Salt Lake Temple

The Salt Lake Temple is the largest (of more than 120) and best-known temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church overall, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois.

The Salt Lake Temple is the centerpiece of the 10 acre (40,000 m²) Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. Although there are currently no public tours inside the temple (because it is considered sacred by the church and its members, a temple recommend is required), the temple grounds are open to the public and are a popular tourist attraction. Due to its location at LDS Church headquarters and its historical significance, it is patronized much by Latter-day Saints from many parts of the world.

The Salt Lake Temple is also the location of the weekly meetings of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1991.htm/ensign%20may%201991%20.htm/prophets.htm?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0] . As such, there are special meeting rooms in the Salt Lake Temple for these purposes, including the Holy of Holies, which are not present in other temples.

The official name of the Salt Lake Temple is also unique. In the early 2000s, as the building of LDS temples accelerated dramatically, the Church announced a formal naming convention for all existing and future temples. For temples located in the United States and Canada, the name of the temple is generally the city or town in which the temple is located, followed by the name of the applicable state or province (with no comma). For temples outside of the U.S. and Canada, the name of the temple is generally the city name (as above) followed by the name of the country. However, for reasons on which the Church did not elaborate (possibly due to the historical significance and worldwide prominence of the temple), the Salt Lake Temple was granted an exception to the new rule and thus avoided being renamed the "Salt Lake City Utah Temple".

Temple construction and dedication

The location for the temple was first marked by Brigham Young, the prophet and second president of the church, on July 28, 1847, just four days after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley. The temple site was dedicated on February 14, 1853. Groundbreaking ceremonies were presided by Brigham Young, who laid the cornerstone on April 6 of that year.

Sandstone was originally used for the foundation. During the Utah War the foundation was buried and the lot made to look like a plowed field to prevent unwanted attention from federal troops. After tensions had eased in 1858 and work on the temple resumed, it was discovered that the foundation stones had cracked, making them unsuitable for use. The sandstone was replaced by quartz monzonite (which has the appearance of granite) from Little Cottonwood Canyon, located twenty miles (32 km) southeast of the temple site. Oxen transported the granite initially, but as the Transcontinental Railroad neared completion in 1869 the remaining stones were carried by rail at a much faster rate.

The capstone was laid on April 6, 1892 by means of an electric motor and switch operated personally by Wilford Woodruff, the church's fourth President, thus completing work on the temple's exterior. The Angel Moroni is twelve and one half feet tall. At the capstone ceremony it was proposed by President Woodruff that the interior of the building be finished within one year, thus allowing the temple to be dedicated forty years to the day of its commencement. John R. Winder was instrumental in overseeing the completion of the interior on schedule; he later served as the temple's president until his death in 1910. President Woodruff dedicated the temple on April 6, 1893, exactly forty years after the cornerstone was laid.

ee also

* Temple Square
* Most holy place
* 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)

External links

* [http://www.lds.org/newsroom/showpackage/0,15367,3899-1---1-424,00.html Salt Lake Temple: Stories of Courage]
* [http://www.lds.org/temples/main/0,11204,1912-1-40-1,00.html Official LDS Salt Lake Temple Page]
* [http://www.SaltLakeMormonTemple.org Salt Lake Temple]
* [http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/saltlake/ Salt Lake Temple Page]
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=D9VM1ov5ts8C A Description of the Great Temple, Salt Lake City] , by Duncan McNeil McAllister, published in 1904
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=XFk3AAAAMAAJ House of the Lord: Historical and Descriptive Sketch of the Salt Lake Temple] by George Q Cannon, published in 1893
* [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/4909/slc1.html Black and white photos from James E. Talmage book, "The House of the Lord" (1912)]
* [http://local.google.com/local?f=q&hl=en&q=+40%C2%B046%2713.22%22N++111%C2%B053%2731.77%22W&ll=40.770341,-111.8919&spn=0.002588,0.006781&t=k Satellite View of Temple Square]
* [http://www.moroni10.com/LDS/Temple_Tour/Salt_Lake_Temple.html A pictorial tour of the temple interior]
* [http://www.allaboutmormons.com/templesquare.php An online tour of Temple Square]