Eighth Wonder

Eighth Wonder - Israelis call the Baha'i Terraces, Gardens and Buildings

For centuries Mt. Carmel -- the "mountain of God" -- has been referred to in the scriptures and traditions of three world Faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). Today (after 100 years of gradual construction), the mountain has a new face. Moreover, according to the Israeli government, the Baha'i holy places (only one shown here) have now become the most visited religious sites in Israel-- visited more than the Jewish, Christian, or Islamic holy places.

You may wish to see the web site created by the Haifa City Tourists Board, not only illustrating the beauty of the World Center, but also explaining some history about how a religion, the Baha'i Faith, that originated in a Muslim country came to have its world center in the Jewish heartland -- reconciling conflicting creeds because of its belief in the essential unity of all religions.

Included here on this page are some extra photos that do not appear on the Israeli web site: The Seat of the Universal House of Justice, the Center for the Study of the Sacred Texts, the International Teaching Center, and the International Archives building (replica of the Parthenon).

Some of the buildings that are only three stories on top of the ground are nine stories deep into solid rock. The engineering feat of creating the 19 terraces on such a steep angle is only superseded by the shear beauty of the natural gardens surrounding them.

There are 19 terraces, with the Shrine midway up Mt. Carmel, line up with Ben Gurian Ave. The ARC of administrative buildings is above Zionut Street and to the left.)

If you look carefully, you can see the German "Templars" homes. They were adventists who moved to the foot of Mount Carmel in anticipation of the imminent "return" of the Christ. They started the colony of Haifa, and carved over their doors: "De Hier Ist Niche" -- "The Lord is Near."

They arrived in 1868, the very year of Baha'u'llah's arrival.