Lotus Temple

The Lotus Temple was consecrated and opened to the public in December 1986. It was designed by Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba, who won acclaim for the project even before the temple was completed. It subsequently received several awards.

The Lotus Temple derives its name from its design. Like every other Bahāʾī mashriq, it is characterized by a nine-sided construction, in keeping with the Bahāʾī belief in the mystical properties of the number nine. Set on an elevated plinth in a 26-acre (10.5-hectare) expanse of landscaped gardens and surrounded by nine pools bordered by red sandstone walkways, the white marble edifice rises to a height of more than 130 feet (40 metres). The temple complex comprises 27 independent marble “petals,” which are clustered into groups of three to form nine sides (through which open nine entrances into a central space) and into groups of nine to form three concentric rings.