{"id":10794,"date":"2018-07-24T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2018-07-24T13:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=10794"},"modified":"2018-07-22T17:25:40","modified_gmt":"2018-07-22T21:25:40","slug":"temple-square-surprise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=10794","title":{"rendered":"Temple Square Surprise"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a9 2018 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Looking at a brochure in my hotel lobby, a picture of the Mormon Temple caught my eye.\u00a0 So tall and grand against the blue, Utah sky, I wondered why I had never seen it on prior trips to Salt Lake City.<\/p>\n

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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.<\/p>\n

After I arrived, what I found was much more than I had expected.<\/p>\n

Temple Square is a ten acre complex in the heart of Salt Lake City.\u00a0 Owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1964, the square recognizes the Mormon achievement in the settlement of Utah.<\/p>\n

My first stop was to the South Visitor’s Center which details the building of the Temple.\u00a0 There are many exhibits which show how the impressive church was constructed.<\/p>\n

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Moving back outdoors, I walked amidst the beautifully landscaped walkways, admiring the many statues, gardens and fountains that grace the square.<\/p>\n

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\"\"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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Once my walk-around was complete, I made my way across the well-manicured lawn to the Tabernacle to see this incredible organ.\u00a0 Although I had heard about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, my only knowledge of them was that they are associated with the LDS Church.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Members must be part of the church, between the ages of 25 and 55 and live within 100 miles of Temple Square.\u00a0 And the organ?\u00a0 Wow, what can I say?\u00a0 Containing 11,623 pipes, it is one of the largest organs in the world.\u00a0 It was originally built in 1867 and was rebuilt and enlarged several times with the current version having been completed in 1948.\u00a0 The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs with the accompaniment of the organ for daily recitals, which are open to the public.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

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The Tabernacle itself is a relatively large structure, built to seat 8,000 and was constructed between 1864 and 1867.<\/p>\n

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.\u00a0 Seeing a bride and groom taking pictures earlier in the day, I asked her about weddings held in the church.\u00a0 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?\u00a0 Patiently, she explained that those guests would have to miss the actual ceremony but would be invited to a reception afterward.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

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“Different strokes”, my friends…<\/p>\n

\"\"Continuing on, my next stop was at the North Visitors Center.\u00a0 Most important to note in this building is the beautiful replica of the Christus, <\/em>a statue of Jesus by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, located on the upper floor.\u00a0 The ramped walkway’s walls and the domed ceiling above the statue are painted with clouds, stars, planets and other heavenly bodies.\u00a0 Make sure not to miss the beautiful paintings depicting biblical stories on the upper floor and on the lower, dioramas of some biblical scenes.\u00a0 There is also an area dedicated to the good works of the LDS Church.<\/p>\n

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\"\"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.\u00a0 There are both permanent exhibits and temporary ones offered throughout the year.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 You can also see a replica of the golden tablets which give you an idea of their size and weight.<\/p>\n

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\"\"If you are interested in the historical records of the LDS Church, the Church History Library is located near the museum.\u00a0 Admission to the library is complimentary and patrons can access a large collection of books, manuscripts and photographs.\u00a0 \u00a0Though 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.\u00a0 Next door to the museum is the Family History Library which is where many come to find information about their ancestors.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Next on my agenda was the Conference Center, a relatively new structure, completed in 2000.\u00a0 The center has a capacity of over 21,000 and is used for the LDS Church’s general conferences, concerts and other cultural events.\u00a0 What I had come to see, however, was the rooftop garden that I had heard about from other visitors.\u00a0 Escorted by a sister missionary, I was overwhelmed by what we found!<\/p>\n

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Exiting the elevators and stepping outside I discovered a green oasis!\u00a0 Had I really just exited the building and stepped out into the mountainside?\u00a0 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.\u00a0 There is a water feature with an infinity edge and a cantilevered edge.\u00a0 If you could not look out and around, it would be possible to think that you are not high above Temple Square!\u00a0 It is simply breathtaking!\u00a0 Tours of the building are available year-round, however, tours of the roof gardens are only offered between April and October.\u00a0 No appointment necessary…just grab a guide and go!<\/p>\n

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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.\u00a0 Here, you can also have a bite to eat at one of the two restaurants or the cafe if you get hungry while exploring.<\/p>\n

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\"\"You can also grab a bite to eat next door at the Lion House, if you’ve arranged a catered event.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

The last stop on my Temple Square tour was my favorite, the Beehive House.\u00a0 The Beehive House was built in 1854 and was home to Brigham Young and other LDS Church leaders.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 The home is beautiful, filled with beautiful antiques and still gives the impression of how the family lived during their time there.<\/p>\n

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The Beehive House?\u00a0 I was a bit confused as to why this structure carried the name and asked the lovely young sister missionaries giving me my tour.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 I guess I had never realized it before, but Utah is nicknamed the Beehive State and the Beehive is featured on the state flag!<\/p>\n

\"\"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.\u00a0 As tempting as that was, it was the end of a long day, I was in need of nourishment and the lines seemed endless!<\/p>\n

Oh well, now I have something to look forward to on my next visit!<\/p>\n

Yes, there will be another visit in the future!\u00a0 Hoping to capture one photograph, I walked away from this sojourn with many pictures and a new knowledge of another religion.\u00a0 Definitely a wonderful place to spend an afternoon in Salt Lake City!<\/p>\n

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.<\/p>\n

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Temple Square<\/strong><\/p>\n