Nuku alofa Tonga Temple

The Nuku alofa Tonga Temple is the 25th constructed and 23rd operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is located in the middle of Tonga's main island Tongatapu near Matangiake. The area where the temple is located is commonly known as "Liahona", after the name of the church-owned high school there. The temple is several miles south of its namesake city, the capital Nukuokinaalofa.

The temple is the first and only to built in Tonga, and has floor plan similar to the other southern Pacific temples, the Apia Samoa Temple (rebuilt in 2005) and the Papeete Tahiti Temple. It was built with a modern single-spire design, similar to the Bern Switzerland Temple and the London England Temple. Most of the construction work on the temple was done by labor missionaries from New Zealand and other South Pacific Islands.

The Nuku alofa Tonga Temple was announced on 2 April 1980, and dedicated on 9 August 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley. The temple was built on a convert|5|acre|m2|sing=on plot, has 2 ordinance rooms and 3 sealing rooms, and has a total floor area of convert|14572|sqft|m2.

The temple was closed for renovation in July 2006. [cite press release |url=http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=62f28bf6c71b3110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=9ae411154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD |title=Public to Tour Renovated Temple in Nuku’alofa, Tonga |publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |date=2007-07-10 |accessdate=2007-08-14 ] An open house was held September 29 - October 20, 2007 and the temple was rededicated on November 4, 2007 by Russell M. Nelson. [ cite news |last=Weaver |first=Sara Jane |date=2007-11-05 |title=LDS Tonga Temple rededicated |publisher=Deseret Morning News |accessdate=2007-11-05 |url=http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695224826,00.html]

ee 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
* Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
* Temple architecture (Latter-day Saints)

Notes

External links

* [http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-59-1,00.html Official LDS Nuku alofa Tonga Temple page] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Official Site
* [http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/nukualofa/ Nukuʻalofa Tonga Temple page] at LDSChurchTemples.com