The Arc is the name given to the area of Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, along which the international administrative buildings of the Bahá’í Faith have been built. It was conceived by the Guardian of the Faith, and the buildings and the connecting pathway, are along an arc traced geometrically from a point in the Monument Gardens, midway between the double tomb and the single one.
There are to be five buildings upon the Arc. As the observer looks up the mountain towards the Arc, the building on the extreme right is the International Archives Building. This building houses precious relics and items of historical interest to Bahá'ís. To its left is the Centre for the Study of the Texts, which is also housing the International Bahá’í Library on a temporary basis. At the centre of the Arc is the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, which is the most prominent building not only because of its central position, but also because of it size. Its longest side is parallel to the mountain, and the front of the building faces the observer below.
To the left of this is the building for the International Teaching Centre. Beyond this point, the land falls away, but it is intended to construct the International Bahá’í Library at some point in the future. There was an indication by the Guardian of the Faith that completion of the Arc would coincide with the implementation of the Lesser Peace.
There is much more accommodation in the buildings on the Arc than is visible to the eye. For example, the Seat of the Universal House of Justice has nine or ten storeys, some being underground and others cleverly hidden by the design of the building. At the rear of the complex is an underground car park, and the Centre for the Study of the Texts is also connected to the International Archives Building below ground level.
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References[edit]
- The Universal House of Justice. The Bahá’í World - An Internationl Record 2003-2004. Baha'i World Centre, Haifa: World Centre Publications. ISBN 0-85398-972-9.
