Bahá’í Temples
Bahá’í Houses of Worship, built to embody beauty and oneness, grace and simplicity, invite all to experience a serene and spiritual atmosphere, free of rituals of any kind, where hearts are uplifted through prayer and reflection on the noble ideas enshrined in sacred writings.
Central to the concept of a House of Worship are two essential and inseparable aspects of life: worship and selfless service to humanity. Prayer brings joy and heightens our awareness of our essential nobility and true purpose. Our thoughts expand to encompass concern for the well-being and progress of our fellow human beings, beginning with our own families, our neighbours, and our communities.
Prayer has the power to awaken the natural impulse in the human heart to render service to others. As it becomes part of a regular pattern of individual and collective life, it reinforces and sustains these endeavours to contribute to the betterment of society.
As a building dedicated to prayer and meditation, the presence of a House of Worship in a community gives form to a regular pattern of worship that can inspire and strengthen the efforts of thousands to live a life of service.
A Temple open to all people
Every Bahá’í House of Worship shares certain architectural elements: each is a nine-sided structure with entrances opening in every direction—an expression of the belief that people of all backgrounds can come together in fellowship under one God. Within these requirements, designing a House of Worship calls for creativity and skill: bringing together beauty, grace and dignity with modesty, functionality and economy, while drawing on concepts and values meaningful to the people of the land and responding sensitively to its natural environment.
This approach has given rise to a rich diversity of sacred architecture around the world. Eight continental Houses of Worship—in Wilmette near Chicago, Kampala, Sydney, Frankfurt, Panama City, Apia, New Delhi and Santiago—each reflect the character of their setting. In recent years, national Houses of Worship have been raised in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. In addition to Canada, plans are underway to build national Houses of Worship in Brazil, Malawi and the Philippines. Alongside these, local Houses of Worship have been dedicated in communities in Cambodia, Colombia, Kenya and Vanuatu, with more emerging in Cameroon, India, Nepal, and Zambia—each rooted in the culture, landscape and aspirations of its people.