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Temple Square is the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormon Church. There are a lot of beautiful and important buildings open to visitors.
We visited on a Sunday, which is not the best day to visit because a few of the buildings are closed on weekends. I’ll mention them below. The first thing we noticed when we entered the grounds of Temple Square was the gorgeous landscaping and peaceful atmosphere. The second thing we noticed was how friendly everyone was. Missionaries were on hand to greet visitors and answer all questions about the LDS Church. We didn’t feel a religious push from anyone at all.
Conference Center
The first place you should visit is the Conference Center, which is directly north of Temple Square. It opened in 2000 and serves as the main visitors’ center, replacing the North Visitors’ Center and South Visitors’ Center at the end of 2021. The semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is held there in April and October. It’s attended by church members from all over the world.
The building features an Observation Deck and a rooftop terrace with gardens and views of Temple Square. My favorite part of the building is the fountain in front. The Conference Center is open daily and is the place to learn about guided and self-guided tours of Temple Square.
North Visitors’ Center (Permanently Closed)
The first building we visited was the North Visitors’ Center. On the main floor, there’s a scale model of Jerusalem in 33 AD. Upstairs is a replica of Christus by Bertel Thorvaldsen. The original is in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Note: The North Visitors’ Center was demolished in November 2021 and was replaced with open gardens.)
Downstairs I found an exhibit on the prophets of the LDS Church, including church founder Joseph Smith. There was also an exhibit on the church’s wonderful program of giving to the poor and sick all over the world.
Tabernacle
Next, we walked past the Salt Lake Tabernacle. It was constructed in 1875 and is one of the most acoustically perfect buildings in the world. The Tabernacle is home to the world-famous Tabernacle Choir (formerly the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), which often gives performances in the building, and the Orchestra. There was an organ recital during our visit. It’s open daily.
Assembly Hall
A few steps away is Assembly Hall. It was built in 1875 to replace an older tabernacle after the current one was completed. The building is used as a place of worship and also holds concerts, lectures, and recitals. It’s open daily.
In front of Assembly Hall is a monument to the Mormon handcart pioneers who braved harsh conditions and trekked all the way to Salt Lake City from the east. Fewer than 10% of the Mormons who made their way west used handcarts, but they are an important symbol of the sacrifice and determination of the pioneer generation.
Salt Lake Temple
The large building at the heart of Temple Square is the Salt Lake Temple. It took 40 years to complete and was finally finished in 1893. It’s not open for tours and only Mormons can enter, but visitors are able to admire the impressive structure from the outside.
South Visitors’ Center (Permanently Closed)
To get a good understanding about what went into building the Salt Lake Temple, we went to the South Visitors’ Center. We were able to see a scale model of the temple with details of what each room looks like. There was also an exhibit on the construction of the temple. (Note: the South Visitors’ Center was demolished as part of a project that began on December 29, 2019.)
Fountain
A small park with a fountain in the center sits between the South Visitors’ Center and the Salt Lake Temple. Around it are statues of church founders and some important moments in the history of the Mormon Church.
Church Office Building
The skyscraper on the northeast corner of the square is the Church Office Building. Although it’s closed to the public, it was once possible to visit the observation deck on the 26th floor.
Church Administration Building
The smaller Church Administration Building is where the offices of the president of the LDS Church are located. It was completed in 1917 and used to hold all of the offices for the church. The building is closed to the public.
Joseph Smith Memorial Building
The large building near the south gate to Temple Square was completed in 1911 and served as the Hotel Utah until 1987. It reopened in 1993 as the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Inside there are two restaurants, a café, a banquet hall, and theatre. The building is currently under renovation and is expected to reopen to the public in 2025 (as of May 2023).
Next to the building are two monuments. First is a statue dedicated to Brigham Young and the pioneers who made the journey west with him. Second is the Base and Meridian marker. All streets were numbered from this spot on August 3, 1847. The coordinates are marked 0 in each direction, meaning it is the exact center of Salt Lake City.
To the east of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building are the Beehive House, which is covered in another entry, and the Lion House. The Beehive House served as Brigham Young’s home and office.
To the West
West of Temple Square are two important buildings. One is the FamilySeach Library, which is one of the largest genealogical libraries in the world. Visitors are able to search records and learn about their ancestry. The other is the Church History Museum, which chronicles the history of the LDS Church. Both buildings are closed on Sundays.
Church History Library
Finally, across the street from the conference center is the Church History Library. It opened in 2009 to hold church records from 1830 until the present. It’s closed on Sundays.
