Baháʼí House Of Worship
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A Baháʼí House of Worship or Baháʼí temple is a
place of worship A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is s ...
of the
Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...
. It is also referred to by the name ''Mashriqu'l-Adhkár'', which is
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
for "Dawning-place of the remembrance of God". All Baháʼí Houses of Worship have a round, nine-sided shape and are surrounded by nine pathways leading outwards and nine gardens, reflecting the number nine's symbolic significance for Baháʼís. Inside, there is a prayer hall with seats facing in the direction of the
Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh The Mansion of Bahjí (, Qasr Bahjī, ''Mansion of Delight'') is a summer house in Acre, Israel where Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, died in 1892. He was buried in an adjacent house, which became the Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh, ...
. The Houses of Worship are open throughout the week to both Baháʼís and non-Baháʼís for prayer and reflection, and some also have scheduled weekly devotional services. Scriptural texts from all religions may be recited inside, but
sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present context ...
s, ritualistic ceremonies, and readings from non-scriptural texts are not allowed. In addition, several Houses of Worship have formed choirs that sing music based on the Baháʼí writings, though musical instruments may not be played inside. At present, most Baháʼí devotional meetings occur in individuals' homes or local Baháʼí centres rather than in Houses of Worship. The first Baháʼí House of Worship was planned during the lifetime of
Baháʼu'lláh Baháʼu'lláh (, born Ḥusayn-ʻAlí; 12 November 1817 – 29 May 1892) was an Iranian religious leader who founded the Baháʼí Faith. He was born to an aristocratic family in Iran and was exiled due to his adherence to the messianic Báb ...
(1817–1892) and completed in the city of
Ashgabat Ashgabat (Turkmen language, Turkmen: ''Aşgabat'') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies between the Karakum Desert and the Kopet Dag, Kopetdag mountain range in Central Asia, approximately 50 km (30  ...
in 1919, though it was later destroyed. Next, eight Houses of Worship designated as continental Houses of Worship were completed between 1953 and 2016. They are located in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
,
Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
,
Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
,
Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, and
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
, and some have won architectural awards. All other Baháʼí Houses of Worship are designated as either local or national Houses of Worship. The
Universal House of Justice The Universal House of Justice is the nine-member supreme ruling body of the Baháʼí Faith. It was envisioned by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, as an institution that could legislate on issues not already addressed in the ...
announced seven more in 2012, all but one of which have been completed, and announced another six in 2023 and 2024. The Baháʼí Faith envisions that Houses of Worship will be surrounded by dependencies dedicated to social, humanitarian, educational, and scientific pursuits, although none has yet been built up to that extent.


History

The Baháʼí House of Worship was first mentioned under the name ''Mashriqu'l-Adhkár'' (;
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
for "Dawning-place of the remembrance of God") in the ''
Kitáb-i-Aqdas The ''Kitáb-i-Aqdas'' () is the central religious text of the Baháʼí Faith, written by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the religion, in 1873. Though it is the main source of Baháʼí laws and practices, much of the content deals with other ...
'', the book of laws of
Baháʼu'lláh Baháʼu'lláh (, born Ḥusayn-ʻAlí; 12 November 1817 – 29 May 1892) was an Iranian religious leader who founded the Baháʼí Faith. He was born to an aristocratic family in Iran and was exiled due to his adherence to the messianic Báb ...
, founder of the Baháʼí Faith. Baháʼu'lláh wrote:
O people of the world! Build ye houses of worship throughout the lands in the name of Him Who is the Lord of all religions. Make them as perfect as is possible in the world of being, and adorn them with that which befitteth them, not with images and effigies. Then, with radiance and joy, celebrate therein the praise of your Lord, the Most Compassionate.
The first Baháʼí House of Worship, in what is now
Turkmenistan Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...
, was planned during the lifetime of Baháʼu'lláh and then designed and constructed during the ministry of his son and successor,
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (; Persian: , ;, 23 May 1844 – 28 November 1921), born ʻAbbás (, ), was the eldest son of Baháʼu'lláh, founder of the Bahá’í Faith, who designated him to be his successor and head of the Baháʼí Faith from 1892 un ...
. It was completed in 1919 but later expropriated from the Baháʼís and eventually demolished. The cornerstone of the first Baháʼí House of Worship that is still standing, in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, was laid in 1912 by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, and the House of Worship was dedicated in 1953 during the ministry of his grandson and successor,
Shoghi Effendi Shoghí Effendi (; ;1896 or 1897 – 4 November 1957) was Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1922 until his death in 1957. As the grandson and successor of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, he was charged with guiding the development of the Baháʼí Faith, in ...
. Also in 1953, Shoghi Effendi announced a long-term plan to build a temple for each (roughly) continental region. These temples are referred to as "Mother temples" or continental temples and are intended as the first of many temples in their regions. Shoghi Effendi died in 1957, but his plans for the construction of Baháʼí Houses of Worship were continued by the
Universal House of Justice The Universal House of Justice is the nine-member supreme ruling body of the Baháʼí Faith. It was envisioned by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, as an institution that could legislate on issues not already addressed in the ...
, a body first elected in 1963 that has led the world Baháʼí community since that time. The Universal House of Justice has included constructing Houses of Worship in the goals of some of its teaching plans. By the end of the twentieth century, further continental Houses of Worship were completed in
Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
,
Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
,
Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...
, and
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. In 2001, the Universal House of Justice wrote in its Ridván Message to the Baháʼís of the world that "with profound thankfulness and joy... we announce at this auspicious moment the decision to proceed" with the construction in
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
of the eighth and final continental House of Worship. It was completed in 2016. Meanwhile, in the Ridván message of 2012, the Universal House of Justice announced the locations of the first local and national Baháʼí Houses of Worship that would be built. The first two national Houses of Worship would be in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...
and
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean n ...
, while the first five local Houses of Worship would be in
Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
, India,
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
,
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
, and
Vanuatu Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (; ), is an island country in Melanesia located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, east o ...
. Since the announcement, the two national Houses of Worship and four of the local Houses of Worship have been completed, and there has been a groundbreaking ceremony for the fifth local House of Worship. In addition, more than 120 national Baháʼí communities have now acquired properties for the eventual construction of Baháʼí Houses of Worship, compared to 84 national communities that had done so by 1988.


Architecture

All Baháʼí Houses of Worship share certain
architectural Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and construction, constructi ...
elements, some of which are specified by Baháʼí scripture. They are required to have a round, nine-sided shape and to have nine pathways lead outward and nine gardens surrounding them. The number nine is symbolically significant for Baháʼís, representing completeness, perfection, and the Baháʼí teaching of the unity of religion. As of 2010 all standing Baháʼí Houses of Worship have a
dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
, although the
Baháʼí laws Baháʼí laws are laws and ordinances used in the Baháʼí Faith and are a fundamental part of Baháʼí practice. The laws are based on authenticated texts from Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, and also includes subsequent in ...
do not require Houses of Worship to have domes. The Greatest Name, a Baháʼí symbol, appears in calligraphy in each temple, often at the top of the dome. All Baháʼí Houses of Worship also have a prayer hall, with seats facing towards the
Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh The Mansion of Bahjí (, Qasr Bahjī, ''Mansion of Delight'') is a summer house in Acre, Israel where Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, died in 1892. He was buried in an adjacent house, which became the Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh, ...
in present-day
Acre, Israel Acre ( ), known in Hebrew as Akko (, ) and in Arabic as Akka (, ), is a List of cities in Israel, city in the coastal plain region of the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. The city occupies a strategic location, sitting ...
, which is the Qiblih, the direction Baháʼís face in their obligatory prayers. No
pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, accesse ...
s or
altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...
s may be incorporated as architectural features. While they share some essential architectural elements, Baháʼí Houses of Worship differ in other aspects of their designs. Design proposals may be submitted by Baháʼí and non-Baháʼí architects, and some completed Houses of Worship were designed by non-Baháʼís. The Baháʼí Houses of Worship designed while Shoghi Effendi led the Baháʼí community include many classical architectural elements and generally avoid modern styles, which he described as "for the most part ugly, and altogether too utilitarian in aspect for a House of Worship". To varying degrees, Baháʼí Houses of Worship also integrate cultural and environmental elements from the areas in which they are built into their materials,
landscaping Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including the following: # Living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly called gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal ...
, and architecture. These local symbols are generally more prominent in the more recent Houses of Worship.


Purpose and activities

A Baháʼí House of Worship is a place of worship of the Baháʼí Faith, where both Baháʼís and non-Baháʼís can express devotion to God. Baháʼí Houses of Worship are open to all regardless of religion, gender, or any other distinction. The only requirements for entry are modest dress and quiet behavior. The Baháʼí laws state that a House of Worship should be built in each city and town. Shoghi Effendi said that a Baháʼí temple is a "silent teacher" of the Baháʼí Faith. The Baháʼí laws require that only scriptural texts—of the Baháʼí Faith or other religions—may be read or chanted inside, though in any language. Since there are no pulpits, readers may use a simple portable lectern. While readings and prayers that have been set to music may be sung by choirs, no musical instruments may be played inside. Several Baháʼí Houses of Worship have established choirs that sing music based on the Baháʼí writings (scriptures). Baháʼí scripture also states that no pictures, statues, or images may be displayed within Houses of Worship. No
sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present context ...
s may be delivered, and no ritualistic ceremonies may be practiced. Memorial services are sometimes held in Bahá'í Houses of Worship, and while wedding ceremonies are not permitted inside, they are often held in the gardens of the temples. In mainly
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
countries, Baháʼí Houses of Worship offer weekly devotional services on Sundays, with the
Baháʼí calendar The Baháʼí calendar used in the Baháʼí Faith is a solar calendar consisting of nineteen months and four or five intercalary days, with new year at the moment of Northern spring equinox. Each month is named after a virtue (''e.g.'', Perfect ...
not yet implemented for temple worship. Shoghi Effendi taught that Houses of Worship should each be surrounded by a complex of humanitarian, educational, and charitable institutions—such as schools, hospitals, homes for the elderly, universities, and hostels—to serve the areas in which they are situated. He said the future interaction between the House of Worship and its dependencies could provide "the essentials of Baháʼí worship and service, both so vital to the regeneration of the world". To date, only a few such dependencies have been built and no Baháʼí House of Worship has had the full range of dependencies that are envisioned. Shoghi Effendi also viewed the functions of the House of Worship as complementary to those of the
Haziratu'l-Quds A Haziratu'l-Quds (Arabic, ''sacred fold''), or Baháʼí centre, is one of the national, regional or local Baháʼí Faith, Baháʼí administrative centres. Shoghi Effendi, the head of the Baháʼí Faith in the first half of the 20th century, ...
(commonly known as a Baháʼí centre), and said that it would be desirable if both these buildings were on the same site. At present, Baháʼí devotional meetings in most communities take place in homes or Baháʼí centres, but Elham Afnan notes that such activities "evoke the spirit" of a House of Worship with the goal that it can eventually be constructed.


Funding and administration

Baháʼí Houses of Worship are funded by the voluntary contributions of Baháʼí communities. There are no collections during temple services and only Baháʼís are permitted to contribute to the Baháʼí funds, including funds for the construction and maintenance of Houses of Worship. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi both viewed the construction of Baháʼí Houses of Worship in individual countries as projects of the international Baháʼí community. When Houses of Worship are built, the required funds accordingly come from Baháʼís around the world. Worldwide, expenses associated with Houses of Worship (and with the buildings at the Baháʼí World Centre) constitute a significant part of the spending of the
Baháʼí administration The Baháʼí administration is a system of elected and appointed institutions to govern the affairs of the Baháʼí Faith, Baháʼí community. Its supreme body is the Universal House of Justice, elected every five years. Some features set ...
. In general, a Baháʼí House of Worship and the grounds on which it is situated are the property of the Baháʼí National Spiritual Assembly of that country, and the properties are held in a
financial endowment A financial endowment is a legal structure for managing, and in many cases indefinitely perpetuating, a pool of Financial instrument, financial, real estate, or other investments for a specific purpose according to Donor intent, the will of its fo ...
. A committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the relevant country administers the House of Worship's activities and affairs, but spiritually they see themselves as custodians of a temple that belongs to all the world's Baháʼís.


Continental Houses of Worship


Wilmette, U.S.

The oldest extant Baháʼí House of Worship stands in Wilmette, on the shore of
Lake Michigan Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...
near
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. It has received architectural awards. In 1978, it was added to the United States
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. In 2007, the Baháʼí House of Worship was named one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois by the Illinois Bureau of Tourism. The temple is visited by about 250,000 people every year. During his journeys to the West, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá came to Wilmette for the groundbreaking ceremony of the temple and laid the foundation stone on 1 May 1912. The principal architect was Louis Bourgeois, though his original design ended up being amended numerous times due to impractical elements. Construction began in 1921 and was completed in 1951, and the temple was dedicated in 1953. The total cost of the construction was above $2.6 million. From 1958–2001, the Wilmette House of Worship was associated with a "home for the aged", operated by the U.S. Baháʼí community. The cladding of the building is composed of a
concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufactur ...
mixture of
Portland cement Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world as a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar (masonry), mortar, stucco, and non-specialty grout. It was developed from other types of hydraulic lime in England in th ...
,
quartz Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica (silicon dioxide). The Atom, atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen Tetrahedral molecular geometry, tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tet ...
, and sand, developed for the temple by John Joseph Earley. From ground level, the building stands approximately 58.2 metres tall and the diameter of the dome is 27.4 metres. The auditorium seats 1,191 visitors. The exterior is adorned with symbols from various religions, including the Latin Cross, the
Greek Cross The Christian cross, with or without a figure of Jesus, Christ included, is the main religious symbol of Christianity. A cross with a figure of Christ affixed to it is termed a crucifix and the figure is often referred to as the ''corpus'' (La ...
, the
star and crescent The conjoined representation of a star and a crescent is used in various historical contexts, including as a prominent symbol of the Ottoman Empire, and in contemporary times, as a national symbol by some countries, and by some Muslims as a sym ...
, the
Star of David The Star of David (, , ) is a symbol generally recognized as representing both Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram: the compound of two equilateral triangles. A derivation of the Seal of Solomon was used for decora ...
, the
swastika The swastika (卐 or 卍, ) is a symbol used in various Eurasian religions and cultures, as well as a few Indigenous peoples of Africa, African and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, American cultures. In the Western world, it is widely rec ...
(which is an ancient symbol used in
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
,
Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
, and
Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...
), and the
five-pointed star A five-pointed star (☆), geometrically an equilateral concave decagon, is a common ideogram in modern culture. Comparatively rare in classical heraldry, it was notably introduced for the flag of the United States in the Flag Act of 1777 and si ...
. The grounds of the temple feature nine fountains, rows of Chinese junipers, and a wide range of flowers including thousands of
tulip Tulips are spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes in the ''Tulipa'' genus. Their flowers are usually large, showy, and brightly coloured, generally red, orange, pink, yellow, or white. They often have a different colour ...
s planted each fall.


Kampala, Uganda

There is a Baháʼí House of Worship situated on the northern outskirts of
Kampala Kampala (, ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,875,834 (2024) and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kampala, Kawempe Division, Kawempe, Makindy ...
, Uganda's capital and largest city, on Kikaaya Hill. Shoghi Effendi announced that the Kampala temple would be built in 1955 after persecution of Baháʼís in Iran made it impossible for them to build one. It was designed by architect Charles Mason Remey. The foundation stone was laid on 26 January 1957 by Rúhíyyih Khánum, representing
Shoghi Effendi Shoghí Effendi (; ;1896 or 1897 – 4 November 1957) was Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1922 until his death in 1957. As the grandson and successor of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, he was charged with guiding the development of the Baháʼí Faith, in ...
. Musa Banani, the first Hand of the Cause in Africa, was also present for the groundbreaking and placed a gift of soil from the
Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh The Mansion of Bahjí (, Qasr Bahjī, ''Mansion of Delight'') is a summer house in Acre, Israel where Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, died in 1892. He was buried in an adjacent house, which became the Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh, ...
, sent by Shoghi Effendi, in the foundation. The dedication ceremony was held in January 1961 and was also attended by Rúhíyyih Khánum. The building is more than 39 metres high, and over 100 metres in diameter at the base. The dome is over 37 metres high and 13 metres in diameter. As a protection against earthquakes that can occur in the region, the temple has a foundation that goes 3 metres beneath the ground. The temple has seating for 800 people. At the time it was built, the Kampala Baháʼí temple was the tallest building in
East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...
. The temple's dome is built out of fixed mosaic tiles from Italy, whereas the tiles of the lower roof are from Belgium. The wall panels contain windows of green, pale blue, and amber colored glass of German origin. Both the timber used for making the doors and benches and the stone used for the walls of the temple are from within Uganda itself. The property includes the House of Worship, extensive gardens, a guest house, and an administrative centre.


Sydney, Australia

The fourth Baháʼí temple to be completed (and third still standing) is in Ingleside in the northern suburbs of
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
, Australia. This temple serves as the "Mother Temple of the Antipodes". According to Jennifer Taylor, a historian at
Sydney University The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...
, it is among Sydney's four most significant religious buildings constructed in the twentieth century. The initial design by Charles Mason Remey was given to Sydney architect John Brogan to develop and complete. It was dedicated in September 1961 and opened to the public after four years of construction. Construction materials include crushed quartz concrete, local hardwoods in the interior, and concrete and marble in the dome. There is seating for 600 people. The building stands 38 metres in height, has a diameter at its widest point of 20 metres, and is a highly visible landmark from Sydney's northern beaches. The property is set high in a natural bushland setting overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The surrounding gardens contain a variety of native Australian flora including waratahs, three species of
eucalypt Eucalypt is any woody plant with Capsule (fruit), capsule fruiting bodies belonging to one of seven closely related genera (of the tribe Eucalypteae) found across Australia: ''Eucalyptus'', ''Corymbia'', ''Angophora'', ''Stockwellia'', ''Allosyn ...
s, caleyi and other
grevillea ''Grevillea'' (), commonly known as spider flowers, is a genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the family Proteaceae. Plants in the genus ''Grevillea'' are shrubs, rarely trees, with the leaves arranged alternately along the ...
,
acacia ''Acacia'', commonly known as wattles or acacias, is a genus of about of shrubs and trees in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the pea family Fabaceae. Initially, it comprised a group of plant species native to Africa, South America, and Austral ...
, and woody pear.


Langenhain, Germany

There is a Baháʼí House of Worship at the foot of the Taunus Mountains of Germany, in the village of Langenhain near
Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
. It was designed by German architect Teuto Rocholl. The foundation stone for the temple was laid on 20 November 1960 by Amelia Collins and the temple was dedicated on 4 July 1964. Its construction was opposed by a number of
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
and
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
churches in Germany at the time. The temple's superstructure was prefabricated in the Netherlands out of steel and concrete. The center of the interior of the temple is illuminated by light shining through over 500 glass panels above. At its base, the interior is 48 metres in diameter. The height from ground level is 28.3 metres and the temple can seat up to 600 people. Seena Fazel describes the House of Worship as having a "distinctive concrete and glass modernist design".


Panama City, Panama

There is a Baháʼí temple in
Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...
, Panama, which was designed by English architect Peter Tillotson. Rúhíyyih Khánum laid the foundation stone on 8 October 1967 and temple was dedicated on 29 April 1972. It is perched on a mountain named Cerro Sonsonate, 10 km northeast of Panama City such that it can be seen from many parts of the city. The temple is built from local stone, which is laid in designs evoking Native American fabric designs and temples of the ancient Americas. The dome is covered with thousands of small oval tiles and rises to a height of 28 metres. The temple has seats made from
mahogany Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Universit ...
for up to 550 people and a floor made from
terrazzo Terrazzo is a composite material, poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of chips of marble, quartz, granite, glass, or other suitable material, poured with a cementitious binder (for chemical bind ...
.


Tiapapata, Samoa

There is a Baháʼí House of Worship set in Tiapapata, in the hills behind
Apia Apia () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Samoa. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō'') of Tuamasaga. The Apia Urban A ...
, Samoa. It was designed by Hossein Amanat. Both Malietoa Tanumafili II of Samoa, the world's first Baháʼí
head of state A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 "
he head of state He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...
being an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...
, and Rúhíyyih Khánum helped lay the foundation stone on 27 January 1979 and attended the dedication on 1 September 1984. The temple was completed at a total cost of $6.5 million. It has a 30-metre-tall domed structure and seats up to 500 people in the main hall plus 200 on the mezzanine level. The structure is open to the island breezes; Graham Hassall writes that this fosters a suitable environment for meditation and prayer.


New Delhi, India

In Bahapur,
New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...
, India, there is a Baháʼí House of Worship that is commonly known as the Lotus Temple, which was designed by Iranian-American architect Fariborz Sahba. Rúhíyyih Khánum laid the foundation stone on 17 October 1977 and dedicated the temple on 24 December 1986. The total cost was $10 million. The temple has won numerous architectural awards, including from the
Institution of Structural Engineers The Institution of Structural Engineers is a British professional body for structural engineers. In 2021, it had 29,900 members operating in 112 countries. It provides professional accreditation and publishes a magazine, '' The Structural Eng ...
, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, and the Architectural Society of China. It has also become a major attraction for people of various religions, with up to 100,000 visitors on some Hindu holy days; estimates for the number of visitors per year range from 2.5 million to 5 million. The temple is often listed as one of
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
's main tourist attractions, and even as one of the most visited buildings in the world. Inspired by the sacred lotus flower, the temple's design is composed of 27 free-standing, marble-clad "petals" grouped into clusters of three and thus forming nine entryways. The temple's shape has symbolic and inter-religious significance because the lotus is often associated with the Hindu goddess
Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...
. Nine doors open onto a central hall with permanent seating for 1,200 people, which can be expanded for a total seating capacity of 2,500 people. The temple rises to a height of 40.8 metres and is situated on a property that covers 105,000 square metres and features nine surrounding ponds. An educational centre beside the temple was established in 2017. The temple uses solar panels to produce 120 kW of the 500 kW of electricity it requires in total.


Santiago, Chile

The continental Baháʼí House of Worship for South America (or "Mother Temple for South America") is located in
Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...
, Chile. Shoghi Effendi announced Chile as the site for the continental temple of South America in 1953, and in 2001 the process to build the temple was launched. The chosen design was by
Siamak Hariri Siamak Hariri, OAA, AAA, AIBC, FRAIC, RCA, Intl. Assoc. AIA (; born 1958) is a Canadian architect and a founding partner of Hariri Pontarini Architects, a full-service architectural and interior design practice based in Toronto, Canada. Born ...
of Hariri Pontarini Architects in
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, Ontario, Canada. Excavation was initiated at the site in 2010 and construction began in 2012. The doors opened on 19 October 2016. The Santiago temple cost a total of $30 million to build and has won a range of Canadian and international architectural awards. The Santiago Baháʼí House of Worship is ringed by nine entrances, nine pathways, and nine fountains, and the structure is composed of nine arching "sails". These have also been described as nine "petals" and the temple's shape as "floral"; the "petals" are separated by glass which allows light to illuminate the temple's interior. The exterior of the "petals" is made from cast glass while the interior is made from translucent Portuguese marble. The sides of the temple are held up on the inside by a
steel Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that demonstrates improved mechanical properties compared to the pure form of iron. Due to steel's high Young's modulus, elastic modulus, Yield (engineering), yield strength, Fracture, fracture strength a ...
and
aluminum Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...
superstructure. The temple can seat 600 people and it is 30 metres high and 30 metres in diameter.


Other Houses of Worship


Completed but destroyed

The first Baháʼí House of Worship was built in the city of
Ashgabat Ashgabat (Turkmen language, Turkmen: ''Aşgabat'') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies between the Karakum Desert and the Kopet Dag, Kopetdag mountain range in Central Asia, approximately 50 km (30  ...
, which was then a part of
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
's
Transcaspian Oblast The Transcaspian Oblast, or simply Transcaspia, was an oblast of the Russian Empire and early Soviet Russia to the east of the Caspian Sea during the second half of the 19th century until 1924. It was bounded to the south by Iran's Khorasan Pro ...
and is now the capital of Turkmenistan. It was started in 1902 and mostly completed by 1907, but was not fully finished until 1919. Plans for this House of Worship were first made during the lifetime of Baháʼu'lláh. The design was prepared by Ustad Ali-Akbar Banna, and after his death the construction was supervised by Vakílu'd-Dawlih. In 1928, the House of Worship was expropriated by the
Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
authorities and thereafter it was leased back to the Baháʼís. This arrangement lasted until 1938, when it was fully secularized and turned into an
art gallery An art gallery is a room or a building in which visual art is displayed. In Western cultures from the mid-15th century, a gallery was any long, narrow covered passage along a wall, first used in the sense of a place for art in the 1590s. The long ...
. The
1948 Ashgabat earthquake The 1948 Ashgabat earthquake was on 6 October with a surface-wave magnitude of 7.3 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''), in Turkmenistan near Ashgabat. Due to censorship by the Soviet government, the event was not widely reporte ...
seriously damaged the building, rendering it unsafe; the heavy rains of the following years weakened the structure, until in 1963 the building was demolished and the site was converted into a public park. The Ashgabat House of Worship was surrounded by gardens with nine ponds. At the four corners of the plot of land surrounding the House of Worship were various buildings: a boys' school; a girls' school; a large meeting hall; and a group of buildings including the offices of the
Local Spiritual Assembly Spiritual Assembly is a term given by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Baháʼí Faith. Because the Baháʼí Faith has no clergy, they carry out the affairs of the community. In addition to existing at the local level ...
, a reading room, and a room for meeting with enquirers.


Completed and standing

The
Battambang Battambang (, Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ) is the capital of Battambang province and the List of cities and towns in Cambodia, third largest city in Cambodia. The city is situated on the Sangkae River, which winds its way through t ...
, Cambodia temple was the world's first local Baháʼí House of Worship to be completed. The temple was designed by Cambodian architect Sochet Vitou Tang, who is a practicing Buddhist, and integrates distinctive Cambodian architectural principles. A dedication ceremony and official opening conference took place on 1–2 September 2017, attended by Cambodian dignitaries, locals, and representatives of Baháʼí communities throughout southeast Asia. The temple in Agua Azul in the municipality of Villa Rica,
Cauca Department Cauca Department (, ) is a department of Southwestern Colombia. Located in the southwestern part of the country, facing the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Valle del Cauca Department to the north, Tolima Department to the northeast, Huila De ...
, Colombia was the second local Baháʼí House of Worship to be completed in the world. The temple design, by architect Julian Gutierrez Chacón, was inspired by the shape of the cocoa seed, which was integral to the local culture before the arrival of the
sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
industry. An opening dedication ceremony took place on 22 July 2018, followed by devotional services in the House of Worship. A local Baháʼí House of Worship was opened on 23 May 2021 in Matunda Soy, Kenya. On 13 November 2021, a local Baháʼí House of Worship opened near the town of Lenakel on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu. The world's first national Baháʼí House of Worship, located in
Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the Capital city, capital and Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-grow ...
, Democratic Republic of the Congo, was dedicated and opened its doors on 25 March 2023. A national Baháʼí House of Worship in
Port Moresby (; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New ...
, Papua New Guinea was dedicated on 25 May 2024.


Planned

In 2021, groundbreaking ceremony took place for a local Baháʼí House of Worship in Hargawan near Bihar Sharif, India. The design for the temple near Bihar Sharif, created by architect Amritha Ballal, was shortlisted for the 2022
World Architecture Festival The World Architecture Festival (WAF) is an Architecture, architectural and design event held annually and considered to be one of the most prestigious events dedicated to the architecture and development industries. It was founded by Paul Fin ...
. In April 2023, the Universal House of Justice announced plans for three further Houses of Worship: local Houses of Worship in
Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
and
Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...
and a national House of Worship in
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. In October 2024, the Universal House of Justice announced plans for another three Houses of Worship: a local House of Worship in
Batouri Batouri is a town and commune in the East Province (Cameroon), East Province of Cameroon. It is the second largest municipality in the province after the provincial capital Bertoua. It is located on the main (though unpaved) road connecting Berto ...
,
Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...
and national Houses of Worship in
Brasília Brasília ( ; ) is the capital city, capital of Brazil and Federal District (Brazil), Federal District. Located in the Brazilian highlands in the country's Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region, it was founded by President Juscelino ...
,
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
and
Lilongwe Lilongwe (, ,) is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It has a population of 989,318 as of the 2018 Census, up from a population of 674,448 in 2008. In 2020, that figure was 1,122,000. The city is located in the central region of Malawi, i ...
,
Malawi Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...
. In April 2025, the Universal House of Justice announced plans for a national House of Worship to be built in
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
,
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. A site was selected and purchased in 1932 for a Baháʼí House of Worship in Hadiqa, northeast of
Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
. Charles Mason Remey provided a design for this temple which Shoghi Effendi then approved. A drawing of the design was published in an issue of ''The Baháʼí World''. To date, however, the construction of this temple has not been possible. Similarly, a design was created for a Baháʼí House of Worship near
Mount Carmel Mount Carmel (; ), also known in Arabic as Mount Mar Elias (; ), is a coastal mountain range in northern Israel stretching from the Mediterranean Sea towards the southeast. The range is a UNESCO biosphere reserve. A number of towns are situat ...
in
Haifa Haifa ( ; , ; ) is the List of cities in Israel, third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of in . The city of Haifa forms part of the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-most populous metropolitan area i ...
,
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
. It was created by Charles Mason Remey and approved by Shoghi Effendi in 1952. A photo of the model of the Haifa House of Worship can be found in an issue of ''The Baháʼí World''. An
obelisk An obelisk (; , diminutive of (') ' spit, nail, pointed pillar') is a tall, slender, tapered monument with four sides and a pyramidal or pyramidion top. Originally constructed by Ancient Egyptians and called ''tekhenu'', the Greeks used th ...
marks the site where the House of Worship is to be built, but as of 2010, plans for constructing this House of Worship have not been made.


Analysis

Margit Warburg describes the architecture of the Baháʼí Houses of Worship as "remarkable".
Denis MacEoin Denis M. MacEoin (26 January 1949 – 6 June 2022) was a British academic, scholar and writer with a focus on Persian, Arabic and Islamic studies. He authored several academic books and articles, as well as many pieces of journalism. Since 2014 ...
writes that several of the Baháʼí Houses of Worship are "fine examples of modern religious architecture", but argues that no distinct Baháʼí
architectural style An architectural style is a classification of buildings (and nonbuilding structures) based on a set of characteristics and features, including overall appearance, arrangement of the components, method of construction, building materials used, for ...
has emerged given that the best-designed Baháʼí Houses of Worship each have a unique character. Anne Gordon Perry argues, by contrast, that Baháʼí Houses of Worship may provide "the clearest indication of a distinctive Bahá’í aesthetic thus far ... with their characteristic nine sides, circular domes, serene and welcoming gardens and walkways, fountains, and other aesthetic elements". Warburg writes that the presence of Baháʼí Houses of Worship on all continents except
Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...
shows the worldwide presence of the Baháʼí Faith. She also argues that there are a number of parallels between Baháʼí Houses of Worship and
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
s: decoration with geometric patterns rather than images or statues, the absence of offering or communion rituals, and the adaptation of architectural designs to local cultural styles. Warburg found in her fieldwork at several Baháʼí temples that almost all attendees of weekly services were Baháʼís but that many non-Baháʼís visited at other times during the week. She has questioned whether having the temples open for visitors but without activities at most times during the week is "the optimal mission strategy" for Baháʼís, noting an account of a visitor confused by one temple's apparent lack of purpose. However, Graham Hassall has disputed Warburg's analysis, pointing to the large number of tourists visiting many Baháʼí Houses of Worship and positive coverage in online media such as travel guides and blogs.


Gallery

File:Ashkabad Temple Bahai.jpg, The first Baháʼí House of Worship (since destroyed), in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan File:PXL 20210810 155829465 Crop.jpg, Baháʼí House of Worship in Wilmette, United States File:Baha'i House of Worship, Kampala, Uganda.jpg, Baháʼí House of Worship in Kampala, Uganda File:Bahaitemplesydney.JPG, Baháʼí House of Worship in Sydney, Australia File:2016 Bahai House of Worship Langenhain 1 ks01.jpg, Baháʼí House of Worship in Langenhain, Germany File:BahaiPanama.JPG, Baháʼí House of Worship in Panama City, Panama File:To the Temple of Gods (30379139910).jpg, Baháʼí House of Worship in Tiapapata, Samoa File:Lotus temple Delhi.jpg, Baháʼí House of Worship in New Delhi, India, known as the Lotus Temple File:Baha'i Temple of South America, Santiago, Chile - dusk pictures 26.jpg, Baháʼí House of Worship in Santiago, Chile File:Bahá'í House of Worship, Battambang.jpg, Baháʼí House of Worship in Battambang, Cambodia File:Bahá'í House of Worship in Norte del Cauca, Colombia.jpg, Baháʼí House of Worship in Agua Azul, Colombia File:20220418143830 IMG 1231.jpg, Baháʼí House of Worship in Matunda Soy, Kenya File:Bahai how tehran.jpg, Design for a Baháʼí House of Worship to be built in Tehran, Iran File:Model Mount Carmel House of Worship.jpg, Design for a Baháʼí House of Worship to be built in Haifa, Israel


See also

* List of Baháʼí Houses of Worship *
Terraces (Baháʼí) The Baháʼí Terraces, or the Hanging Gardens of Haifa, are garden terraces on Mount Carmel in Haifa, and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Israel. Completed in 2001, there are 19 terraces and more than 1,500 steps ascending the mo ...
*
Prayer in the Baháʼí Faith There are two types of prayer in the Baháʼí Faith: ''obligatory prayer'' and ''general'' or ''devotional prayer''. Both types of prayer are composed of reverent words which are addressed to God, and the act of prayer is one of the most importa ...
*
Sacral architecture Sacral architecture (also known as sacred architecture or religious architecture) is a religion, religious architecture, architectural practice concerned with the design and construction of place of worship, places of worship or sacred or intenti ...


Notes


Citations


References


Books

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Encyclopedias

* * * * * *


News media

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Other

* * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading


Academic publishers

* * * *


Baháʼí publisher

* *


External links


The Mashriqu'l-Adhkár - Baháʼí Houses of Worship
(from bahai.org, the official site of the world's Baháʼís)
Bahá'í Houses of Worship
on news.bahai.org
Mashriqul-Adhkar.com
(archived compilation of relevant Baháʼí sacred texts)
Chronology and related documents on Baháʼí Library Online
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baha'i House of Worship Bahá'í House of Worship Religious places Building types