Salt Lake Temple - Utah - The largest temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Salt Lake Temple is the largest, as well as the most known temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints, also known as Mormons. Four days after the Mormon Pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, on July 28, 1847 Brigham Young marked the spot where the temple would be built, but the site would not actually be dedicated until February 14, 1853, and the groundbreaking ceremony took place on April 6, 1853. Work on the Salt Lake Temple was temporarily halted during the Utah War, but was resumed in 1858. Construction on the temple would not be finished for 40 years, but on April 6, 1893 the presiding LDS President finally dedicated the temple.

The Salt Lake Temple is located in the middle of Temple Square, in the downtown area of Salt Lake City, at 50 West North Temple St. The interior of the temple is not open to the public, as it is considered a sacred place by the Latter Day Saints. To gain access to the interior of the Salt Lake Temple it is necessary to get a bishop's recommend, which are only given to church members in good standing. Although the temple itself is not accessible to the public, the outside temple grounds are, and the area known, as Temple Square has become a major tourist attraction over the years, drawing from 3 to 5 million tourists annually.

The President and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church use the temple for their weekly meetings; therefore there are special meeting rooms in the temple set aside for this purpose.

The Salt Lake Temple has a distinct 6 spire gothic design and is a total of 253,015 sq ft; on top of the temple is a golden statue of the Angel Moroni, which is 12.5 feet tall. The Temple Square area consists of 10 acres and includes additional LDS buildings, as well as gardens where concerts and other events are often hosted. During the Holiday Season, the gardens of Temple Square are lit up with hundreds of thousands of lights.

For those LDS members who are visiting the temple with a bishop's recommend, the temple hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Sunday best dress is required. Clothing rental is available at this temple if needed; in addition there is also a cafeteria. The temple visitor's center is located in Temple Square.

The Salt Lake Temple is closed for all major holidays, as well as closing occasionally for maintenance.