Baha’i Centers in Israel:

UHJ and Some Baha’i project on mount carmel (Haifa / Israel )

As it has been previously mentioned, the most important center of the Baha’is is the Great House of Justice or the Beit-ul Adl A’zam ( UHJ ) located on the slopes of Karmal mountain in Israel. One of the main residents of the Baha’is is also in the city of Akka in which there are certain places which are highly respected by the Baha’is including :

1. Sijn-e A’zam ( the great prison ) where Bahaullah
had been imprisoned for two years, two months and
five days (after being sent there to exile from Iraq). The
place is venerated as a shrine. In 1927, the Israeli
government officially recognized the area as one of the
Baha’i holy places and therefore it was exempted from
paying due taxes.

2 . Qasr-e Mazra’eh (The Field Palace) , a stone
place where Bahaollah stayed for a while and now is
regarded as one of the Baha’i holy places.

3. Beit-e Obood ( The Mansion of Obedience ), a place
where Bahaollah resided for seven years and is close to
the field palace.

4. Bagh-e Rezvan (Garden of Paradise), a garden

where Bahaollah stayed for a while and now is a holy
Bahai place.

5 . Maqbara-e Mobarak va Rozaeh Mobarakeh ( TheBlessed Tomb and The Blessed Garden) located in Behji. Bahaullah stayed in this place for twelve years and is buried there. Therefore, the place is of great importance to the Baha’is. There is a guest-house in this area to receive the Baha’is. The place is opposite to an Israeli military camp called ‘Camp Bin Omay‘.

Another city where Baha’is have several holy places, is the port city of Haifa. The city is the center for the administration affairs of the Baha’is and, therefore, is more important than Akka. Several Baha’i leaders areburied in Haifa including:

1 . Abdol Baha’s brother, known as Ghusn-e
Athar and his mother, known as Khanum Navvab.

2 . Abdol Baha’s sister, Varqeh

3 . Abdol Baha’s wife, Monireh

4. Beit-e Mobarak ( Blessed Mansion) Abdol Baha’s
residence-a Baha’i holy place.

5. The office of Beit-ul Adi A’zam ( UHJ ) which remained
the main office until 1939 (and perhaps still is the
same). The place used to be a guest-house for Western
Baha’is and is known as the old guest-house for the
Westerners.

6 . Maqam-e A’la’ ( The Supreme Place). The Baha’is
believed that the body of Ali Mohammad Shirazi (Bab)
is buried here and is one of the main centers of the
Baha’is known as the Baha’i Ka’aba. The place is situated
beside Karmal mountain and is surrounded by other
luxurious Baha’i buildings in this area.

7 . Dar-ul Aasar Beinolmeiali ( The House of
International Works). The place, designed at the time of
Showqi Afandi, through Israeli cooperation, comprises a stately mansion supported by 50 elegant pillars, each six meters high.

8 . Maqam-e A’la’ ( Lofty Station) guest house, a
residence for all Baha’i travellers.

9. Baq-e Rezvan, one of the Baha’i centers.

10. Maqam-e Abdol Baha ( Station of Abdol Baha) , 
the burial place of Abdol Baha and an important shrine.

11 . Golestan-e Javid ( The Eternal Garden), a
cemetery in the city of Haifa where Bahai leaders,
except for the old ones, are buried. The place is also
highly respected.

12 . Zamin-e Sharq-ul Azkar a ground near
Maqam-e A’la‘ and one of the Baha’i holy places which
is only open on Sundays during special ceremonies.

13. Newly established centers in Haifa.

A) The building of Dar-ul Tashri Beinolmeiali was
built beside Maqam-e A’la‘ in 1977.

B) The building of Beit-ul Adi A’zam ( UHJ ) was also
constructed in 1977 upon a decision by the resident
Baha’i leaders. The large building comprised 150 rooms.

www.bahaifact.com