The Bahai Gardens in Haifa and Ako (Acre)

If you wish to experience as much of the visual beauty Israel has to offer on your trip to Israel, make a stop at the Bahai Gardens in Haifa and Ako. Meticulously maintained for generations, the Bahai gardens and shrine in Haifa are well worth the trip. The center of the Bahai faith, it's no wonder the world center and shrine for the Bahai faith are located here. Originally coming out of Iran, the founders of the Bahai faith broke away from the existing Moslem Shi'ite faith. Baha'u'llah is the founder, having been exiled at the end of the 19th century, he came to Ako (Acre) and Haifa. Impressed with the stunning natural beauty of Mount Carmel, it was then that he expressed that the Bab (originator of the faith) should be buried there; and he was 20 years later. It makes sense that the center for the faith he founded is located over the burial site of his bones. The beautiful shrine in Bahai Gardens should not be missed on an Israel tour, with its marble walls and golden dome. It was built in 1953 and often stuns visitors with its 14,000 gold-coated brick dome. Interestingly, the shrine is actually 9-sided (representing the 9 most prominent religions in the world). In addition to the shrine, visitors can see the Universal House of Justice as well as the building where the Bahai faith archives are located. It has been said that the gardens surrounding the shrine are a reflection of the doctrines of the Bahai faith. The number 9 is a repeated theme in the Bahai faith as well as the gardens-there are 9 concentric circles in the garden that look like rings coming from the center shrine. Considered the "8th Wonder of the World", the Bahai Gardens are unique and breathtaking. For all of these reasons and so much more they should be a part of your Israel tour.