Bahá'í World Center

These photos were taken at the Bahá'í World Centre located in Haifa. It is the spiritual heart of the Bahai Faith, an independent world religion with more than five million adherents living throughout the world.

The Bahá'í faith was born in 1844 and teaches that there is only one God, one human race, and that all the world's religions have been progressive stages in the revelation of God's will and purpose for humanity.

The Faith's holiest Shrine is the resting place of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. They consider him the most recent in a line of messengers of God, which includes the founders of the world's major religions. The Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh is located near Acre, just north of Haifa.

The Shrine of the Báb, one of Haifa's most prominent landmarks, is the faith's second holiest shrine. The Terraces of the Shrine of the Báb, opened to the public in June 2001, were designed to provide a setting and approach for pilgrims and visitors.