In 1953, Shoghi Effendi, then head of the Bahá'í Faith, decided that a continental House of Worship for South America would be built in Chile. In 2001, the Universal House of Justice said efforts should begin to construct the "Mother Temple of South America." Then, in late 2002, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Chile announced a competition for the design of the temple, to be built southeast of Santiago. The chosen design was by Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Fabrication of components began in 2007. The construction phase started in November 2010, construction of the cast glass cladding commenced in October 2014, and construction was completed in October 2016. The temple was dedicated on October 13, 2016 and doors opened to the public on October 19, 2016.
Architecture
All Bahá'í Houses of Worship are circular and nine-sided. Accordingly, the Santiago temple is ringed by nine entrances, nine pathways, and nine fountains, and the structure is composed of nine arching "sails." These have also been described as nine "petals" and the temple's shape as "floral"; the "petals" are separated by glass which allows light to illuminate the temple's interior. The exterior of the "petals" is made from cast glass while the interior is made from Portuguese marble. The sides of the temple are held up on the inside by a steel and aluminum superstructure. The temple can seat 600 people and it is 30 metres high and 30 metres in diameter.
Purpose
The Bahá'í Faith teaches that a House of Worship should be a space for people of all religions to gather, reflect, and worship. Anyone may enter the temple irrespective of religious background, sex, or other distinctions, as is the case with all Bahá'í Houses of Worship. The sacred writings of the Bahá'í Faith as well as other religions can be read and/or chanted inside. Musical renditions of readings and prayers can be sung by choirs, but no musical instruments can be played inside. There is no set pattern for worship services, and ritualistic ceremonies are not permitted. Despite these functions, most Bahá'í gatherings in the world are held in private homes, local Bahá'í centres, or rented facilities. The Santiago Bahá'í House of Worship serves as the continental House of Worship for South America and it was the last continental House of Worship to be completed.
Visitors
According to the Bahá’í World News Service, the Santiago House of Worship had received over 40,000 visitors by December 6, 2016. On November 6, 2019, the same organization reported that over 1.4 million people had visited the temple.
