Salt Lake Temple

Salt Lake Temple
derivative work: Entheta (talk) Salt_Lake_Temple,_Utah_-_Sept_2004.jpg: Diliff · CC BY 2.5 · source
Name	Salt Lake Temple
Caption	The temple as seen from Temple Square in Salt Lake City
Location	Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Religious affiliation	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Architect	Truman O. Angell
Groundbreaking	April 6, 1853
Completed	1893
Style	Gothic Revival, Romanesque Revival
Materials	Granite
Height	210 ft (spire)

Salt Lake Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. It serves as a prominent landmark in the cityscape near the Salt Lake Tabernacle, Salt Lake City Council Hall, and the Church Administration Building. The temple is significant to adherents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to visitors interested in Brigham Young's leadership, 19th-century American frontier architecture, and the westward migration of LDS Church members.

History

Construction was initiated under directives from Brigham Young after the arrival of pioneers who had fled persecution in Nauvoo, Illinois and the Midwestern United States. The site on what was then the Great Salt Lake Desert and near the Wasatch Range was dedicated on April 6, 1853, a date echoing the founding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York and the organization at Kirtland, Ohio. The temple’s protracted timeline spanned leadership transitions involving figures such as Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, and successors within the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. National events including the American Civil War, completion of the Transcontinental Railroad near Promontory Summit, and territorial governance of Utah Territory influenced labor, materials, and funding. The building was completed and dedicated in 1893 under the presidency of Wilford Woodruff.

Architecture and Design

The temple’s design, principally attributed to Truman O. Angell, integrates elements found in Gothic Revival architecture and Romanesque Revival architecture as interpreted on the American frontier during the 19th century. Exterior ornamentation includes symbolic motifs resonant with doctrines taught by leaders such as Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, while the vertical emphasis and spires present visual affinities with contemporaneous ecclesiastical structures in New England and England. Interior floor plans incorporate ritual spaces aligned with Latter-day Saint temple ordinances overseen historically by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The placement on Temple Square creates relationships with nearby institutional sites like the Salt Lake Tabernacle, Assembly Hall, and the Beehive House.

Construction and Materials

Granite quarried from Little Cottonwood Canyon provided the primary masonry, transported by oxen, wagons, and later rail linked to projects such as the Transcontinental Railroad. Foundations and walls required innovative 19th-century engineering adapted to local geology found in the Wasatch Range. Skilled craftsmen included members who had worked on earlier LDS projects in Nauvoo, Kirtland, and other pioneer settlements. Tools and techniques paralleled those used on major civic projects of the era such as canal and railroad construction associated with entities like the Union Pacific Railroad and local municipal initiatives in Salt Lake City. Decorative metalwork and clock mechanisms were installed in the late 19th century contemporaneously with advancements in American industrialization.

Religious Use and Significance

The temple functions as a sacramental and covenantal center for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, administered under direction of the First Presidency and local temple presidencies. Ordinances performed within have doctrinal ties to revelations attributed to Joseph Smith and ritual developments overseen by leaders including Brigham Young and subsequent presidents like Wilford Woodruff. Access is restricted to members holding temple recommends issued following interviews with local leaders such as bishops and stake presidents, reflecting ecclesiastical policy administered by the LDS Church leadership.

Renovations and Preservation

Throughout its history the temple has undergone periodic maintenance, including major interior and exterior restoration campaigns to address aging granite, seismic upgrades, and modernization of mechanical systems. Preservation efforts have involved coordination among entities such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints historic preservation staff, local Salt Lake City heritage authorities, and engineering consultants experienced with retrofitting historic masonry structures in seismic zones like the Intermountain West. Notable closures for renovation occurred in the 20th and 21st centuries to install modern electrical, climate control, and safety systems while conserving decorative finishes and original fabric attributed to 19th-century craftsmen.

Cultural Impact and Tourism

Situated on Temple Square, the temple contributes to Salt Lake City’s identity alongside institutions like the Salt Lake Tabernacle and events such as the annual General Conference. It attracts visitors from locations including Europe, Asia, Latin America, and domestic tourism markets, participating in civic parades and seasonal displays coordinated with entities such as the Salt Lake City Arts Council and regional hospitality organizations. The building appears in cultural works referencing Utah and American westward expansion, and it functions as an architectural and historical focal point in tour itineraries that also include the Utah State Capitol, Great Salt Lake, and nearby national parks accessed via routes like Interstate 15.

Category:Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Category:Buildings and structures in Salt Lake City