On the slopes of the Carmel Mountains lies Haifa, capital of North Israel. Haifa is a special city due to its diversity of landscapes and culture. Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Druze and Bahai, are actively practiced in Haifa and the surrounding area: creating a multi-cultural social fabric. Haifa also has breathtaking scenery. From itse beaches and curved bay to the forested range of the Carmel Mountains, Haifa is delightful to look at. Haifa is located about an hour away from Tel-Aviv. Haifa is a good starting point for exploring the North Western part of Israel. Haifa’s history was determined by its strategic location on its natural harbor located on the Mediterranean Sea. Haifa can be traced back to 4th century C.E when a small fishing and trading port was built near the present day location of the Rambam Hospital. The Persians occupied Haifa during the 6th century C.E developing the costal areas including cites such as Jaffa, Acre, and Haifa. Then in 1099 the Crusaders reached Eretz, Israel (Palestine) and after taking Jerusalem they laid siege to Haifa and sacked it destroying its docks and shipyards. Haifa was later sacked again by the Mamluke invaders and grew back to life under the Ottomans in the 16th Century. Today Haifa is a diverse metropolitan area and Israel’s third largest city. The Bahai Temple in Haifa is the center of the Bahai religion. The Bahai Temple is surrounded by breathtaking gardens, with 19 separate gardened terraces, fountains and promenades, from the top of Mount Carmel to its foothills. The Bahai temples are known worldwide for their architectural and natural beauty. In the gardens we can see the Shrine of the Báb which is a structure where the remains of the Báb, founder of Bábism and forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh in the Bahá'í Faith, have been laid to rest; the Shrine of the Báb, is considered to be the second holiest place on Earth for Bahá'ís.
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| Shrine of the Báb | Bahai Temple Garden |
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| Bahai Temple Grounds | Bahai Temple |
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| Shrine of the Báb | Bahai Temple Garden |
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| Haifa, Mediterranean Sea From Bahai Temple Grounds | Haifa, Mediterranean Sea From Bahai Temple Grounds |
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| Bahai Temple Garden | Bahai Temple Garden |
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| Haifa, Mediterranean Sea From Bahai Temple Grounds | Haifa, Mediterranean Sea From Bahai Temple Grounds |
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| Haifa, Mediterranean Sea From Bahai Temple Grounds | Haifa, Mediterranean Sea From Bahai Temple Grounds |
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