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The Salt Lake Temple is a
temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
on
Temple Square Temple Square is a complex, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), in the center of Salt Lake City, Utah. The usage of the name has gradually changed to include several other church facilities that are immediately ...
in
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
,
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
, United States. At , it is the largest Latter-day Saint temple by floor area. Dedicated in 1893, it is the sixth temple completed by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth temple built since the
Mormon exodus The Mormon pioneers were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), also known as Latter Day Saints, who migrated beginning in the mid-1840s until the late-1860s across the United States from the Midwest to the S ...
from
Nauvoo, Illinois Nauvoo ( ; from the ) is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States, on the Mississippi River near Fort Madison, Iowa. The population of Nauvoo was 950 at the 2020 census. Nauvoo attracts visitors for its historic importance and its ...
, in 1846. The temple was closed in December 2019 for a general remodelling and seismic renovations that are anticipated to take approximately four years.


Details

The Salt Lake Temple is the centerpiece of the
Temple Square Temple Square is a complex, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), in the center of Salt Lake City, Utah. The usage of the name has gradually changed to include several other church facilities that are immediately ...
in Salt Lake City, Utah. Like other Latter-day Saint temples, the church and its members consider it sacred and a
temple recommend In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord. Temples are considered by church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually ...
is required to enter, so there are no public tours inside the temple as there are for other adjacent buildings on Temple Square. In 1912, the first public photographs of the interior were published in the book ''
The House of the Lord ''The House of the Lord: A Study of Holy Sanctuaries, Ancient and Modern'' is a 1912 book by James E. Talmage that discusses the doctrine and purpose of the temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Published by th ...
'', by
James E. Talmage James Edward Talmage (21 September 1862 – 27 July 1933) was an English chemist, geologist, and religious leader who served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) fro ...
. Since then, various photographs have been published, including by ''
Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...
'' magazine in 1938. The temple grounds are open to the public and are a popular tourist attraction. Due to its location at church headquarters and its historical significance, Latter-day Saints from around the world patronize the temple. The Salt Lake Temple is also the location of the weekly meetings of the
First Presidency Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (also known as the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency ...
and the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature) necessary to conduct the business of that group. According to ''Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised'', the ...
. As such, there are special meeting rooms in the building for these purposes, including the Holy of Holies, which are not part of other temples. The temple includes some elements thought to evoke
Solomon's Temple Solomon's Temple, also known as the First Temple (, , ), was the Temple in Jerusalem between the 10th century BC and . According to the Hebrew Bible, it was commissioned by Solomon in the United Kingdom of Israel before being inherited by th ...
at
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
. It is oriented towards Jerusalem and the large basin used as a baptismal font is mounted on the backs of twelve oxen, as was the
Molten Sea The Molten Sea or Brazen Sea ( ''yām mūṣāq'' " cast metal sea") was a large basin in the Temple in Jerusalem made by Solomon for ablution of the priests. It is described in and . It stood in the south-eastern corner of the inner court. A ...
in Solomon's Temple (see Chronicles 4:2–4). (However, the literal interpretation of the Biblical verses has been disputed.) At the east end of the building, the height of the center pinnacle to the base of the angel Moroni is 210 feet.


Location

The temple is in downtown Salt Lake City, with several mountain peaks close by. Nearby, a shallow stream, City Creek, splits and flows both to the west and to the south, flowing into the
Jordan River The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...
. There is a wall around the temple site. The surrounding wall became the first permanent structure on what has become known as Temple Square. The wall is a uniform 15 feet high but varies in appearance because of the site's southwest slope.


Uses

The temple is considered the house of God and is reserved for special ceremonies for practicing Latter-Day Saints. The main
ordinance room In temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), an ordinance room is a room where the ceremony known as the ''Endowment'' is administered, as well as other ordinances such as Sealings. Some temples perform a progre ...
s are used during the endowment ceremony—namely the creation, garden, telestial, terrestrial, and celestial rooms in that order of use. A washing and anointing ceremony is also administered, and until 1921, the rooms were also used for healing rituals of washing and anointing for the sick or pregnant and were administered by women and men. The temple also serves as a place for marriage sealing ceremonies for live and deceased persons. Additional uses include functioning as a location for baptisms for the dead, baptisms for health (until being discontinued in 1921), and, briefly, for re-baptism for the renewal of covenants. Other rituals performed in the temple include the second anointing ordinance for live and deceased persons, and meeting rooms for church leaders.


Temple construction and dedication

The temple's location was first marked by
Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his ...
, the church's second
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
, on July 28, 1847, just four days after he arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. In 1901, church apostle
Anthon H. Lund Anthon Henrik Lund (15 May 1844 – 2 March 1921) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and a prominent Utah leader. Early life Lund was born i ...
recorded in his journal that "it is said" that
Oliver Cowdery Oliver H. P. Cowdery (October 3, 1806 – March 3, 1850) was an American Mormon leader who, with Joseph Smith, was an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836. He was the first baptized ...
's divining rod was used to locate the temple site. The temple site was dedicated on February 14, 1853, by
Heber C. Kimball Heber Chase Kimball (June 14, 1801 – June 22, 1868) was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. He served as one of the original twelve apostles in the early Church of the Latter Day Saints, and as first counselor to Brigham Young ...
. Groundbreaking ceremonies were presided over by Young, who laid the
cornerstone The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. Over tim ...
on April 6 of that year. The architect was Truman O. Angell, and the temple features both Gothic and Romanesque elements.
Sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
was originally used for the foundation. During the
Utah War The Utah War (1857–1858), also known as the Utah Expedition, Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the US go ...
, the foundation was buried and the lot made to look like a plowed field to prevent unwanted attention from federal troops. After tensions eased in 1858 and work on the temple resumed, it was discovered that many of the foundation stones had cracked, making them unsuitable for use. Although not all of the sandstone was replaced, the inadequate sandstone was replaced. The walls are
quartz monzonite Quartz monzonite is an intrusive, felsic, igneous rock that has an approximately equal proportion of orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars. It is typically a light colored phaneritic (coarse-grained) to porphyritic granitic rock. The plagiocl ...
(which has the appearance of
granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies under ...
) from
Little Cottonwood Canyon Little Cottonwood Canyon lies within the Wasatch-Cache National Forest along the eastern side of the Salt Lake Valley, roughly 15 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah. The canyon is part of Granite, a CDP and "Community Council" designated by Salt L ...
, twenty miles (32 km) southeast of the temple site. Oxen transported the quarried rock initially, but as the
Transcontinental Railroad A transcontinental railroad or transcontinental railway is contiguous railroad trackage, that crosses a continental land mass and has terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single ...
neared completion in 1869 the remaining stones were carried by rail at a much faster rate. The
capstone CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) is a lunar orbiter that will test and verify the calculated orbital stability planned for the Lunar Gateway space station. The spacecraft is a 12- ...
—the granite sphere that holds the statue of the Angel Moroni—was laid on April 6, 1892, by means of an electric motor and switch operated by
Wilford Woodruff Wilford Woodruff Sr. (March 1, 1807September 2, 1898) was an American religious leader who served as the fourth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1889 until his death. He ended the public practice of ...
, the church's fourth president, thus completing work on the temple's exterior. The Angel Moroni statue, standing tall, was placed on top of the capstone later the same day. At the capstone ceremony, Woodruff proposed the building's interior be finished within one year, which would allow the temple to be dedicated forty years, to the day, after its commencement.
John R. Winder John Rex Winder (; December 11, 1821 – March 27, 1910) was a leader and general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric from 1887 to 1901, and First Coun ...
was instrumental in overseeing the interior's completion on schedule; he would serve as a member of the temple presidency until his death in 1910. Woodruff dedicated the temple on April 6, 1893, exactly forty years after the cornerstone was laid.


2019 to 2025 renovation

At the end of 2019, the temple was closed for a
seismic retrofit Seismic retrofitting is the modification of existing structures to make them more resistant to seismic activity, ground motion, or soil failure due to earthquakes. With better understanding of seismic demand on structures and with our recent exp ...
ting designed to allow it to withstand a magnitude 7.3 earthquake, the strongest expected magnitude in the Salt Lake Valley; work is expected to take about four years. Other facilities on
Temple Square Temple Square is a complex, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), in the center of Salt Lake City, Utah. The usage of the name has gradually changed to include several other church facilities that are immediately ...
(and certain parts of the main temple) were to be demolished, reconstructed, and modernized in line with seismic code.
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing Mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) refers to the installation of services which provide a comfortable space for the building occupants. In residential and commercial buildings, these elements are often designed by a specializeMEP engineerin ...
systems will be replaced, Initially the interior and its historical artifacts were planned to be preserved (although plans were later changed and many historic elements were removed) and plazas and landscaping modified. Visitor access and
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
would remain during the entire renovation process, but in regulated and coordinated fashion. Prior to 2019, the building had never been decommissioned for renovation and only minor updating of finishes and systems had occurred within the temple proper (although multiple "annex" additions had been added and removed in the past). This meant the temple's core historic architecture, layout, and workmanship had been preserved for 126 years. Before construction started, church leaders indicated that the temple's unique historicity would be preserved. Church employees stated that special efforts would be made to highlight and honor the pioneer craftsmanship and indicated the interiors would essentially remain the same. Various renderings were released showing the instruction rooms used for the endowment ceremony would remain intact, with the original layout, woodwork and murals being preserved. In March 2021, the church announced significant changes to the renovation plan that affected many elements in the temple's historic interior. The progressive room-to-room live endowment ceremony would be removed and the layout of the temple would change, with the baptistry being moved to the annex and new instruction rooms constructed in its place. Other rooms and walls would be reconfigured, requiring the removal of the temple's murals. The murals and many other historic features of the building were photographed and otherwise documented before being permanently removed or destroyed. In December 2021, the church announced that renovations were expected to conclude in 2025. These changes will allow for greater patron capacity, but the removal of many historic elements was met with criticism, especially the destruction of the temple's murals. One prominent historian described the changes as a “huge and unnecessary loss” and another noted them as a loss of “priceless cultural artifacts.”


Symbolism

The Salt Lake Temple incorporates many symbolic adornments including
Masonic symbols Masonic ritual is the scripted words and actions that are spoken or performed during the degree work in a Masonic lodge. Masonic symbolism is that which is used to illustrate the principles which Freemasonry espouses. Masonic ritual has appeared ...
. Symbolism is an important subject to members of the LDS Church. These symbols include the following: * All-seeing eye – The center tower on each side has a depiction of the all-seeing eye of God representing how God sees all things. * Angel statue – The golden Angel Moroni statue, by sculptor
Cyrus E. Dallin Cyrus Edwin Dallin (November 22, 1861 – November 14, 1944) was an American sculpture, sculptor best known for his depictions of Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans. He created more than 260 works, including the equest ...
, tops the capstone of the temple. It symbolizes the angel mentioned in that will come to welcome in the
Second Coming of Christ The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messi ...
. Early architectural plans showed two horizontally flying angels and the earliest references to the Salt Lake Temple's angel were always
Gabriel In Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Gabriel (); Greek: grc, Γαβριήλ, translit=Gabriḗl, label=none; Latin: ''Gabriel''; Coptic: cop, Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, translit=Gabriêl, label=none; Amharic: am, ገብር ...
. The original blueprint drawings intended the angel to be wearing temple ceremonial clothing like the angel on the
Nauvoo Temple The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.''Manuscript History of the Church'', LDS Church Archives, book A-1, p. 37; reproduced in Dean C. Jessee (comp.) (1989). ''The Papers of Jose ...
, but Paris-trained sculptor Dallin's 12.5-foot statue wears a crown instead of a temple cap that included a bright light which created a halo effect at night. As a result of an earthquake on March 18, 2020, the statue's trumpet broke. * Beehive – The beehive symbol (which appears on the Utah state seal) appears on external doors and doorknobs and symbolizes the thrift, industry, perseverance, and order of the Mormon people. * Big Dipper – On the west side of the temple the
Big Dipper The Big Dipper ( US, Canada) or the Plough ( UK, Ireland) is a large asterism consisting of seven bright stars of the constellation Ursa Major; six of them are of second magnitude and one, Megrez (δ), of third magnitude. Four define a "bowl" ...
appears, which represents how the priesthood can help people find their way to heaven as the constellation helped travelers find the
North Star Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude tha ...
. The uppermost stars on the temple's constellation align with the actual North Star. * Compass and square – Early plan drawings of the temple show the Masonic arrangements of a compass and square placed around the second and fourth floor windows, but the plans were changed during construction. These symbols had appeared on the
Nauvoo Temple The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.''Manuscript History of the Church'', LDS Church Archives, book A-1, p. 37; reproduced in Dean C. Jessee (comp.) (1989). ''The Papers of Jose ...
weathervane. * Clasped hands – Above each external door and doorknob appears the " hand clasp," which is a representation of covenants that are made within temples or brotherly love. * Clouds – On the east side of the temple are "clouds raining down" representing the way God has continued
revelation In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities. Background Inspiration – such as that bestowed by God on the ...
and still speaks to man "like the rains out of Heaven" or alternatively a
veil of ignorance The original position (OP), often referred to as the veil of ignorance, is a thought experiment used for reasoning about the principles that should structure a society based on mutual dependence. The phrases ''original position'' and ''veil of i ...
or sin. * Earths – The Earthstones in the lower buttresses have been interpreted as the gospel of Christ spreading over the whole Earth. * Saturns – Early drawings and a written description by Angell showed Saturnstones along the top tier of the temple, though the design was changed years later. * Spires – The six spires of the temple represent the power of the priesthood. The three spires on the east side are a little higher than those on the west: they represent the
Melchizedek In the Bible, Melchizedek (, hbo, , malkī-ṣeḏeq, "king of righteousness" or "my king is righteousness"), also transliterated Melchisedech or Malki Tzedek, was the king of Salem and priest of (often translated as "most high God"). He is f ...
, or "higher priesthood", and the Aaronic, or "preparatory priesthood" respectively. The three spires on the east side represent the church's
First Presidency Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (also known as the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency ...
and the twelve smaller spires on those three represent the
Twelve Apostles In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and minist ...
. * Sun, moon, and stars – Around the temple there are several carved stones depicting the Sun, Moon, and stars which correspond respectively to the
celestial Celestial may refer to: Science * Objects or events seen in the sky and the following astronomical terms: ** Astronomical object, a naturally occurring physical entity, association, or structure that exists in the observable universe ** Celes ...
,
terrestrial Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth. Terrestrial may also refer to: * Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on or near the ground, as opposed to ...
, and telestial
kingdoms of glory In the Mormon theology and cosmology there are three degrees of glory (alternatively, kingdoms of glory) which are the ultimate, eternal dwelling place for nearly all who lived on earth after they are resurrected from the spirit world. Member ...
in the afterlife. The sunstones have also been interpreted to represent God, the moonstones in different phases as representing different phases of life, and the starstones representing Jesus Christ. These symbols were drawn from the three lesser lights symbols in the
Freemasonry Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
practiced by many early church leaders in Nauvoo. Additionally, five-pointed stars have traditionally represented the five wounds of Christ (hands, feet, and side) and the five-pointed star with an elongated downward ray found on several LDS temples has been interpreted to represent Christ coming to Earth.


Incidents


Bombings

Two bombing incidents have damaged the temple. On April 10, 1910, a bomb at the nearby Hotel Utah (now the
Joseph Smith Memorial Building The Joseph Smith Memorial Building, originally called the Hotel Utah, is a social center located on the corner of Main Street and South Temple in Salt Lake City. It is named in honor of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. I ...
) damaged the trumpet of the Moroni statue atop the temple. On November 14, 1962, the southeast door of the Salt Lake Temple was bombed. FBI agents state that the explosive had been wrapped around the door handles on the temple's southeast entrance. The large wooden entrance doors were damaged by flying fragments of metal and glass. Damage to interior walls occurred 25 feet inside the temple, but damage to the interior was minor. Eleven exterior windows were shattered.


1999 Salt Lake City tornado

The temple suffered damage in 1999 when a tornado rated F2 on the
Fujita Scale The Fujita scale (F-Scale; ), or Fujita–Pearson scale (FPP scale), is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation. The official Fujita scale category is determ ...
struck Salt Lake City. A wedding taking place at the time allowed a photographer to record video of the tornado as it passed near the temple, forcing the wedding party to shelter against the temple doors and pillars for protection from the wind and debris. They were not allowed inside to take shelter as the temple doors were locked. After being pelted with rain and hail, members of the wedding party surveyed the damage to the trees and surrounding buildings before resuming the ceremony.


2020 Salt Lake City earthquake

On the morning of March 18, 2020, a magnitude 5.7
earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...
struck just outside Salt Lake City. Though most of the damage was outside the city, minor damage was inflicted on the temple. The trumpet of the Angel Moroni on top of the temple's tallest spire was dislodged from the statue, and some stones from the smaller spires were displaced. No other damage to the temple was reported.


Interior images

Below are several photographs from the interior of the temple. In response to a member obtaining unauthorized images of the interior of the temple, church leaders decided to release the book ''
The House of the Lord ''The House of the Lord: A Study of Holy Sanctuaries, Ancient and Modern'' is a 1912 book by James E. Talmage that discusses the doctrine and purpose of the temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Published by th ...
'' in 1912, which contained authorized black-and-white photographs of the interior, some of which are shown below. The unauthorized photographs had been taken over several months the year before by a man who was repeatedly allowed to enter with his camera while the temple was closed by a temple gardener friend. File:Hall or corridor on first or ground floor of temple.jpg, Main floor corridor File:Salt Lake Temple Terrestrial Room Veil.jpg, Terrestrial Room and Veil File:CelestialRoomSLT3b18939u.jpg, Celestial Room File:SLC Temple Stain Glass Art.jpg, Stained glass art in a sealing room File:Plate 27—The Holy of Holies.png, The Holy of Holies File:Council Room of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles 02.jpg, Council room for the
First Presidency Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (also known as the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency ...
and
Twelve Apostles In Christian theology and ecclesiology, the apostles, particularly the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Twelve Disciples or simply the Twelve), were the primary disciples of Jesus according to the New Testament. During the life and minist ...
File:View in main assembly room, fourth floor, looking west 02.jpg, Assembly hall for general authorities


Images of former interior elements

Below are some elements of the temple have been removed during various renovations of the temple. File:SLC Temple Creation or Lower Lecture Room.jpg, Creation Room (1911) File:Salt Lake Temple Garden Room.JPG, Garden Room (c. 1909) File:Salt Lake Temple Telestial Room Seating.jpg, Telestial Room (2015) File:Washing and anointing tub in the Salt Lake Temple, June 1911.png, Tub for a literal version of the
washing and anointing Washing and anointing (also called the initiatory) is a temple ordinance practiced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and Mormon fundamentalists as part of the faith's endowment ceremony. It is a sacred ordinance for ...
ceremony used at the time (1911) File:Salt Lake temple baptismal font.jpg, The original baptismal font for baptisms for the dead (c. 1909) File:Statuary (Salt Lake Temple) 01.jpg, Statuary in the celestial room (1911)


Temple presidents

#
Lorenzo Snow Lorenzo Snow (April 3, 1814 – October 10, 1901) was an American religious leader who served as the fifth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1898 until his death. Snow was the last president of the ...
, 1893–1898 # Joseph F. Smith, 1898–1911 #
Anthon H. Lund Anthon Henrik Lund (15 May 1844 – 2 March 1921) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and a prominent Utah leader. Early life Lund was born i ...
, 1911–1921 # George F. Richards, 1921–1938 #
Stephen L. Chipman Stephen L. Chipman (1864–1945) was a member of the Utah State Legislature in 1903 and a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Utah County. He was also the first president of the Salt Lake Temple who was no ...
, 1938–1945 #
Joseph Fielding Smith Joseph Fielding Smith Jr. (July 19, 1876 – July 2, 1972) was an American religious leader and writer who served as the tenth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1970 until his death in 1972. He was t ...
, 1945–1949 # Robert D. Young, 1949–1953 # ElRay L. Christiansen, 1953–1961 # Willard E. Smith, 1961–1964 # Howard S. McDonald, 1964–1968 # O. Leslie Stone, 1968–1972 # John K. Edmunds, 1972–1977 # A. Ray Curtis, 1977–1982 #
Marion D. Hanks Marion Duff Hanks (October 13, 1921 – August 5, 2011) was a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1953 until his death. Early life Hanks was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.''2006 Deseret News Chu ...
, 1982–1985 #
Victor L. Brown Victor Lee Brown (31 July 1914 – 26 March 1996) was the tenth Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1972 to 1985. He was an LDS Church general authority from 1961 until his death. Brown was born ...
, 1985–1987 # Edgar M. Denny, 1987–1990 # Spencer H. Osborn, 1990–1993 # George I. Cannon, 1993–1996 #
Carlos E. Asay Carlos Egan Asay (June 12, 1926 – April 10, 1999) was a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1976 until his death. Early life Asay was born in Sutherland, Utah, and raised in Monroe, Utah. In 19 ...
, 1996–1999 # Derrill H. Richards, 1999 # W. Eugene Hansen, 1999–2002 # L. Aldin Porter, 2002–2005 # M. Richard Walker, 2005–2008 # Sheldon F. Child, 2008–2011 # Oren Claron Alldredge Jr., 2011–2014 # Cecil O. Samuelson, 2014–2017 # B. Jackson Wixom, 2017–2019


See also

* List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints * List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by geographic region *
Temple architecture (Latter-day Saints) On December 27, 1832, two years after the organization of the Church of Christ, the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, stated he received a revelation that called upon church members to restore the practice of temple worship. The Latter Day Saints ...
*
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Utah. Utah has more church members than any other U.S. state or country. The LDS Church is also the ...
* ''
The Mountain of the Lord ''The Mountain of the Lord'' is a 72-minute film produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It depicts the story of the building of the Salt Lake Temple in a fictional encounter between a reporter and Wilford Woodruff and was prod ...
''


References


Further reading

* * *


External links

* * All Wiki images categorized unde
Salt Lake Temple

Official Salt Lake Temple page


- a pictorial tour of the temple interior at Moroni10.com * {{Authority control 19th-century Latter Day Saint temples Religious buildings and structures in Salt Lake City Churches completed in 1893 Temple Square Temples (LDS Church) in Utah Tourist attractions in Salt Lake City 1893 establishments in Utah Territory Historic American Buildings Survey in Utah