San Diego California Temple, Mormon temple in La Jolla, San Diego, US
The San Diego California Temple is a Gothic-inspired building with two main spires and four smaller spires at the base of each tower, rising to about 198 and 203 feet. Its exterior is finished in white stone aggregate and plaster mixed with marble chips, and the eastern spire carries a gold-leaf statue of the angel Moroni. A glass-enclosed, star-shaped atrium garden connects the two towers.
Plans for the temple were announced by Gordon B. Hinckley on April 7, 1984, and Ezra Taft Benson presided at the groundbreaking on February 27, 1988, in the Golden Triangle near La Jolla Village Square. Hinckley dedicated it in 23 sessions from April 25 to 30, 1993, two of them in Spanish for members from northern Mexico. After a 2023 closure for renovation, rededication was scheduled for August 23, 2026.
The temple's name comes from its site near La Jolla in the Golden Triangle area of San Diego, and it serves members across the Southern California–Baja California region. At its 1993 dedication, 23 sessions were held, at least two of them in Spanish for members from northern Mexico. The gold-leaf statue of the angel Moroni on the eastern spire is the detail most visitors look for.
The temple is located in La Jolla and is accessible from the main roads of Southern California. Since the building has undergone renovation work, it is best to check visiting conditions in advance.
The 1993 open house drew about 720,000 visitors, far above the 600,000 organizers had estimated. The San Diego Press Club named the temple "Headliner of the Year" in the landmark category that year, and the publicity campaign received a Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America.
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