Salt Lake Temple

The Salt Lake Temple is a house of worship for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on Temple Square in the heart of Salt Lake City. The granite structure rises with six spires in the Gothic Revival style and is crowned by a gilded statue of the angel Moroni that stands roughly 14 feet tall.

Construction began in 1853 following a design by Truman O. Angell and took four decades to complete, with granite hauled from Little Cottonwood Canyon using ox-drawn wagons. The building was finished in 1893 and marked a turning point for the Latter-day Saint community in Utah.

The Salt Lake Temple maintains strict access requirements, allowing entry only to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with valid temple recommendations.

Access to the interior is restricted to members with valid recommendations, but the surrounding grounds at 50 West North Temple Street are open to all visitors throughout the year. The gardens and reflecting pools around the building are freely accessible and often illuminated with light displays in the evening.

The walls of the building are roughly nine feet thick at the base and taper to about six feet at the top, constructed with massive granite blocks. Construction was interrupted several times, including during the American Civil War when advancing armies threatened the area.

Location: Salt Lake City

Inception: 1893

Architects: Truman O. Angell

Architectural style: Gothic Revival

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Made from material: granite

Operator: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Address: West Temple

Phone: +18012402640

Website: https://churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/details/salt-lake-temple

GPS coordinates: 40.77047,-111.89196

Latest update: December 4, 2025 19:03