About Baha'i House of Worship
An architectural masterpiece resides peacefully along the lakefront in Wilmette, IL, and lives up to its definition as the Temple of Light and Unity. The Bahá’í House of Worship. After expertly crafting a set of intricate designs in 1909, and getting those plans approved in 1920, French Canadian architect Louis Bourgeois began conducting the physical work on this massive construction. The goal was universalism, a place where Truth could be recognized in all religions and humanity is unified as one.
After 50 years of mathematical construction, from conception, to design, to creation, the temple finally opened its doors to the public in 1953. The Bahá’í House of Worship is surrounded by nine geometric gardens, rising out of the greenery with a certain reverence respected by all who witness this solemn giant. Feel free to ask staff members questions at the temple, spend some time in prayer and meditation, and even watch an informational video on the temple’s history. If you’re a practicing Bahá’í, you can even enjoy the Light of Unity concert and other festivities between October 20–22 to celebrate the birthdays of the religion’s founding fathers.
