Salt Lake Temple

The Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the most prominent temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the centerpiece of Temple Square, the most visited tourist attraction in Utah. [1][2]

Construction began in 1853 under the direction of Brigham Young and took 40 years to complete, with the temple dedicated in 1893. The granite was quarried from Little Cottonwood Canyon and transported by ox-drawn wagons and later by railroad. A major renovation was completed in 2024. [1][2]

LDS temples are considered the most sacred spaces in the Latter-day Saint tradition, where ordinances including baptisms for the dead, endowments, and eternal marriage sealings are performed. The Salt Lake Temple is the symbolic heart of the LDS Church and the most recognizable LDS building worldwide. [1][2]

The temple interior is accessible only to LDS members with a temple recommend. Temple Square, including the grounds, visitors' centers, and the Tabernacle (home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), is open to all visitors. [1][2]

The temple interior is reserved for members in good standing who hold a temple recommend, while the surrounding Temple Square, with its visitor centers and the Tabernacle, is open to all and is Utah's most visited attraction. A major renovation of the temple was completed in the 2020s. [1][2]

The granite temple, quarried from a nearby canyon and built over four decades, is the centerpiece of Temple Square and the most recognizable building of the Latter-day Saint tradition. Its six spires and the figure of the angel Moroni are widely known symbols of the church. [1][2]

Latter-day Saint temples are the tradition's most sacred spaces, where ordinances including eternal marriage sealings and baptisms for the dead are performed. Begun under Brigham Young in 1853 and dedicated in 1893, the Salt Lake Temple is the symbolic heart of the church. [1][2]