1. Tour the Baha’i Gardens
The extraordinary Baha’i Gardens are top of the things to do list in town, and the Baha’i Shrine, with its golden dome, is the city’s landmark monument.
The Baha’i faith began in Iran when, in 1844, Iranian Mirza Ali Mohammed declared himself «Bab» (gateway to God) and founded the faith.
When he was assassinated in Tabriz in 1850, his successor, Mirza Hussein Ali (who later was known as Bahá’u’lláh), fled into the Ottoman Empire. In 1868, when he declared himself Imam, he was held in captivity at Akko for 24 years, up until his death in 1892.
After the death of Mirza Hussein Ali, Baha’i devotees secretly brought the remains of his predecessor, Mirza Ali Mohammed, from Iran to Haifa and built his tomb, the Shrine of the Bab, here.
2. Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery
The present Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery was built in 1836 and is noted for its lush frescoes portraying St. Elijah.
The interior also contains paintings of scenes of the lives of the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel and has a cedar figurine of the Virgin known as the Madonna of Mt. Carmel.
The Carmelite order was founded on Mount Carmel in 1150 as a hermetic Catholic sect. When the order sided with Napoleon during his battle against the Ottoman Turks in 1799, the Carmelite monasteries were destroyed. In front of the building is the tomb of the French soldiers who were killed during the battle.
Afterwards, the monastery was rebuilt but was again razed in 1821 by the pasha of Akko (Acre).