WILMETTE, Ill. (AP) — The Baha’i temple in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette will dedicate a new welcome center next month.
It’s the first major architectural addition to the only Baha’i house of worship in North America since it opened in 1953.
The ornate temple designed by architect Louis Bourgeois is topped with a dome and features intricate carvings and inscriptions. It is surrounded by gardens and fountains. The state tourism office calls it one of the “Seven Wonders of Illinois.” The temple is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
More than a quarter million people visit each year.
The May 3 dedication ceremony will feature prayers and choral music.
The monotheistic religion was founded in the 1860s by Baha’u’llah, a Persian nobleman considered a prophet by the Baha’is.
