St. George Utah Temple
Latest News
Recent News Articles
- December 10, 2024 – Where to See Christmas Lights at Temple Visitors’ Centers in 2024
- November 30, 2024 – Hundreds gather to celebrate return of Christmas lights to St. George Temple grounds
- August 17, 2024 – The path to 200 houses of the Lord: Temple Nos. 1-20
- March 27, 2024 – ‘Cherished landmark’: St. George Tabernacle to close for reconstruction
News Stories
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Elder Holland Rededicates the Historic St. George Utah Temple
President Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles rededicated the St. George Utah Temple on Sunday, December 10, 2023. "[This opportunity is] unanticipated, not expected, but dearly, deeply appreciated," he said. "This is special to me because it’s the temple I grew up with as a child. And it’s where I was baptized, it’s where I was endowed, it’s where my wife and I were sealed." During the four-year renovation, crews reinforced the structural integrity of the temple and replaced all of the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems. It eliminated the design inconsistencies from previous renovations and added new plazas, including a pedestrian plaza that connects the parking lot to the entrance plaza where a street was previously located. President Holland said, "The absolute universal experience is to feel that you’re in [God’s] presence, to walk where He would walk. We go there to be like Him. We go there to feel what He was and what He would have us be. And that’s why we go to His house."
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
President Holland to Rededicate the St. George Utah Temple
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced that Jeffrey R. Holland, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, will rededicate the St. George Utah Temple in two sessions on Sunday, December 10, 2023. President Holland was born and raised in St. George. He was set apart as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by President Russell M. Nelson on November 15, 2023, succeeding President M. Russell Ballard, who died on November 12, 2023.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Media Day Held for the Renovated St. George Utah Temple
"I think the pioneers who built this would be pleased with our work," said Andy Kirby, director of historic temple renovations, at the media event held today for the renovated St. George Utah Temple. He continued, "They would be satisfied that we preserved their efforts and the beauty and the intent of their work." The temple has been closed since November 2019, but tours for the media began today. Other invited guests will tour the facility over the next week and a half. Public tours of this historic House of the Lord will be offered from Friday, September 15, through Saturday, November 11, 2023, excluding Sundays and Saturday, September 30. Kirby said the north and west additions have been rebuilt to match the original architecture of the building. "The interior design matches the historic temple and furnishings that would have been appropriate in the 1870s and 1880s," he said.
Photo: William Phelps
Reservations Available for the St. George Utah Temple Open House
Reservations to tour the interior of the newly renovated St. George Utah Temple are now available. Public tours will be offered Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. beginning Friday, September 15, and concluding Saturday, November 11, 2023. No tours are held on Sundays or Saturday, September 30. The temple will be rededicated on Sunday, December 10, 2023, in two sessions.
Photo: Gailen N Janet Call
Open House and Rededication Announced for the St. George Utah Temple
The rededication of the historic St. George Utah Temple will be held on Sunday, December 10, 2023, in two sessions broadcast at 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The public is invited to tour the interior of the renovated temple from Friday, September 15, through Saturday, November 11, with no tours held on Sundays or Saturday, September 30 (during general conference). A media day will kick off the open house on Monday, September 11.
Photo: Les Sperry
Delivering Furniture to the St. George Utah Temple
Workers at the St. George Utah Temple have been seen unloading semi-trailer trucks full of furniture and art, as furnishing of the interior begins. Repairs to the elevators and other punch-list items are underway, which may last for several months. The landscapers recently wrapped up their work on the temple grounds and will be moving to the Temple Square renovation project next. No open house or rededication dates have been announced.
Photo: Brent R.
Plazas Taking Shape at the St. George Utah Temple
Beautiful plazas are taking shape on the east and north sides of the St. George Utah Temple. Both plazas feature royal palm trees, water fountain features, monument signs, colored pavers, urn planters, sod patches, and abundant plantings. Work is underway on the east stairs, which were originally made from volcanic rock and sandstone. Renovation of the temple began over three years ago and is expected to be completed this year.
Photo: Totoe Moea'i
Stories and Music of Christmas at the St. George Utah Temple
During the month of December, nightly programs are being held at the St. George Utah Temple Visitors' Center as part of the Stories and Music of Christmas series. Information is available on the visitors' center Facebook page. The visitors' center has remained open during the renovation of the temple, which began just over three years ago. Landscaping and interior finish work continues.
Photo: Aaron Black
East Monument Sign Assembled at the St. George Utah Temple
The monument sign on the east side of the St. George Utah Temple has been assembled. Stone panels cover the concrete base while darker coping stones sit on top, coordinating with the textured face that is inscribed with the name of the Church and the name of the temple. The seams will be filled before the sign is considered complete. While renovations of the temple continue, a second temple is under construction on the east side of the city—the Red Cliffs Utah Temple.
Photo: Pam Burt
Debris Netting Removed from the St. George Utah Temple
The black debris net that has covered the west addition of the St. George Utah Temple since early August has now been removed. The newly completed walls perfectly match the architectural design of the original building including the battlements, the buttresses, and the fenestration. Several areas on the interior have been completed, and work is progressing on finishing the west addition interior.
Photo: Tondrea Jackson
Pouring Walkways Behind the St. George Utah Temple
Architectural finishes have been applied to the now-white walls of the west extension to the St. George Utah Temple. They are visible through the black debris net that hangs over the back of the building. Curved walkways have been poured on the west end of the property, and dozens of crated trees await planting. East of the temple, the basin for the tiered fountain has been faced in stone, and the interior has been tiled in blue.
Photo: Julia Corry
Parapet Poured for the St. George Utah Temple Addition
Concrete posts have been poured for the parapet on top of the west addition of the St. George Utah Temple. The parapet will feature the same iconic battlements that give the historic temple its castlelike appearance as a fortress for the King of Kings. "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower" (Psalm 18:2).
Photo: Tondrea Jackson
Installing Windows in the West Addition of the St. George Utah Temple
With the concrete walls completed for the west addition of the St. George Utah Temple, window installation has begun. One of the two largest window groups was recently installed, greatly beautifying the addition and initiating the process of enclosing the structure. No roof has been installed, and several more windows have yet to be added. This will allow interior work to begin on the addition.
Photo: Gailen N Janet Call
St. George Utah Temple Grounds Coming to Life
A stunning aerial view of the St. George Utah Temple shows the abundant life being breathed back into the temple grounds. The north plaza is a gorgeous outdoor extension of the north addition (or annex) where patrons will enter and exit the temple. The east plaza serves as a gathering area for visitors at the historic front of the temple. Garden fountains with beautifully shaped basins have been installed on both plazas, which are lined with royal palm trees. Months of work remain ahead to convert the concrete west addition into a functioning, finished, and decorated portion of the renovated building.
Photo: Tondrea Jackson
West Addition Walls Nearly Completed for the St. George Utah Temple
On the west end of the St. George Utah Temple, the structural walls for the new addition have topped out. Rebar is emerging from the concrete forms for the battlements that will ornament the roofline, coordinating with the originals. On the lower level of the addition, window installation is underway. Landscaping continues on the north and east sides of the temple including the planting of flowers. Red roses have returned to the grounds, and a wide variety of colorful flowers are filling the east plaza planters.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
A Glimpse Inside the Historic St. George Utah Temple Renovation
A Church news release issued today features interior footage of the historic St. George Utah Temple, which has been under renovation for well over two years. "This job demands perfection," says framing foreman Lorenzo Brieno. The painstaking reproduction of original woodwork will give patrons walking into the new north or west additions the feeling that they are in the historic temple.
Photo: Pam Burt
Installing the Balustrade on the St. George Utah Temple Annex
Installation has begun on the balustrade that decorates the top of the low profile tower over the main entrance to the St. George Utah Temple, located on the north end of the annex. While construction continues on the west extension to the building, landscaping has made significant progress on the north and east sides. The east plaza has been beautified with red pavers, royal palm trees, hedges, and other plants. Irrigation lines have been installed for the central planter.
Photo: Kurt Wilson Photography
An Overhead View of the St. George Utah Temple Site
Recent photographs of the St. George Utah Temple site give a bird's-eye view of the current construction activity. Landscaping continues on the north end where a beautiful entrance plaza is taking shape with a water feature, royal palms, and plentiful garden spaces. The windows in the annex have been masked to protect them from interior painting, and an elevator shaft is visible inside the growing west-end addition.
Photo: Tondrea Jackson
West-End Addition Grows Taller on the St. George Utah Temple
Construction continues on the west-end extension to the St. George Utah Temple where the 1970s stair tower was removed nearly two years ago. Cutouts in the ground-level concrete show where windows and doors will be located. Forms have been set for the next pour. Fresh windows were recently installed in the upper center section on the east side, and work is progressing on the interior of the annex. The St. George Utah Temple served as the only temple in southwestern Utah for 140 years until the Cedar City Utah Temple was dedicated.
Photo: Tondrea Jackson
West End Addition to the St. George Utah Temple Rising
Steel bars and concrete forms have been set for the lower walls of the west end addition to the St. George Utah Temple, following the remediation of groundwater issues. Dry wall has been hung in the north annex, and an ornamental fence has been installed around the entrance plaza. Landscaping is progressing all around the temple, including the north side between the annex and the main parking lot.
Photo: David H. Konold
Inscription Added to the East Facade of the St. George Utah Temple
In the center arch of the tower that supports the steeple of the St. George Utah Temple, a sacred inscription has been added proclaiming Holiness to the Lord – The House of the Lord – Constructed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – 1871. The lettering and style of the words were inspired by the time in which the temple was constructed, fitting for this Pioneer-era temple.
Photo: Pam Burt
Landscaping the Vacated Road North of the St. George Utah Temple
A stand of royal palm trees line the walkway leading to the new annex of the St. George Utah Temple where the main entrance is located. Landscaping plans for the north side of the building were modified when the City of St. George vacated its interest in the block of 400 S immediately north of the temple block. Concrete has been poured for sidewalks, driveways, lamp post bases, and an anchoring landscape structure. The foundation for the west end addition has settled, and rebar is set for the first section of wall.
Photo: Kay N Dale Cherrington
Paving the Road in Front of the St. George Utah Temple
The road located east of the St. George Utah Temple, 300 East, is being paved with new asphalt and a wide concrete path that connects the temple grounds to the meetinghouse across the street where temple or visitors' center patrons may wish to park. Concrete has also been poured around the monument sign, creating a garden space and small plaza with safety bollards outside the gated entrance to the grounds.
Photo: Tondrea Jackson
Footings Poured for the St. George Utah Temple Extension
At the west end of the St. George Utah Temple, a concrete foundation has been poured for an extension to the building that will replace the previously removed 1970s stair tower. The extension will house a grand staircase and two elevators for accessing each floor of the building. A sprinkler system is being installed on the east side for the garden spaces that will sit just outside the ornamental fence. Ornamental trees and rose bushes have also been planted. On the north side, street curbing is being poured for a greatly improved entrance experience from the parking lot.
Photo: Roger Jameson
Repaving Around the St. George Utah Temple
The street that lies east of the St. George Utah Temple block—300 East—has been temporarily closed and the asphalt removed. The road will be repaved, creating a handsome transition between the temple and the rebuilt stake center across the street. Footings were recently poured for the addition on the west end of the temple, but groundwater problems are being remediated before construction continues. The temple was famously constructed on marshy ground due to the presence of underground spring water.
Photo: Barbara Solt
Landscaping Progress at the St. George Utah Temple
The grounds of the St. George Utah Temple are looking more beautiful each day. Streaks of dark red have been added to the tree-lined walkways between the temple and visitors' center in the form of concrete pavers, and irrigation lines have been installed in the garden spaces. Other areas are seeing landscape boulders, mulch, trees, and shrubs added. Demolition has wrapped up inside the temple, and micropiles are being installed on the west end for the extension that will replace the former stair tower. The annex interior has been framed and a skylight installed.
Photo: Pam Burt
Landscaping the St. George Utah Temple Grounds
Hard landscaping of the east plaza at the St. George Utah Temple is underway. Concrete walkways have been poured in front of the temple with an oval opening where a basin will sit to catch water from the tiered fountain. Just west of the visitors' center, trees have been planted along the new walkways that lead to the east plaza from 500 South. Most of the windows openings on the east side are currently uncovered, providing easy access for materials to reach the crew inside.
Photo: Timothy Lofthouse
Scaffolding Removed from the St. George Utah Temple Tower
Scaffolding has come down from the steeple of the St. George Utah Temple, giving a better view of the recently installed dark gray cupola. Crew members are forming the walkways and landscape structures that will surround the temple while others are digging up the road in front of the building to access utility runs underneath. Numerous trees have been delivered but not yet planted.
Photo: Gabe Sperry
New Cupola Added to the St. George Utah Temple Steeple
A replacement cupola has been attached to the steeple of the St. George Utah Temple, topped with a ball and weather vane that mimics the former wind vane. The entire assembly is a shiny dark gray with inconspicuous lighting attached around the rim of the dome. The dark coloring is a return to a more historic look for the temple, similar to its appearance in the early 1900s.
Photo: Pam Burt
Cupola Removed from the St. George Utah Temple
The steeple of the St. George Utah Temple will be a little shorter for now with the recent removal of the familiar dome and weathervane that have sat at the highest point of the holy house for more than a century. The temporary absence of the cupola is part of an ongoing renovation of the temple and grounds. Construction continues on the new temple annex and a new visitors' center annex.