The German Templer colony was founded at the foot of Mt. Carmel in 1868-9.  'Akká is across this bay to the far left.

Bahá'u'lláh appointed His eldest son, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, to be the Interpreter of His teachings and the Protector of the Bahá'í Faith from any divisions (F-7).  His title means the "Servant of Bahá (Glory)."  He also suffered imprisonment and exile with Bahá'u'lláh, and His whole life was spent in service to His Father's Cause.

While living in Bahjí, Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited the city of Haifa (C-121).  Haifa is located on Mt. Carmel which is south of 'Akká.  The German Templers (top left) started the city at the foot of Mt. Carmel around the same time Bahá'u'lláh was exiled to 'Akká.  The Templers formed their spiritual society in anticipation of Christ's return based on the prophecies they found in the Bible (D-224).  Mt. Carmel was the home of Elija and in the Bible it is called the "Mountain of the Lord" where "All nations shall flow (V-20)."

While in Haifa, Bahá'u'lláh told 'Abdu'l-Bahá to build a shrine for the Báb half way up the mountain and directly above the main avenue of the German Templer colony.  After the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá began construction of the mausoleum and instructed the Persian Bahá'ís to send the remains of the Báb to Haifa.  He ceremoniously laid them in their final resting place in 1909 (D-109,110).  The Shrine (lower left) is so sacred that 'Abdu'l-Bahá even extolled the ground that surrounds it.  The holy Sepulchre was made of six rock-walled rooms.  The five doors to these rooms were named after five Bahá'ís who helped with the construction of the Shrine (V-23).  The portico on the right, which leads to the tomb, is no longer there.  A superstructure and formal gardens now glorify the Shrine.

     Superstructure

The buttresses and round windows on the Shrine of the Báb, erected by 'Abdu'l-Bahá on Mt. Carmel, are typical of the architecture of that time.