Bahá'í
House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, USA
The first House of
Worship in the West was completed in 1953, in
Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A., on the shores of
Lake Michigan, just north of Chicago. Its filigree
dome and extraordinary ornamentation combine
features drawn from the architectural styles
of both East and West, and it has attracted
millions of visitors over the years.
Bahá'í
House of Worship in
Frankfurt, Germany
Bahá'í House of Worship
in New Delhi, India
"The worlSince its
dedication in 1986, the Bahá'í
House of Worship in New Delhi has won worldwide
acclaim for its bold and innovative architectural
design. The structure has won numerous architectural
awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper
and magazine articles. It has also become
one of the most visited places in India.
Inspired by the lotus flower, its design is
composed of 27 free-standing marbleclad "petals"
-- arranged in clusters of three to form nine
sides.
Nine
doors open onto a central hall, capable of
holding up to 2,500 people. Slightly more
than 40 meters tall, its surface luminous,
the temple at times seems to float above its
26-acre site on the outskirts of the Indian
capital.
In
a few short years the New Delhi temple has
become one of the world's major attractions,
drawing more than two and a half million visitors
a year. On Hindu holy days, it has drawn as
many as 100,000--so revered is the Bahá'í
temple by India's people, whatever their religious
background.
Indeed,
all Houses of Worship are open to people of
every religion. There are no sermons, no rituals
and no clergy.
Bahá'í House of Worship
in Panama City, Panama
Located high on a
hill just outside Panama City, this House of
Worship, designed by architect Peter Tillotson
recalls the pre-Columbian archtecture, traditions,
and aesthetics of the native peoples of the
Americas.
Dedicated in 1972, this Temple, located at the
crossroads of the western hemisphere, unites
the East and West, the North and South.
Bahá'í
House of Worship in Apia, Western SamoaThe architect has
utilized the open plan of the Samoan house or
fale and the form of its roof in conceptualizing
the design of this House of Worship. The white
mosaic tiled dome rests atop nine pairs of buttresses
clad in granite of a soft red hue. The nine
ribs of mirrored glass, the graceful arch windows
and the wide expanse of glazing over each portal
seem to draw light throughout the structure.
The modern construction techniques which allowed
the dome to be built in this manner provide
an iridescent effect when the Temple is lit
at night. The shell of the dome and the internal
structure are of a white reinforced concrete,
bush hammered to
a soft texture and accented with distinctive
native "ifilele" wood and a warm red
tile floor finish. The main hall seats 500 and
a cantilevered mezzanine level rings the perimeter
providing additional seating for 200 including
an a cappella choir. From the top of the dome
to the basement floor is a height of 31 metres
(102'); from the top of the dome to ground level
is 28 metres (92'). The dome itself is 19 metres
(62') in height and 27 metres (88') in width.
Bahá'í
House of Worship near Sydney, Australia
iIn 1955 the site
of the House of Worship at Ingleside was purchased
by the Australian Bahá'í Community.
Construction commenced in April 1957, supervised
by Sydney architect, John Brogan, and took over
four years to complete. The
lantern on top of the dome was prefabricated
then lifted into place by helicopter. This was
the first time this method of construction had
been used on a major building site in Sydney.
On
the 17th of September 1961, the Bahá'í
House of Worship was dedicated. The Temple has
a seating capacity of 600, its height from basement
to top of spire is just under 40 metres.
