The Baha’i temple in Wilmette, IL (about 30 minutes from Chicago) was officially named one of the 7 Wonders of Illinois and is the only Baha’i temple in US and one of only 8 in the entire world. The temple was completed in 1953 and is the oldest surviving Baha’i house of worship. The temple was designed by Canadian architect Jean-Baptiste Louis Bourgeois.
We arrived at around 1pm on a Saturday and parked on Linden Ave. As you approach the location, you can see the top of the temple’s breathtaking architecture. After parking, you just walk up the stairs and you’re free to walk around the grounds and enter the auditorium.
The temple is a circular, symmetrical, nine-sided building, so if you want to avoid people in your shots, just pick a side with less people. Each side has a fountain and a prayer garden. There are a couple of reflecting pools as well.
I plan on returning here for some night shots in the near future.
Location Information
Address: 100 Linden Ave, Wilmette, IL 60091
Parking: Free street parking along Linden Ave. Their parking lot was under construction but parking was easy to find.
Restrictions: No photography inside the auditorium