Bahá'í Terraces, Haifa: what to see and when to go

The Bahá'í Terraces are a series of landscaped gardens on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. Stretching nearly a kilometre up the slope, these 19 terraces surround the golden-domed Shrine of the Báb and are open to visitors and pilgrims from around the world.

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Nineteen terraces climb nearly a kilometre up Mount Carmel
Central to the gardens is the golden-domed Shrine of the Báb
Opened to the public in 2001 after over a decade of construction
Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008
Features a computer-managed irrigation system to save water

What is Bahá'í Terraces?

The Bahá'í Terraces are a sequence of 19 garden levels built into the side of Mount Carmel. Each terrace features carefully arranged flower beds, lawns, trimmed hedges, and flowing water channels. The gardens frame the Shrine of the Báb, a domed building at the centre. Visitors climb more than 1,500 steps as they move through the terraces, which are connected by stairways and bridges. The design blends elements from Persian, Indian, and English garden traditions, creating a peaceful green space above the city.

The history of Bahá'í Terraces

The gardens were designed by architect Fariborz Sahba, who began work in 1987. Construction took over a decade and the terraces opened to the public in 2001. The site was created to connect Bahá'í buildings on Mount Carmel and to honour the Shrine of the Báb. The number nineteen is important in the Bahá'í and Bábí faiths, and the terraces reflect this symbolism. In 2008, the gardens and other Bahá'í holy places in the region were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What there is to see

The terraces cover about 200,000 square metres and rise almost one kilometre up the mountain. Their layout is based on nine circles radiating from the shrine. Water features run alongside the stairs, with streams and cascades linking the levels. The gardens use a computer-controlled irrigation system that waters plants at night and early morning to save water. Water in the streams is recirculated to reduce waste.

When to go

The Bahá'í Terraces are open year-round and welcome both tourists and Bahá'í pilgrims. People come to walk the gardens, enjoy the views over Haifa and the Mediterranean, and visit the Shrine of the Báb. The site is a major attraction in Israel and is free to enter. Pilgrims visit as part of their religious practice, while many others come for the gardens' beauty and tranquillity.

Parts and collections

The terraces themselves follow a single design, but the gardens include influences from several traditions. Persian gardens from Shiraz, Indian gardens like Nishat Bagh, and English landscaping styles all shaped the look of the site. Each terrace is unique in its planting and layout, but all are unified by the overall plan.

Why Bahá'í Terraces matters

The terraces are a symbol of the Bahá'í Faith and honour the early followers known as the 'Letters of the Living.' The Shrine of the Báb is a sacred place for Bahá'ís. The gardens are also a source of pride for Haifa and are visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year. Their recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site highlights their cultural and religious importance.

Plan a visit

🇮🇱 Haifa · All yearBaha'i Gardens of HaifaNineteen formal terraces that step down Mount Carmel around the golden-domed Shrine of the Bab.

Questions people ask about Bahá'í Terraces

Where are the Bahá'í Terraces located?

The Bahá'í Terraces are on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. They stretch up the mountain and overlook the city and the Mediterranean Sea.

What is the significance of the number nineteen in the terraces?

There are nineteen terraces, reflecting a number that is meaningful in the Bahá'í and Bábí religions. The terraces represent the first eighteen followers of the Báb plus the central terrace with the Shrine of the Báb.

Who designed the Bahá'í Terraces?

Architect Fariborz Sahba designed the gardens, beginning in 1987. He also oversaw their construction until they opened in 2001.

When can visitors see the Bahá'í Terraces?

The gardens are open all year. Visitors can walk through the terraces, enjoy the views, and visit the shrine at the centre.

What styles influenced the design of the gardens?

The gardens draw on Persian, Indian, and English garden traditions, combining features from each to create a peaceful setting.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Terraces (Baháʼí)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Opening times, prices and bloom dates change: check with the place before you travel. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

International Garden Festival: Frombowen, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Rose garden: The original uploader was SUJIRENas at Lithuanian Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Sim's Park, Coonoor: Thangaraj Kumaravel, CC BY 2.0, source

Jerusalem Botanical Gardens: Adiel lo, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Bay laurel: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, source

Pomegranate: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Alhambra: Jebulon, CC0, source

Orchis: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Bahá'í Terraces: Arash Hashemi, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Bahá'í Terraces