Web
site offers information for visiting Baha'i
gardens, shrines
Click
here to go to the website.
HAIFA, Israel — A new Web site with
information for visiting the Baha'i shrines and
gardens in Haifa and Acre was introduced today
by the Baha'i International Community. The
Web site gives details about tours, hours, and
the gardens themselves, as well as information
about visiting the Shrine of Baha'u'llah in Acre
and the Shrine of the Bab in Haifa. The shrines
are the resting places of the founders of the
Baha'i Faith. |
The home page of the
new Web site "The Baha'i Gardens." The
site offers complete versions in English and
Hebrew, with Arabic also planned. |
Letting
people know what to expect when they visit the
properties is a major aim of the Web site, said Albert
Lincoln, secretary general of the Baha'i International
Community. The site gives maps and suggestions for
visitors, answers frequently asked questions, and also
notes when people might find the gardens closed, such as
on Baha'i holy days.
The launch
of the Web site - called "The Baha'i Gardens"
- coincides with an expanded array of public tours.
Half a
million people come to the properties each year, making
them among the most visited sites in the eastern
Mediterranean region. Last year the shrines and gardens
were inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list as having
"outstanding universal value" for humanity.
A major
impetus for creating the Web site was to make visitor
information available in the local languages, Mr.
Lincoln said. In addition to English, the site already
offers Hebrew, and Arabic will be added as soon as
possible. Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages
of Israel.
Public
tours have changed in that people may check the Web site
for the hours of the main "Panorama Tour" and
the languages in which it is offered. Reservations are
no longer required.
More
specialized tours are available for groups, depending on
their interests. Such tours must be arranged ahead of
time.
"Organized
groups often want a more in-depth experience," Mr.
Lincoln said. "They want to learn more, in addition
to visiting the gardens."
Besides
providing practical details for visitors, the new Web
site includes information about the Baha'i Faith and
also such resource material as extracts from an
architectural study of the Baha'i properties in Acre and
Haifa.
