Bahá’ís Believe: Sacred Places
Bahá’ís believe that we can find God everywhere on Earth, especially in nature—from the vast oceans to the tallest mountains. That may be why nature often helps us feel happy and calm.
Sacred buildings and places can also fill us with wonder and inspiration. There are eight Bahá’í Temples around the world—in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, India, Australia, and the South Pacific. More are planned around the globe. Bahá’í Temples are gathering places for prayer and meditation by people of all faiths. Each one is circular, with nine sides and nine gardens. As the largest single digit, nine is a symbol of unity. The Bahá’í Faith says that in the future, every community will have a Temple surrounded by services such as schools and a hospital.
Many Bahá’ís visit other sacred sites when they go on a pilgrimage—a nine-day journey in Israel. The holiest spot on the planet for Bahá’ís is the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh at Bahjí, near ‘Akká. Bahá’u’lláh lived in a majestic home at Bahjí in His final years. Today His shrine is surrounded by peaceful gardens.
Another highlight of Bahá’í pilgrimage is the Shrine of the Báb. Located on Mount Carmel in Haifa among lush terraced gardens, the shrine is visited by people from many faiths. Bahá’ís also visit homes in which Bahá’u’lláh lived, the Ridván Garden He enjoyed, the resting places of His family members, and other holy spots.
Bahá’í Faith510 Holy Places33 Haifa17 ’Akká40 Israel53 Houses of Worship9 Temples15 Architecture16 Bicentenary75 The Báb69 Pandemic23