Haifa, in Northern Israel, is home to the Bahá’í Gardens.  The Garden houses the Shrine of the Bab which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the most holy places for the Bahá’í religion.

Because I’m a total nerd, I researched the Bahá’í faith prior to visiting the centre.  In a nut shell, the religion is monotheistic, so there is one all-powerful God.  Bahá’ís emphasize a spiritual unity of all people.  One of the main beliefs is that no religion has a monopoly on the truth.  They believe that all are true at the spiritual core, but have diverged through their social teachings.  Bahá’ís seek to combine all teaching of the holy men into one tidy package.

The gardens were spectacular.  They truly are some of most gorgeously manicured gardens I’ve ever seen.  Viewed from the base of the gardens, or from the top of Mt. Carmel, they’re beautiful.