Baha'i Temple: a place of peace open to all
Published: Mar 24, 2009
The Baha’i House of Worship always comes as a beautiful and awe-inspiring surprise when driving north along the Chicago lakefront. Designated one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois, the majestic domed temple may be just 30 minutes from downtown, but it looks like a relic from another time and place.
Constructed of quartz crystal and white cement, the gleaming white structure resembles delicate French lace. The nine-sided building is surrounded by gardens (a signature of all Baha’i temples worldwide) and topped by a single dome that soars 138 feet over a worship area that can seat nearly two thousand.
One of only seven Baha’i temples in the world, it took more than 30 years to build and was completed in 1953. French-Canadian architect Louis Bourgeois spent eight years designing the intricate ornamentation meant as a celebration of light.
Facing neither east nor west, the temple defies any specific culture and invites all the world’s inhabitants to prayer. At the pinnacle of the temple’s interior dome, an Arabic prayer meaning "O Glory of the All Glorious" hovers.
The Baha’i faith welcomes worshippers of any ethnic or religious background, and counts more than 5 million people internationally as followers. Founded in Persia in the 19th century, Baha’i preaches equality, elimination of prejudice, universal education and attainment of an era of peace.
Currently there are more than 150,000 Baha’is in the United States, living in every state and more than 100 Indian reservations. One must be Baha’i in order to make a donation, but the temple is open to all visitors free of charge.
Whether sitting in contemplative silence under the elaborate dome, or taking a walk through the temple’s surrounding gardens, it’s difficult to not let the peace and beauty of the spot sink in. The Baha’i House of Worship provides a welcome respite from the noise and pace of nearby city life, and is definitely an Illinois wonder to behold.
- by D.J. Siegel, Chicago Reporter for HelloMetro
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