Introduction
Temple Square in Salt Lake City, is Utah’s most popular tourist destination. Three downtown city blocks in Salt Lake City host nearly 20 attractions related to Mormon pioneer history and genealogy. These include the Salt Lake Temple, the Tabernacle, and the Family History Library. This means that visitors can see all or most of these attractions in a relatively short period. Parking availability in the immediate downtown area of Salt Lake City is limited, and the rates can be expensive. Consider using public transportation instead of parking near Temple Square. The Utah Transit Authority operates numerous bus routes and rail lines in the area.
Salt Lake Temple
Brigham Young, the prophet and second president of the church, marked the location for the temple on July 28, 1847, shortly after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley. Brigham Young led the groundbreaking ceremonies for the temple site’s dedication on February 14, 1853. He laid the cornerstone on April 6 of that year. Initially, sandstone was used for the foundation, but during the Utah War, it was buried to avoid attention from federal troops. When work resumed in 1858, the workers found that many foundation stones had cracked. They replaced these with quartz monzonite from Little Cottonwood Canyon, located twenty miles southeast of the temple site. Initially transported by oxen, the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 expedited the transportation of the remaining stones by rail.
On April 6, 1892, the church’s fourth President, Wilford Woodruff, personally operated an electric motor and switch to lay the capstone. This granite sphere holds the statue of the Angel Moroni, completing work on the temple’s exterior. Later on the same day, they placed the Angel Moroni statue, standing 12.5 feet (3.8 m) tall, on top of the capstone. During the capstone ceremony, President Woodruff proposed finishing the interior of the building within one year, thus allowing the temple to be dedicated forty years to the day of its commencement. John R. Winder was instrumental in overseeing the completion of the interior on schedule; he would serve as a member of the temple presidency until he died in 1910. President Woodruff dedicated the temple on April 6, 1893, exactly forty years after laying the cornerstone.
Symbolism
The Salt Lake Temple is rich in symbolic adornments, typical of LDS temples worldwide. The golden Angel Moroni atop the temple signifies the herald of Christ’s Second Coming, as referenced in Revelation 14:6. Its six spires denote the power of the priesthood, with the three taller spires on the east symbolizing the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthoods. On the west side, the depiction of the Big Dipper aids travelers, likening the temple to a guiding light toward Heaven. Cloud carvings represent divine revelation, while “hand clasp” motifs signify temple covenants. Sun, moon, and starstones embody heavenly and earthly realms. Each tower displays the All-Seeing Eye of God, signifying divine omniscience. The Salt Lake Temple offers a profound spiritual experience and is a recommended destination for travelers.