Baháʼí World Centre buildings

Lore & Background

The Terraces are 18+1 garden terraces accompanying the Shrine of the Báb, with nine above, one around, and nine below, designed with nine concentric circles. The Visitors Centre is an underground structure on the 11th terrace behind the Shrine. The House of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, completed in 1908 on Haparsim Street, became his official residence and a reception place for pilgrims.

Reader's Guide

The Baháʼí World Centre buildings are of profound significance as the spiritual and administrative hub of the Baháʼí Faith, a relatively new religious tradition. Their inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2008 marked the first recognition of sites connected with a new religious tradition, cited for their outstanding universal value and testimony to the Baháʼí's strong tradition of pilgrimage. The buildings embody the faith's history, from Baháʼu'lláh's imprisonment to the establishment of international governance, and harmonize Eastern and Western architectural styles, as seen in the Shrine of the Báb's golden dome and the Arc's classical columns. The complex continues to serve as a center for pilgrimage, administration, and study, with future plans for the International Baháʼí Library to become a kernel of scientific investigation.

Did You Know?

• The Baháʼí World Centre buildings include more than 20 different administrative offices, pilgrim buildings, libraries, archives, historical residences, and shrines.
• The Shrine of the Báb was designated by Baháʼu'lláh in 1891 and its superstructure was completed by Shoghi Effendi and dedicated in 1953.
• The International Archives holds the sword of Mullá Husayn, photos of Baháʼu'lláh, and a painting of the Báb.
• The Terraces consist of 18 garden terraces plus one around the Shrine of the Báb, making 19 in total, a significant number in the Baháʼí and Bábí religions.