About Haifa

Haifa View Haifa Bahai Gardens

 

Haifa – the capital of the North, is the third largest city in Israel and one of its prettiest. Built on the slopes of Mount Carmel, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve the city is surrounded by abundant nature sites, and is the major seaport located on Israel’s Mediterranean coastline in the Bay of Haifa.

The History of Haifa dates back to the 3rd century CE. Since then it has been controlled by several civilizations, including the Canaanites, Israelites, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Kurds, the Mamluks, and the Ottoman Turks.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Haifa emerged as an industrial port city and growing population center. Today, it is a multicultural city where Jews, Muslims, Christians and other minority faiths live in excellent co-existence and tolerance for many years. Haifa is also home of the World Center of the Baha’i faith and the magnificent Baha’i gardens complex on the slope of Mount Carmel, is a must-see attraction.

The city contains an interesting mix of modern neighborhoods and older districts; churches and mosques; respected academic institutions, industrial and high-tech parks, many museums and varied cultural and recreational facilities.

The city’s proximity to the sea and its active port contribute to its prominence. The bustling port area lined with trendy cafes, restaurants and galleries draws merchants, shoppers and tourists. The beautiful beaches are popular for sports and recreation, and are filled with people during summer weekends. In addition, because of their excellent surfing conditions, the beaches serve many of Israel’s top sailing enthusiasts and host sailing competitions and other sporting events.

Participants are invited to the conference city tour of Haifa which will be held in the afternoon of one of the conference days.

Some Sites & Attractions 

  • The Bahai Gardens and Shrine
  • The Louis Promenade (Yefe Nof)
  • The picturesque German Colony at the foot of the Bahai Gardens
  • The Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery (Atop Mount Carmel)
  • Wadi Nisnas with its charming alleyways
  • Museums: The Dagon Grain Silo; the National Maritime Museum; Mada-Tech – the Museum of Science and Technology; the Haifa Museum of Art; the Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum; the Railway Museum; the Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art; the Reuben and Edith Hecht Museum and the Israel Oil Industry Museum.

Haifa Panorama