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With all the interesting historic and cultural sites in Haifa, we were hoping our “tour” of the city would include more than just a scenic overlook. Unfortunately, that’s all we got.
Yefe Nof Balcony
Our bus wound up the slopes of Mount Carmel in the third largest city in Israel. The guide let everyone off and led the group to the Yefe Nof Balcony for a beautiful panoramic view of the city. We were able to spot a few landmarks in the city, including the German Colony, while the guide lectured about the importance of the international port.
Bahá’í Gardens
The upper gates of the Bahá’í Gardens, which are included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Bahá’í Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee, are located at the Yefe Nof Balcony. The gardens, along with the Shrine of the Báb, are part of the Bahá’í World Centre.
The gardens are made up of 19 steep terraces leading down to the Shrine of the Báb. They were designed by Iranian-American architect Fariborz Sahba, who started construction in 1987. They opened to the public in June 2001. The gardens cover 200,000 square meters (2,152,782 square feet) of land.
The Shrine of the Báb is in the center of the gardens. It holds the remains of the Báb (1819-1850), the founder of the Bahá’í faith. The shrine was designed by Canadian architect William Sutherland Maxwell (1874-1952). It was built between 1949 and 1953 and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing.
The Bahá’í Gardens are open to the public daily from 9am to 5pm, but the inner gardens near the shrine close at noon. It’s possible to visit on your own or with a tour. Photography is allowed except inside shrines. Bottled water is permitted but all other food and drinks are not. All visitors must dress modestly, covered from shoulders to knees.
Free walking tours of the gardens are available Tuesday through Sunday by reservation only. Tours are limited to 19 people. They start at the entrance at the Yefe Nof Balcony at the top of the gardens and take about 50 minutes. We plan to take the tour on our next visit to Haifa.
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