and to receive visitors. Access to the garden from the opposite riverbank was possible by way of a ferry across the Tigris, as in Baháʼu'lláh's case, or by "floating bridge", as in the case of the governor and other friends who followed. History The Najibiyyih Garden, as it was first known, was named for Muhammad Najib Pasha, the wāli (governor) of Baghdad from 1842 to 1847, who built the garden and an attached palace in what was originally an agricultural area outside the city. Although Najib Pasha died in May 1851, the garden was presumably in the hands of his heirs when it was used by Baháʼu'lláh, during the period of April–May 1863. Despite its importance to the Baháʼí community, the garden was never owned by the Baháʼís. It was purchased by the government in 1870, and was used as a guest house for Nasruddin-Shah—who was responsible for Baháʼu'lláh's imprisonment and exile—when he visited Iraq in 1870. The park was further developed during the governorship of Midhat Pasha (1869–1872), who leveled the road leading to the garden and built another road, approximately 400–500 meters in length. The garden was cleared during the early twentieth century, to make way for the Royal Hospital. Baghdad Medical City, a large complex of teaching hospitals, now stands in its place. Ridván Baháʼu'lláh, after being imprisoned in Persia for his involvement with the Bábí community, was exiled to Baghdad by Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, arriving in the spring of 1853. Over the next decade in Baghdad, his influence grew to the point where the Persian government feared he might use it to threaten their sovereignty from abroad. In response, the Persian ambassador in Constantinople demanded Baháʼu'lláh be banished from Baghdad, to which the Ottoman government eventually acceded. Baháʼu'lláh entered the Najibiyyih Garden on April 22, 1863, in order to receive visitors and allow his family to prepare for his upcoming trip to Constantinople. He crossed the Tigris in a small boat accompanied by his sons ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, Mírzá Mihdí and Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí, his secretary Mirza Aqa Jan and some others. After their arrival in the garden, Baháʼu'lláh announced his mission and station for the first time to a small group of family and friends. For the next eleven days Baháʼu'lláh received visitors including the governor of Baghdad. Baháʼu'lláh's family was not able to join him until April 30, the ninth day, since the river had