A tour at the Baha’i Temple in Kampala city is a walk through history, an admiration of nature, and understanding of the faith. This tour guides visitors through the tales of the Baha’i faith’s history from the time of its inauguration in Iran. The history also includes the time it was ushered into the country. This temple is among the only 5 existing Baha’i Temples across the whole world, and the only one in Africa. The exploration of this amazing structure situated on 52 hectares is done on foot. Visitors are blessed with amazing views of the surrounding greenery.
The Baha’i Temple’s strategic location on an elevated hill offers unmatched views of the surrounding areas. This location also gives a panoramic view of the capital city, Kampala, and some of its towering 7 hills. A tour at Baha’i Temple in Kampala offers a rewarding environment for relaxation after a memorial hike around the temple grounds. The vast greenery compound scattered with towering gives visitors a chance to settle and relax while enjoying the beauty in the heart of the city.
During your tour at Baha’i Temple in Kampala, you can also encounter various bird species. These bird species shelter in the scattered trees across the beautiful, massive compound that surrounds the entire structure. This bird species have access to plenty of food, given the various fruit trees in the compound. Visitors can effortlessly encounter these bird species as they relax in the greenery. Some of the bird species visitors can spot on a tour at the Baha’i Temple in Kampala include the crowned hornbill, common bulbul, Palmnut vulture, red-eyed dove, pied crow, black and white shrike-flycatcher, Ruppell’s long-tailed starling, cattle egret, yellow-billed kite, grey woodpecker, African thrush, and double-toothed barbet, among others.
The Baha’i Temple in Kampala
The Baha’i temple in Kampala is a one-of-a-kind temple throughout Africa and one of the very few across the world. The Baha’i temple is a spiritual structure in the heart of Kampala representing the Baha’i faith. It was constructed in 1958 following the introduction of the Baha’i faith in the country. The Baha’i temple is situated in the southern region of the capital city, Kampala. This temple stands on an elevated hill of Kikaya scanning incredible views of the city. The Baha’i Temple is situated on 52 hectares of beautiful greenery surrounded it. This beautiful compound, features an array of amazing trees and stunning flowers. These attract a wide range of visitors, including both locals and international guests, who come to relax or enjoy a picnic.
The Baha’i faith
From the time of the introduction of the Baha’i faith to the world in the mid-19th century, there existed other faiths. However, these faiths had specific and distinct differences from each other. This was one of the major reasons the founders reflect and affirm that this Baha’i faith is the most ideal. This faith was started by Mirza Hosayn Ali Nuri, also known as Baha’u’llah, from the Islamic faith in Iran. The founder and his forerunners, like the Bab, faced incredible challenges from Iran to Iraq, where it was publicly ushered.
These countries are strongly Islamic, thus saw this new tradition of the Baha’i faith as a challenge to their existing faith. The Baha’i further spread across the region and further to other parts of the world. The core principles of the Baha’i faith include unity. This is because the Baha’is believe that all religions in the world, despite their distinct differences, believe in an identical God. They therefore emphasize the need for unity since all religions believe in the same God. They further emphasize that prophets like Mohammad, Jesus, Buddha, etc, are divine educators who guide men with similar teachings. However, these prophets use laws that suit their current time.
In Uganda, the Baha’i faith was introduced in August 1951 by Baha’is from the United Kingdom and Iran. Ugandans from over 15 different tribes converted to the Baha’i from other religions, like Protestants, Catholic, and Muslims. About 100 converts were recorded by 1952, and further grew to 670 about two years later. Some of the Ugandan converts spearheaded the message of the Baha’i faith to the rest of Africa. This affirmed Uganda as the mother of the Baha’i faith in the whole of Africa. By 1958, the Baha’i Temple was constructed on the elevated Kikaya hill on the outskirts of the capital, Kampala.
Other places to visit while on a tour at Baha’i Temple in Kampala
The capital city is not short of sites to explore while you are on a tour at Baha’I Temple in Kampala. You are offered a wide range of destinations to see, which we are sure you will not exhaust in a day. For example, Buganda Kingdom offers a tour to Kabaka’s Palace in Mengo, the Kasubi Royal Tombs, and Wamala tombs, among others. Uganda offers a chance to explore our ancient symbols, totems, musical instruments and military weapons at the Uganda Museum. You can also explore various markets including Nakasero, St. Balikudembe, Nakawa and Kalerwe. For traditional music, dance and drama, you might want to visit the Ndere Cultural Center and the National Theatre.
