If you have visited the Lotus Temple in New Delhi, remember Haifa is their head quarters. The Bahá'í faith is a new religion founded in Iran in the mid-19th century by Mirza Hoseyn 'Ali Nuri, who is known as Baha'ullah. Just like Christianity has its base in Judaism and Buddhism grew out of Hinduism, the Bahaí faith has its roots in Shi'ite Islam. Bahaullah's forerunner was Siyyid Ali Muhammad, who was also known as Bab. For Baha'ís, Báb was the return of Elijah (forerunner of Messiah to Jews) and John the Baptist (forerunner of Christ to Christians). Bab was executed on July 9, 1850 and his remains were finally buried in a special tomb on Mount Carmel in 1909. Today, a beautiful garden surrounds this "Shrine/Tomb of the Báb", the second most holy place in the Baha'í world. The magnificent garden terraces at the Baha'í World Centre in Haifa, were opened to the public in June 2001. The golden-domed structure, which makes the Shrine Haifa's best-known landmark, was completed in 1953. In 1990, nineteen terraces of garden were constructed and designed by Canadian architect Fariborz Sahba. The Terraces now stretch a kilometer up the mountain, reaching a height of 738 feet, and their landscape spans the mountain from 197 feet to 1,312 feet. Designed as nineteen concentric circles, the terraces appear to radiate outwards from the Shrine, and all of their lines and curves direct attention towards the Tomb at their heart. The nineteen terraces represent the Báb and His first eighteen followers. Each terrace has three garden zones. Today, some 70 workers (from different cultures and religions) and 30 Bahá'í volunteers (from 12 countries) compose the gardening staff of the Bahá'í World Centre. The 19 terraced gardens are arranged in such a way that the tomb lies in the middle. The gradens can be visited only by pre appointment and we managed with the upper terraces. On the same day you are not allowed to see both the terraces....so lower terraces for next time.....
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