Baha'i House of Worship

The Baha'i House of Worship for Latin America stands on a hill north of Panama City, completed in 1972, a dome of white with a patterned surface intended to recall a Ngäbe hut, set in gardens with the city and the surrounding hills below. Like all Baha'i temples it has nine sides and nine entrances and is open to anyone of any faith or none. The interior is plain, with no images and no furniture beyond seating.

What you actually see

• The dome - the patterned white structure completed in 1972.
• The nine sides - the plan common to all Baha'i houses of worship.
• The plain interior - a space without images, altars or fixed ritual furniture.
• The hilltop view - Panama City and the surrounding hills from the gardens.

When to go

Year round; the temple keeps daytime hours. Mornings are cooler and clearer. Devotional readings happen at set times.

Honest expectations

The interior is very plain and some visitors find little to look at. The road up is steep and public transport does not reach it. It closes in the late afternoon.

Nearby

Panama City is south, and Ancon Hill is southwest.