Salt Lake Temple
Latest News
Recent News Articles
- July 16, 2021 – Temple Square Renovation Project Update: July 2021
- June 21, 2021 – Temple Square Renovation Update: June 2021
- June 10, 2021 – The North Visitors’ Center on Temple Square Will Be Replaced With Gardens and Contemplative Space
- June 8, 2021 – Temple Square Is Reopening to the Public This Summer
- May 24, 2021 – A Greater Necessity for Union
- April 30, 2021 – Downtown Exhibit Features Photos Of Salt Lake Temple Construction
- April 16, 2021 – Salt Lake Temple Renovation Project Updates: April 2021
- April 1, 2021 – Temple Square renovations in full swing as Conference approaches
- March 26, 2021 – Temple Square Renovation Updates: March 2021
- March 18, 2021 – Salt Lake Temple’s capacity will double with second baptistry, other changes
- March 18, 2021 – Moroni’s trumpet fell one year ago. Where is the statue now and what’s happened since?
- March 17, 2021 – ‘Mormon Land’: The loss of historic murals and the ‘live’ endowment through the tearful eyes of a Salt Lake Temple worker
- March 12, 2021 – First Presidency announces Salt Lake Temple changes — increasing capacity, impacting live sessions; Manti temple next for renovation
- March 12, 2021 – In a loss for preservation, LDS Church removes historic murals from Salt Lake Temple
- March 12, 2021 – First Presidency Provides Update about Historic Temple Renovations
- February 5, 2021 – Salt Lake Temple Renovation Project Updates: February 2021
- January 22, 2021 – Temple Square Renovation Project Updates: January 2021
- January 14, 2021 – Joseph Smith Memorial Building now has a mini-temple of sorts so top LDS leaders can meet while iconic temple is closed
- January 11, 2021 – What will replace the fountain in front of the Church Office Building and why?
- January 11, 2021 – Church Office Building Plaza Renovation Is Underway
- January 11, 2021 – Goodbye, fountain; hello, flags — Here’s what the new LDS Church Office Building plaza will look like
- December 24, 2020 – We are one year into the Salt Lake Temple renovation. Here’s how it looks
- December 18, 2020 – PHOTOS: Salt Lake Temple after one year of renovations
- November 24, 2020 – November 2020 Construction Update
- November 12, 2020 – Christmas on Temple Square to be celebrated virtually in 2020
- November 9, 2020 – Everything you need to know about Utah's most recognized man-made structure
- October 1, 2020 – Salt Lake Temple renovation reaches 'hardest stage' with work on foundation underway
- September 25, 2020 – A Window Into Past, Present and Self: Salt Lake Temple Renovation Enters the Foundation-Strengthening Phase
- September 1, 2020 – Construction Updates August and September 2020
News Stories
Iconic Christus Statue Removed from the North Visitors' Center
Dismantling of the North Visitors' Center on Temple Square is moving forward. It was announced last month that the center would be replaced with gardens. The iconic Christus statue that stood in the center's rotunda has been removed for storage until its return to Temple Square at the end of the renovation. On the north side of the temple, deeper excavations are underway for the three-level underground addition that will house maintenance facilities, two baptistries, dressing rooms, sealing rooms, and administrative offices. Secant walls are holding the existing temple foundation in place, which will be encased in a new foundation beginning next month in preparation for the base isolators that will be installed underneath. Stones continues to be removed from the top of the temple for restoration. At the Church Office Building plaza, concrete is being removed and repaired.
New Landscape Structures at the Church Office Building Plaza
With the demolition of the Church Office Building plaza complete, new landscape structures are being formed and poured at the east end while waterproofing continues on the roof of the employee parking garage that sits below the plaza. The renovated space will replace the former water fountain feature with an inviting east entrance, plentiful gardens, and a concentric oval plaza surrounded by flags of the nations of the world.
Fortifying the Roof of the Salt Lake Temple
The existing steel trusses that frame the roof of the Salt Lake Temple are being sistered with new trusses as part of the design to strengthen the building against seismic activity. The 88-foot trusses weigh about 35,000 pounds each and are secured to the existing trusses with cross bracing. The buttressed secant wall that was built around the foundation is gradually being exposed in preparation for the deeper excavations needed for the three floors of underground facilities including the baptismal fonts, additional sealing rooms, dressing rooms, administrative offices and so forth. The fountain on the Church Office Building plaza has now been entirely removed.
North Visitors' Center on Temple Square to Be Replaced with Gardens
The North Visitors’ Center on Temple Square will be demolished and replaced with an open garden and contemplation space by 2023 as part of the ongoing renovation of the Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square. Constructed in 1963, the visitors' center features a stunning rotunda with an 11-foot replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s Christus as the focal point. The statue will be carefully removed from the facility this summer for preservation and reinstalled on Temple Square at the conclusion of the renovation. Removal of the building will provide a peaceful, quiet space on Temple Square and clearer views of the temple, enhancing its prominence.
Reaching the End of the Tunnel at the Salt Lake Temple
Excavation has been completed for the new 180-foot (55-meter) tunnel underneath North Temple street that will connect the Conference Center parking structure to the yet-to-be-built underground entrance to the Salt Lake Temple. Removal of the concrete wall at the Conference Center end of the tunnel will be done later. The temporary removal of stones from the top of the temple exterior walls for cleaning and repair continues. Demolition of the Church Office Building plaza and fountain is making good progress. Watch a video update of the latest developments.
Tunnel Excavation at Salt Lake Temple Nearing Completion
Excavation for the tunnel underneath North Temple that will connect the Salt Lake Temple entrance to the Conference Center parking structure is about 80 percent complete. Steel arches and sprayed concrete provide temporary support while the earth is removed. A secant wall has been built around three sides of the temple, which will support the foundation during the deep excavations that will be required for installation of the base isolation system. The copper roof has been replaced with a temporary roof until additional steel trusses can be installed. Stones continue to be removed from the top of the temple. After cleaning and repair, they will be returned to the exact same locations.
Exacavation for the Salt Lake Temple Annex and Tunnel
On the north side of the Salt Lake Temple, the round opening can be seen for the tunnel that will connect the below-ground temple entrance to the Conference Center parking garage. In front of the opening is a square-shaped excavation for the base of another tower crane. On the east side, demolition continues at the Church Office Building plaza where conveyor belts have been lined up to carry debris to an awaiting excavator and dump truck. Replacement of the temple roof with a temporary roof is about halfway finished.
Modifications Announced to the Salt Lake Temple Renovation
The First Presidency has announced significant alterations to the original plans for the interior of the Salt Lake Temple. The capacity of the temple will be increased through the addition of two instruction rooms, more sealing rooms, and a second baptistry. The live-acting, progressive presentation of the endowment from room to room will be replaced by video presentation in single rooms. The cafeteria will also be removed from the temple to accommodate other facilities that will support the increased capacity. The historic murals of the temple have been carefully photographed and removed but will not return.
Church Office Building Plaza Demolition
Demolition of the Church Office Building plaza and fountain is making progress. Lamp posts have been unbolted and wrapped for storage while concrete walkways and pavers are being lifted and removed. Support structures have been added throughout the underground parking facility to shore up the structure while demolition of the fountain and garden areas progress above.
Removing Parapet Stones from the Salt Lake Temple
Stones are coming down from the parapet walls of the Salt Lake Temple with the help of a crane. The granite pieces are then labeled and placed in storage for cleaning and repair. The installation of shoring support continues for the subterranean tunnel that will connect the Conference Center parking facility to the underground entrance to the temple (not yet constructed). Shoring and excavation around the temple foundation has allowed for installation of a lift near the southwest corner that will carry workers and materials to the upper floors of the temple interior.
Preparing for Church Office Building Grounds Renovation
A construction fence has been installed around the plaza in front of the 28-story Church Office Building at Temple Square in preparation for a grounds renovation that will place greater emphasis on the international presence of the Church and improve the visitor experience. The Salt Lake Temple, located west of the Church Office Building, has been under renovation for just over a year. In that time, the South Visitors' Center, sealing room addition, and north annex buildings have all been demolished. The tower finials, capstone, and angel Moroni statue have been temporarily removed while shoring progresses on all sides of the temple to prepare for deep excavation. The stone foundation footings have been strengthened and consolidated.
Southeast Steps of Salt Lake Temple Shored Up
It's been over 11 months since renovation began on the Salt Lake Temple, and the exciting developments continue. Shoring beams were recently installed under the temple's historic southeast steps and in the Conference Center garage where a tunnel will be created between the parking garage and the temple entrance. Lagging and excavation continue on the north side where new facilities—both under and above ground—will be constructed. On the west side, a concrete overlay is being removed from the foundation so that consolidation and strengthening of the original foundation may proceed. Scaffolding is going up on the south side to provide floor access and for upcoming stone refurbishment and repair.
Tower Crane Installed at the Salt Lake Temple
On the south side of the Salt Lake Temple, a 250-foot tower crane has been installed that will initially assist in assembling scaffolding for carrying out stone repair and roof replacement. Deep excavation, shoring, and lagging continues on the north side, which is being prepared for a secant wall that will extend to the east side for the purpose of containing soil under the foundation during the deep-excavation phase. The 1960s foundation created for the sealing wing is being dismantled while the original foundation is being strengthened through tension rod coring—a process of drilling into the footings, inserting threaded rods into grout, and tensioning those rods to create pressure against the stones, thus consolidating them.
Video Update on the Salt Lake Temple Renovation
"In this phase of the construction process, it may look a little bit shocking to some," says Andy Kirby, director of historic temple renovations, in a new video update on the Salt Lake Temple renovation. "It’s a little bit messy and there's been significant changes around the temple, but trust that this is a phase and a step [in] the important process of strengthening the temple and preparing it for many generations in the future." Watch the Salt Lake Temple Renovation: September 2020 Update video.
Strengthening the Salt Lake Temple Foundation
The work of strengthening the foundation of the Salt Lake Temple will continue through the end of the year. The process involves drilling deep 3-inch holes into the exposed foundation and footings and filling them with a high-strength grout that fills both the drilled hole and any intersecting voids and joints. On the south side of the temple, work has begun on building the secant (retaining) wall that will surround the entire building and contain the soil under the foundation in preparation for the deep excavations that will be necessary to install the base isolation system. The majority of the debris has been cleared from the north side of the temple where the sealing room wing and annex were demolished.
Online System Announced for Temple Prayer Rolls
The First Presidency has announced the creation of an online system to allow Church members to submit requests for the names of family and friends to be placed on the temple prayer roll. The prayer roll is a collection of names of those in need prayer as they face challenges such as illness or other afflictions. Members who are participating in temple worship unite their faith in asking our Father in Heaven to bless them.
Contents of the Salt Lake Temple Time Capsule
Two days after the removal of the capstone from the Salt Lake Temple, the First Presidency witnessed the opening of the time capsule on May 20, 2020, from the loading dock of the Church History Library. Since then, conservation experts have carefully catalogued the capsule's severely water-damaged contents. "We did not expect to find much because we knew that the contents of the capstone had not been insulated from the weather during the 128 years that had elapsed," said President Russell M. Nelson. "But we wanted to be there anyway, just to be close and to pay tribute to the leaders and courageous pioneer craftsman who against all odds built this magnificent temple."
Sealing Room Wing Removed from Salt Lake Temple
An evening view of the Salt Lake Temple shows the north wall of the historic building with the sealing room wing removed after more than five decades of use. That addition will eventually be rebuilt but only after a base isolation system is installed under the massive stone foundation of the temple to mitigate the effects of seismic activity. Over the past several months, landscaping has been removed and shoring activities have been underway to prepare for installation of the system. Demolition continues on the annex.
End Wall of Salt Lake Temple Annex Brought Down
Watch a video showing the end wall of the Salt Lake Temple Annex coming down. The substructure of the facility has been dismantled and the majority of the superstructure has been demolished. Demolition also continues on the sealing wing annex, starting with removing the roof and disconnecting the interior from the historic side of the temple. Shoring work has been carried out along North Temple Street to prepare for the deep excavation coming to the north side of the temple where the former annex stood.
Demolition Underway on Salt Lake Temple Sealing Room Wing
As demolition continues on the Salt Lake Temple annex, crews have now begun to raze the sealing room addition on the north wall of the temple. The current annex and the sealing room wing were both constructed in the 1960s. The annex will be replaced with two patron pavilions and an underground recommend desk area with a large skylight. The sealing room extension will be rebuilt slightly wider than before and more true to the original exterior of the temple. Renovation has been underway for almost six months.
Salt Lake Temple Foundation Stabalization Continues
Crews continue to stabilize the foundation of the Salt Lake Temple as the massive structure is prepared for a base isolation system that will provide significant protection against seismic events. Demolition is underway on the annex north of the temple and on portions of the historic wall surrounding Temple Square. Over the last couple of months, several spire stones and the angel Moroni statue have been removed from the top of the temple.
Removing Moroni from the Salt Lake Temple
The angel Moroni statue and capstone are being removed from the Salt Lake Temple by construction crews this morning. The schedule for this planned removal was moved up following the earthquake in March. The statue and capstone will be refurbished and preserved until they are reinstalled at a future date. Work continues on removing stones from the upper spires of the temple, which will also be preserved until they are reinstalled later in the project.
Finials Removed from Salt Lake Temple Spires
The careful work of removing the granite finials from the spires of the Salt Lake Temple has made excellent progress. Refurbishment of the stones was anticipated to occur later in the renovation, but following seismic activity in the Salt Lake Valley that started in March, the spires were addressed immediately. Scaffolding has been installed around the base of the tower that supports the angel Moroni. Demolition of the annex roof, bridal party exit, and additional portions of the Temple Square wall has also begun.
Spire Stones Coming Off the Salt Lake Temple
For the past few days, crews have lifted several spire stones off the Salt Lake Temple with the help of a large crane. The now-trumpetless angel Moroni statue will also come down. Just five days ago, President Nelson stood in an auditorium near the temple and invited people of all faiths and beliefs to join in a global fast today, Good Friday, for COVID-19 relief.
Spire Stones to Be Removed from the Salt Lake Temple
A crane has been installed on the south side of the Salt Lake Temple to carry out the removal of spire stones that were damaged during the recent earthquake that affected Salt Lake City. The angel Moroni statue and other stones from the east and west sides of the temple will also be temporarily removed for preservation during the project. Scaffolding will be erected around the spires to provide better access to the construction crew.
Over 100 Temples Close in Response to the Novel Coronavirus
As the number of temporary temple closures grows to over 100, we remember a passage from the dedicatory prayer of the Salt Lake Temple: "Or when the children of Thy people, in years to come, shall be separated, through any cause, from this place, and their hearts shall turn in remembrance of Thy promises to this holy Temple, and they shall cry unto Thee from the depths of their affliction and sorrow to extend relief and deliverance to them, we humbly entreat Thee to Turn Thine ear in mercy to them; hearken to their cries, and grant unto them the blessings for which they ask."
COVID-19 Restrictions Increase Temple Closures to 58
Government restrictions have been imposed in more jurisdictions, bringing the total of COVID-19-related temple closures to 58. In addition, further adjustments have been announced to missionary service and to the format of the April 2020 General Conference, which will originate from a small auditorium on Temple Square with pre-recorded music and attendance limited to the First Presidency and those who will be speaking or praying in that session.
Salt Lake Temple's Moroni Loses Grasp on Trumpet During Earthquake
A 5.7-magnitude earthquake rolled across the Salt Lake Valley this morning, dislodging the trumpet from Moroni's grip and underscoring the need for the base isolation system and other seismic upgrades planned for the Salt Lake Temple. Excavation along the foundation is well underway on the south side of the temple where an underground tunnel has been removed. On the east side of the temple, the iconic wooden doors have been temporarily replaced with construction doors to be used during the renovation.
Glass Windows Replaced in the Salt Lake Temple
The grounds on the south side of the Salt Lake Temple are looking unusually barren with the absence of familiar structures that have stood on the site for decades. Excavation is deepening around the temple foundation while construction activities continue inside the edifice. Glass windows are being replaced with temporary construction windows made of heavy mil plastic. Access scaffolding has been removed from the south wall, and the majority of the South Visitors' Center basement has been hauled away.
Construction Entrances Added to South Wall of Salt Lake Temple
Two construction entrances have been created on the south wall of the Salt Lake Temple, connected by a tower of scaffolding. On the south lawn, much of the rubble produced by demolition activities has been removed. The basement of the South Visitors' Center is being extracted while demolition continues on portions of the wall surrounding Temple Square. A temporary structure is being built along the east side of Temple Square on the Main Street Plaza.