Shrine of the Báb: Recent work at the Shrine completed

This report was published by the Bahá'í World News Service on 25 November 2024.

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — Construction work at the Shrine of the Báb and its surroundings has been completed, enhancing accessibility to this sacred edifice that stands as a luminous point of attraction on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land.

The project, which began in late July, has implemented several features to enhance accessibility, particularly for wheelchairs. The main paths approaching the Shrine from both east and west have been paved with Jerusalem Red Limestone, while the expansion of the plaza immediately in front of the Shrine has been finished with Galil Gold Limestone—the same stone used for the floor of the Shrine’s colonnade and the terraces above and below on Mt. Carmel.

The expansion of the plaza was inspired by drawings prepared by William Sutherland Maxwell—Hand of the Cause and distinguished Canadian architect—who designed the Shrine’s superstructure in the early 1940s. The building’s harmonious blend of Eastern and Western architectural styles has made it a familiar and well-loved landmark.

The Shrine holds profound significance, housing the earthly remains of the Báb, the Herald of the Bahá’í Faith. Bahá’u’lláh, standing on Mount Carmel in 1891, pointed out to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the spot where this sacred edifice should be built.

“Every stone of that building, every stone of the road leading to it, I have with infinite tears and at tremendous cost, raised and placed in position,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is recorded as having remarked when constructing the original structure. Today, the Shrine and its surrounding gardens serve as a sacred site of pilgrimage and a place of quiet contemplation for thousands of visitors each year, a source of inspiration to all who view it from land, sea, or air.

The work inside the Shrine that had been announced by the Universal House of Justice has also been completed. The work undertaken in recent months builds on decades of careful development of the site, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in recognition of its “outstanding universal value” to the common heritage of humanity.

The main accessibility path approaching the Shrine from the east.

Another view from the east side of the Shrine showing both accessibility paths.

The plaza in front of the Shrine, which has been finished with Galil Gold Limestone.

Further details, with additional photographs, can be found on the Bahá’í World News Service (BWNS) website: Shrine of the Báb: Recent work at the Shrine completed

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Feature Image: Supplied by BWNS - A view of the Shrine of the Báb and its surrounding gardens.