Baháʼí House of Worship
Place of worship for the Baháʼí Faith / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Baháʼí House of Worship or Baháʼí temple is a place of worship of the Baháʼí Faith. It is also referred to by the name Mashriqu'l-Adhkár, which is Arabic for "Dawning-place of the remembrance of God".
Baháʼí Houses of Worship are open to both Baháʼís and non-Baháʼís for prayer and reflection. All Baháʼí Houses of Worship have a round, nine-sided shape and are surrounded by nine pathways leading outwards and nine gardens. Baháʼí literature envisages Houses of Worship surrounded by a number of dependencies dedicated to social, humanitarian, educational, and scientific pursuits, although no Baháʼí House of Worship has yet been built up to that extent. At present, most Baháʼí devotional meetings occur in individuals' homes or local Baháʼí centres rather than in Baháʼí Houses of Worship.
As of 2024[update], fifteen Baháʼí Houses of Worship have been completed around the world (including one that was later destroyed). Eight of the fourteen currently standing are continental Houses of Worship, located in the United States, Uganda, Australia, Germany, Panama, Samoa, India, and Chile. Two of the continental Houses of Worship, the Lotus Temple and the Santiago Baháʼí Temple, have won numerous architectural awards. Of the other six standing Baháʼí Houses of Worship, four are local Houses of Worship and two are national Houses of Worship. Work on another local Baháʼí House of Worship is ongoing, and Baháʼí communities own over 120 properties intended for future Houses of Worship.