Temple Square

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Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, prior to renovation

In 1847, when Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young, then president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, selected a 10-acre plot of ground that was designated for the Salt Lake Temple. This plot became known as Temple Square. It also became the headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Today, on the thirty-five acres in Salt Lake City, Utah, that make up Temple Square, there are several buildings that provide many interesting historical and modern-day wonders. The oldest building there is the Tabernacle that has, since 1867, housed the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, sharing with the world the finest musical programs. It was built with a seating capacity of 6,000. In subsequent years other buildings have been built to house important interests of the Church.

The Temple, which is the building of most importance to the members of the Church, was built over a period of 40 years and finally completed in 1892. In 2019, Church president Russell M. Nelson announced the renovation of the temple. “This project will enhance, refresh, and beautify the temple and its surrounding grounds,” said President Nelson. “Obsolete systems within the building will be replaced. Safety and seismic concerns will be addressed. Accessibility will be enhanced so that members with limited mobility can be better accommodated.”[1]

The Salt Lake Temple renovation project reached a major milestone on May 3, 2023. The first base isolator was placed on the new footing on the west side of the temple. The new footings surround the towers on the east and west ends of the temple, extending down 35 feet and away from the original structure. This is the first of 98 isolators. Installing isolators will allow the temple to move horizontally up to five feet in any direction during an earthquake.

On the original Temple Square there were three other buildings: the North Visitor Center, which housed a replica of a statue by artist Bertel Thorvaldsen called the Christus, the South Visitor Center, which housed many interactive displays that tell about Jesus Christ and teachings of the Church, and the Assembly Hall, which is host to many concerts during the year and is one of the older buildings of the entire square, attesting to the fine workmanship of the men who labored to build it.

As the Church has grown, several new buildings have been built and have expanded the headquarters into the surrounding blocks.

To the east is the Church Office Building, the Church Administration Building, the Relief Society Building, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Lion House, and the Beehive House, each with its own history. The Administration Building and the Church Office Building contain offices for the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other leaders. In 1995, the Hotel Utah was remodeled and renamed the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. It now houses additional offices, a distribution center, event rooms, two restaurants, and a theater. The theater was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but has been used to show specially made Church films such as Legacy, The Testaments, and eight, 20-minute Meet the Mormons films that examine the very diverse lives of devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located on the block just west of Temple Square are the Family History Library, with the largest genealogical record collection in the world and the Church History Museum. In 2000, the Church completed a 21,000-seat Conference Center just north of the temple. The main purpose of this building is for the semiannual and annual general conferences of the Church, during which members gather to hear the Prophet and the apostles of the Church and other General Authorities and general officers. It also houses a theater where productions of the highest caliber are given. It is also used by the community for plays, concerts, conferences, and lectures.

Green design is implemented at the new Church History Library which opened in June 2009. The library uses innovative design and construction to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings. Brent Thompson, Director of Records Preservation for the Church History Department, commented, "More natural light in work areas improves the job satisfaction for employees and missionaries. The community also benefits from a well-designed building that looks good in the urban setting while having a less harmful impact on the environment." In this unique space, patrons will be able to access journals, artifacts, and even photographs detailing the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Temple Square has become a popular tourist attraction, with five million visitors annually, more than the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone National Park. In fact, Salt Lake City is tied with Israel as the most attractive spot for faith-based travel according to a survey of 1,600 tour operators. Temple Square was recognized by Forbes Traveler (2009) as the 16th most visited attraction in America.[2] The 35-acre area draws visitors from all over the world because of its renowned research libraries, cultural activities, and historic buildings — most notably the Salt Lake Temple, at the center of Temple Square. In 1995, Temple Square became officially a Church mission of its own called the Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission. It is the smallest mission in the Church geographically, but also the most international one. Missionaries and volunteers work throughout the Temple Square area to help with record searches, historical facts, and questions about the Church. Some of these missionaries include young women who have 18-month assignments to host visitors at Temple Square. They come from 51 nations and speak more than 30 languages to accommodate foreign guests.

The grounds are appointed with beautiful gardens and host musical concerts and other such things on a regular basis. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square practices on Thursday evenings, and these rehearsals are open to the public. During the Christmas holiday season, thousands of lights sparkle from trees and shrubs around the square. The lighting of this event is so popular that it is attended by thousands each year.

A Walking Tour of Temple Square

The following are some places that you will want to visit during your visit to Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, many are closed until the renovation of Temple Square is completed in 2026.

  • Assembly Hall

  • Beehive House - Home of Brigham Young

  • Inside the Beehive House

  • Book of Mormon Display

  • Church History Library

  • Inside the Church History library

  • Church Office Building

  • Church Administration Building

  • Conference Center

  • Family History Library

  • Forty Years of Temple Construction

  • Joseph Smith Memorial Building

  • Joseph Smith Memorial Building

  • The Lion House

  • The Lion House Pantry

  • Relief Society Building

  • Salt Lake Tabernacle

  • Salt Lake Temple

  • Christus Statue

Renovations of Temple Square

©2023 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

During a morning press conference held on Friday, 19 April 2019, Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced that the pioneer-era Salt Lake Temple will close 29 December 2019 and will remain closed for approximately four years while undergoing a major structural and seismic renovation. The temple is expected to reopen in 2025 with a public open house.

The Church announced on March 2023 that renovations are taking longer than expected. "Construction on the renovation and seismic retrofit of the iconic Salt Lake Temple continues at a deliberate and measured pace. However, when working with historic structures such as this pioneer-era temple, unexpected challenges are inevitable.

"Regarding the previously announced 2025 completion date, Church leadership — in connection with project consultants and the general contractor working on the project — currently estimate completion of the project in 2026."[3]

Renovation and restoration of the surrounding area surrounding the Salt Lake Temple include:

  • The existing temple annex situated on the north side of the temple was demolished and is being rebuilt.
  • The North Visitors Center was demolished. “This area will become a peaceful, quiet space on Temple Square,” Andy Kirby, director of historic temple renovations for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has said. “The plans for this area will also provide a more direct and clear view of the Salt Lake Temple from the northwest area of Temple Square, enhancing the prominence of the temple,” he added. The Christus statue, which was housed in the North Visitors Center, was removed and placed in storage for conservation. Eventually it will be reinstalled somewhere on Temple Square at the end of the renovation, although the exact location has not been disclosed.[4][5]
  • The South Visitors Centers was demolished. Two ground-level pavilions and a multilevel guest building are being built in the area where the South Visitors’ Center previously stood on Temple Square. The above-ground pavilions — offering direct and unobstructed views of the Salt Lake Temple from the same south side as the South Visitors’ Center — will be connected by a large, underground hall with new experiences introducing guests to the temple and its purpose.[6] The upper level of the guest building will house a statue of Jesus Christ and an updated cutaway scale model of the Salt Lake Temple. The lower level will feature an ongoing temple open-house experience, including replicas of sacred temple ordinance rooms, such as a baptismal font and instruction, sealing and celestial rooms.[7] The guest building and pavilions will provide visitors with an experience to help understand Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness, the role of the Savior Jesus Christ in that plan, the purposes of temples to unite families for eternity and the importance of families as society’s foundation.[8]
  • Construction on the plaza areas between the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and the Church Administration Building and on the Main Street Plaza and west half of the plaza near the Church Office Building is expected to be completed at the end of 2023. When the plaza fully reopens, it will display 91 international flags to represent the global growth of the Church. It will also include a monument stone inscribed with a scripture from the Bible (Isaiah 2:2): “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.”
  • The Tabernacle and Assembly Hall will remain open to the public during construction, and tours by missionaries from the Temple Square Mission will continue to be available for guests.

During his remarks at the press conference, President Nelson said, "We promise that you will love the results. They will emphasize and highlight the life, ministry, and mission of Jesus Christ in His desire to bless every nation, kindred, tongue, and people."[9]

The facilities and the experience are expected to open to the public when the Salt Lake Temple renovation is complete in 2026.[10]

Renovation Update

Beginning Saturday, January 6, 2024, several plaza areas on Temple Square will begin reopening, including the plaza by the Church Office Building, the north part of the Main Street Plaza and the northwest plaza area of Temple Square. The south side of Main Street Plaza will reopen in mid-February.

When the northwest area of Temple Square opens, the Assembly Hall and surrounding gardens and facilities will close as crews remove the restroom buildings and portions of the wall. Crews will also update the landscaping. The Assembly Hall will also undergo limited renovation to include limited structural repairs in the foundation and roof, mechanical improvements, and interior plaster repair. The renovation is expected to be completed in 2026. 

The renovation of the Beehive and Lion Houses has commenced. Workers will soon begin clearing all plants and trees and excavating around the foundation and footings. The footings and foundation will be inspected, stabilized and repaired. The foundation system will be protected to keep water from degrading the structures in the future. The new landscaping will feature drought-resistant plants and water-wise irrigation to improve water management and ensure foundation stability. Historically appropriate plant types will also be used.[11]

External Links

Videos About Temple Square

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