Dedicated in 1986 in south Delhi, the Lotus Temple is a Baháʼí House of Worship designed by the architect Fariborz Sahba. Like every Baháʼí temple, it is open to people of all faiths.
The building takes the form of a half-open lotus, a flower that is a symbol of purity in Indian religious tradition. It is made of 27 free-standing petals of concrete clad in white marble, grouped in threes to form nine sides, as the Baháʼí faith requires for its houses of worship. The petals rise in three rings around a central hall. Engineered by Flint & Neill of London, it won awards from the Institution of Structural Engineers and the American Concrete Institute.
On its completion, reviewers compared it with the Sydney Opera House. It draws more than five million visitors a year, making it one of the most visited sites in India.
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