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Looking at a brochure in my hotel lobby, a picture of the Mormon Temple caught my eye. So tall and grand against the blue, Utah sky, I wondered why I had never seen it on prior trips to Salt Lake City.
Having arrived in The City of Saints a bit earlier than I had anticipated, I decided that I would make my way to this monumental temple to capture a picture.
After I arrived, what I found was much more than I had expected.
Temple Square is a ten acre complex in the heart of Salt Lake City. Owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the square is comprised of the Salt Lake Temple, Salt Lake Tabernacle, Salt Lake Assembly Hall, the Seagull Monument, The Church History Museum, the Conference Center, the Beehive House, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Lion House, The Family History Library, administrative buildings and two visitors’ centers. Designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1964, the square recognizes the Mormon achievement in the settlement of Utah.
My first stop was to the South Visitor’s Center which details the building of the Temple. There are many exhibits which show how the impressive church was constructed.
Moving back outdoors, I walked amidst the beautifully landscaped walkways, admiring the many statues, gardens and fountains that grace the square.
The Assembly Hall, located on the southwest corner, seats approximately 2,000 people and sometimes acts as an overflow area for the church’s twice-a-year general conferences. Free music concerts are held here and as I admired the impressive organ used for these recitals, a young lady struck up a conversation with me. Hailing from France, I found out that she is one of the full-time sister missionaries from around the globe, who serve on Temple Square. Giving me some history of the Assembly Hall, she told me about the concerts held in the building, the impressive organ and suggested that my next stop be the Tabernacle. She informed me that if I was impressed by the organ in the Assembly Hall, I would probably be blown away by what I would find in the Tabernacle.
Once my walk-around was complete, I made my way across the well-manicured lawn to the Tabernacle to see this incredible organ. Although I had heard about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, my only knowledge of them was that they are associated with the LDS Church. Speaking with another sister missionary, I learned that the choir, founded in 1847, consists of 360 members and has performed in the Tabernacle for over a hundred years. Members must be part of the church, between the ages of 25 and 55 and live within 100 miles of Temple Square. And the organ? Wow, what can I say? Containing 11,623 pipes, it is one of the largest organs in the world. It was originally built in 1867 and was rebuilt and enlarged several times with the current version having been completed in 1948. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs with the accompaniment of the organ for daily recitals, which are open to the public. Another organ, consisting of 7,708 pipes is housed across the street in the Conference Center and is used for performances during the church’s semiannual general conferences.
The Tabernacle itself is a relatively large structure, built to seat 8,000 and was constructed between 1864 and 1867.
Hoping to visit the Temple, which dates back to 1893, I learned from the sister missionary in the Tabernacle that it would not be possible as it is considered sacred by the church and a temple recommend is required to enter. Seeing a bride and groom taking pictures earlier in the day, I asked her about weddings held in the church. If only members are allowed to enter, then what about friends and family that are not part of the religion…how would they take part in the ceremony? Patiently, she explained that those guests would have to miss the actual ceremony but would be invited to a reception afterward. I thought this extremely sad as I would have been disappointed if my non-Catholic friends would not have been able to enter my beautiful church.
“Different strokes”, my friends…
Continuing on, my next stop was at the North Visitors Center. Most important to note in this building is the beautiful replica of the Christus, a statue of Jesus by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, located on the upper floor. The ramped walkway’s walls and the domed ceiling above the statue are painted with clouds, stars, planets and other heavenly bodies. Make sure not to miss the beautiful paintings depicting biblical stories on the upper floor and on the lower, dioramas of some biblical scenes. There is also an area dedicated to the good works of the LDS Church.
The Church History Museum across the street from the North Visitor’s Center is worth spending some time in and houses collections of Latter-day Saint art and artifacts. There are both permanent exhibits and temporary ones offered throughout the year. I enjoyed the film which showed how Joseph Smith was directed to the golden tablets, from which he translated the Book of Mormon, by the angel Moroni. You can also see a replica of the golden tablets which give you an idea of their size and weight.
If you are interested in the historical records of the LDS Church, the Church History Library is located near the museum. Admission to the library is complimentary and patrons can access a large collection of books, manuscripts and photographs. Though I did not take the time to enter, it was explained that tours are given by senior missionaries and visitors can view a video which explains the mission and purpose of the Library. Next door to the museum is the Family History Library which is where many come to find information about their ancestors. Founded in 1894, records and genealogical data for over three billion deceased ancestors from around the globe are available with assistance from research specialists and trained volunteers.
Next on my agenda was the Conference Center, a relatively new structure, completed in 2000. The center has a capacity of over 21,000 and is used for the LDS Church’s general conferences, concerts and other cultural events. What I had come to see, however, was the rooftop garden that I had heard about from other visitors. Escorted by a sister missionary, I was overwhelmed by what we found!
Exiting the elevators and stepping outside I discovered a green oasis! Had I really just exited the building and stepped out into the mountainside? The garden located here is based on the landscape that surrounds Salt Lake City and is planted with native flowers, grasses and fully grown trees. There is a water feature with an infinity edge and a cantilevered edge. If you could not look out and around, it would be possible to think that you are not high above Temple Square! It is simply breathtaking! Tours of the building are available year-round, however, tours of the roof gardens are only offered between April and October. No appointment necessary…just grab a guide and go!
A quick stop in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building was a must to take a look at the beautiful lobby ceiling and chandeliers as well as the large scale statue of Joseph Smith. Here, you can also have a bite to eat at one of the two restaurants or the cafe if you get hungry while exploring.
You can also grab a bite to eat next door at the Lion House, if you’ve arranged a catered event. The house, built in in 1856, was the former home of Brigham Young, the second president of The LDS Church and the first governor of the state of Utah. Named for the lion statue located over the front entryway, the Lion House is decorated with beautiful antique furniture and has the capacity to host a variety of events.
The last stop on my Temple Square tour was my favorite, the Beehive House. The Beehive House was built in 1854 and was home to Brigham Young and other LDS Church leaders. It served as the offices for the Church for many years and now operates as a museum displaying objects belonging to Brigham Young and his family. The home is beautiful, filled with beautiful antiques and still gives the impression of how the family lived during their time there.
The Beehive House? I was a bit confused as to why this structure carried the name and asked the lovely young sister missionaries giving me my tour. Apparently, a beehive motif was placed atop the structure which is meant to illustrate the strong sense of community and tireless work ethic of the LDS who settled in the great state. I guess I had never realized it before, but Utah is nicknamed the Beehive State and the Beehive is featured on the state flag!
As the day was drawing to a close, I noticed that long lines had formed in the middle of the square. Apparently, on Thursday nights, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir holds practice sessions. As tempting as that was, it was the end of a long day, I was in need of nourishment and the lines seemed endless!
Oh well, now I have something to look forward to on my next visit!
Yes, there will be another visit in the future! Hoping to capture one photograph, I walked away from this sojourn with many pictures and a new knowledge of another religion. Definitely a wonderful place to spend an afternoon in Salt Lake City!
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Temple Square
- https://www.templesquare.com/
- Address: 50 N Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150
- Hours: 0900-2100, daily
- Admission: free
- Getting There: Take the Trax light rail, blue or green line and get off at the Temple Square stop. The stop is in the Free Fare Zone and your ride is free.
South Visitor’s Center
- https://www.templesquare.com/explore/south-visitors-center/
- Address: 50 N Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
- Hours: 0900-2100, daily
- Admission: free
Assembly Hall
- https://www.templesquare.com/explore/assembly-hall/
- Address: 50 N Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
- Hours: 0900-2100, daily
- Admission: free
The Tabernacle
- https://www.templesquare.com/explore/tabernacle/
- Address: 50 N Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
- Hours: 0900-2100, daily
- Daily Organ Recitals: Monday-Saturday, 1200 and Sunday, 1400
- From Memorial Day through Labor Day, recitals are also held at the Conference Center, Monday through Saturday, 1400
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
- https://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/
- Weekly recitals, Wednesday, 1930-2130, Bells on Temple Square rehearsals. Thursday, 1930-2130, Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearsals.
North Visitor’s Center
- https://www.templesquare.com/explore/north-visitors-center/
- Address: 50 N Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
- Hours: 0900-2100, daily
- Admission: free
Church History Museum
- https://www.templesquare.com/explore/church-history-museum/
- Address: 45 Northwest Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
- Hours; Monday-Friday, 0900-2100. Saturday, 0900-1700. Sunday, closed.
- Admission: free
Conference Center
- https://www.templesquare.com/explore/conference-center/
- Address: 60 N Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150
- Hours: 0900-2100, daily.
- Admission: free
- Tours: Daily, except Sunday, at any time, but you must be escorted by one of the volunteers. Sunday, 1015, 1115, and 1215. Tours begin at Door 15.
Joseph Smith Memorial Building
- https://www.templesquare.com/explore/jsmb/
- Address: 15 E S Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150
- Hours: 0900-2100, Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays.
- Admission: free
Lion House
- https://www.templesquare.com/lion-house/
- Address: 63 E S Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150
The Beehive House
- https://www.templesquare.com/explore/beehive-house/
- Address: 67 E S Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150
- Hours: 0900-2030, daily
- Admission: free
- Tours: Continuously, through the day
The Gilgal Sculpture Garden was the brainchild of LDS businessman Thomas Battersby Child, Jr, who also designed and created the space in the mid-twentieth century. The garden contains twelve original sculptures and over seventy stones engraved with scriptures, poems and literary texts all associated with the Mormon religion.
Over the years, many renovations have been completed, including the addition of a new altar, movement of the bishop’s chair, the addition of a separate chapel for the Blessed Sacrament and a more ample baptismal font. Though the baptismal font was dry, I was able to visit the new chapel in which the casket of the Lawrence Scanlan, was placed, as per his request. On top of the casket is a reliquary containing a small piece of Saint Mary Madeline making the Cathedral one of only two in the world to contain a first class relic of the saint that the Cathedral is named for.
Masses are said in both English and Spanish many times a week and it is my understanding that tickets for the choral concerts are a hot commodity. The Cathedral, home to the only co-educational Catholic Choir School in the United States (established in 1996), has over 350 students from Pre-Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. Performing over 9,000 hours every year in the Cathedral as well as concert series, the choristers take part in tours throughout the world in addition, to singing regularly with local arts organizations, including the Utah Symphony and The Morman Tabernacle Choir.