-domed Shrine of the Bab, the resting place of the Prophet-Herald of the Bahai Faith, stands on the central terrace, and looks across the bay towards Akko. While different parts of the gardens offer a variety of experiences, they speak a common language of graveled paths, hedges and flowerbeds groomed and nurtured by dedicated gardeners. One could argue that these gardens may be overly manicured, and do not reflect a natural display. While this is true, their overall design is astoundingly smart—paths leading to views, flower colors accenting buildings, and bushes hiding eyesores from below. The gardens frame panoramic views of the city, the Galilee Hills and the Mediterranean Sea. While these views alone are stunning, coupled with the plethora of both natural and urban beauty, the Bahai Gardens are truly monumental design achievements.