Intricate work on central edifice proceeds in earnest

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — Work on the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is advancing steadily across the site, with several of its most intricate stages now simultaneously under way.

The marble cladding of the trellis and columns of the central edifice is being undertaken, with five columns completed and three still to follow. The folding walls along the central plaza are being fitted with local stone, while the curved interior walls of the central edifice, framed from components precisely cut and prepared years in advance, are assembled like a mosaic. The glass panels, the tallest standing at more than eleven meters, have been fabricated and delivered, and await installation by a specialist team in the period ahead.

Beyond the trellis and central edifice, the north and south plazas are progressing as well, with local stone now set into their planter and portal walls. The recent removal of the construction crane, itself an important milestone, has opened the way to complete the remaining structural work around the south plaza.

The approaches to and from the Shrine are taking shape with a path that begins at the Ashraf Gate—where future visitors will enter the site of the Shrine—conceived so that the Shrine reveals itself gradually and, at one point along the way, comes into view aligned with the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh; to the east of the site, a winding path invites reflection.

Throughout the grounds, the Bahá’í World Centre’s Gardens Department has continued with the landscaping work. The berms flanking the central edifice are now substantially covered with greenery, and the maturing landscape lends to the site a growing serenity.

Marble has been transported to the site in protective crates.

View of marble in their protective crates with an unpacked slab seen in the left image.

The marble is carefully lifted from the crates using a spider lift to assemble the marble at the skylight opening.

Each column is clad with five pieces of marble, arranged from larger pieces at the base to smaller pieces at the top.

The 80 skylights being fitted with marble.

View of the marble installation on the skylights.

Folding walls under the trellis clad in local stone.

Sunlight on the marble and local stone façade.

Exterior view of the future Shrine with construction and landscaping work in progress.

Lighting installation work is advancing across the site.

Aerial view of the terraced planters at the south plaza.

Landscaping work on the site continues.

Landscaping work is advancing on the East and West berms of the site.

Workers preparing landscaping materials for planters that have yet to be constructed.

Newly planted cypress trees line the exterior of the central plaza.

Left: Paving work is nearing completion on the path from the Ashraf Gate, which will guide visitors as they approach the Shrine. Once completed, the path will be lined on both sides with crushed stone.

Right: The paving work of the circular path is nearing completion.

A view of the winding path on the east side of the future Shrine.

A partial view of the site of the Shrine is seen alongside the ‘Akká Visitors’ Centre (far left) and the Riḍván Garden (top right).

A view of paths in the site of the Shrine. A structure in the background with blue walls houses the room where Bahá’u’llah resided during His stay in the Ridván Garden.

Glass panels being delivered to the construction site.

View of the construction crane before removal.

After years of supporting major construction work on the site, the crane was dismantled and removed, marking another milestone in the progress of the future Shrine.

Top: Installation of reinforcing steel for the concrete topping for the paving stones.
Left: Aerial view of foundation slab reinforcement.
Right: The final concrete pouring in progress at the south plaza.

An aerial view of the site of the future Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gradually taking shape.