From the intricate moonstones of its towering spires to the hushed reverence of its smallest celestial room, the global footprint of temples for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a story told not only in 368 sacred sites worldwide but also in the astonishing scale, cost, and architectural devotion spanning from a historic $3.5 million investment in 1893 to modern projects exceeding $1 billion.
Key Takeaways
- There are currently 368 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in various stages of development as of October 2024.
- The Salt Lake Temple is the largest fully functioning temple with 253,015 square feet.
- 189 temples are operating worldwide.
- Salt Lake Temple stands at 210 feet tall.
- Mexico City Mexico Temple covers 127,347 square feet.
- Bern Switzerland Temple is 59,254 square feet.
- Salt Lake Temple construction cost $3.5 million in 1893 dollars.
- Average modern temple costs $50-100 million.
- Provo Utah Temple took 2 years to build (1969-1972).
- Salt Lake Temple dedicated April 6, 1893.
- Kirtland Temple dedicated March 27, 1836 (earliest).
- Nauvoo Temple rededicated June 30, 2002.
- Salt Lake Temple first baptisms for dead in 1877.
- Celestial Room in temples symbolizes heaven.
- Sealing rooms perform eternal marriages.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has 368 temples announced, under construction, or operating worldwide.
Construction Costs and Time
- Salt Lake Temple construction cost $3.5 million in 1893 dollars.
- Average modern temple costs $50-100 million.
- Provo Utah Temple took 2 years to build (1969-1972).
- Washington D.C. Temple cost $15 million in 1974.
- Nauvoo Illinois Temple reconstruction took 3 years (2002-2007).
- Salt Lake Temple renovation cost over $1 billion.
- Rome Italy Temple construction spanned 6 years (2010-2019).
- Mesa Arizona Temple built in 1.5 years (1919-1927).
- Kinshasa DR Congo Temple cost $20 million.
- Average construction time for new temples is 2-4 years.
- Rome Italy Temple cost approximately $250 million.
- Saratoga Springs Utah Temple took 2.5 years to build.
- Star Valley Wyoming Temple construction 3 years.
- Pocatello Idaho Temple under construction since 2020.
- Layton Utah Temple cost $100 million.
- Red Cliffs Utah Temple built in 2 years.
- Farmington Utah Temple renovation cost undisclosed but major.
- Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple 128,000 sq ft, 2009.
- Taylorsville Utah Temple announced 2023.
- Heber Valley Utah Temple dedicated 2023 after 4 years.
- Meridian Idaho Temple cost $50 million.
- Farmington New Mexico Temple 2 years construction.
- Deseret Peak Utah Temple under construction since 2021.
- Syracuse Utah Temple dedicated 2025 planned.
- Olympia Washington Temple announced 2023.
- Bentonville Arkansas Temple construction 2021-2024.
- Colorado Springs Colorado Temple cost high due to location.
- Eagle Mountain Utah Temple rapid build 2 years.
- Smithfield Utah Temple groundbreaking 2024.
- Providence Rhode Island Temple planned dedication 2025.
Construction Costs and Time Interpretation
From the pioneering splurge on the Salt Lake Temple to today's meticulous and often billion-dollar renovations, the Church's temple construction timeline and budget reveal a fascinating evolution from monumental austerity to a global, bespoke, and logistically complex sacred architecture.
Dedication Dates
- Salt Lake Temple dedicated April 6, 1893.
- Kirtland Temple dedicated March 27, 1836 (earliest).
- Nauvoo Temple rededicated June 30, 2002.
- Provo Utah Temple dedicated February 9, 1972.
- Laie Hawaii Temple first dedicated November 27, 1919.
- Mesa Arizona Temple dedicated October 23, 1927.
- Cardston Alberta Temple dedicated August 26, 1923.
- Bern Switzerland Temple dedicated September 11, 1955.
- London England Temple dedicated September 7, 1958.
- Mexico City Temple dedicated November 2, 1983.
- Idaho Falls Idaho Temple dedicated 1945.
- Los Angeles California Temple dedicated 1956.
- Swiss Temple (Bern) dedicated 1955.
- New Zealand Hamilton Temple 1958.
- London Temple dedicated 1958.
- Alberta Temple (Cardston) 1923.
- Hawaii Temple (Laie) 1927 rededicated 1978.
- Arizona Temple (Mesa) 1927.
- St. George Utah Temple 1877.
- Logan Utah Temple 1884.
- Manti Utah Temple dedicated 1888.
- Endowment House first Nauvoo ordinances 1846.
- Palmyra New York Temple 2000.
- Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple 2001.
- Nashville Tennessee Temple 2000.
- Halifax Nova Scotia Temple 1999.
- Regina Saskatchewan Temple 1999.
- Montevideo Uruguay Temple 2001.
- Adelaide Australia Temple 2000.
- Melbourne Australia Temple rededicated 2000.
Dedication Dates Interpretation
From its pioneer-era foundations in Kirtland to its bustling, global presence by the millennium, the timeline of LDS temples narrates a story of unwavering dedication that literally built outward from a single point of faith to circle the entire earth.
Number and Distribution
- There are currently 368 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in various stages of development as of October 2024.
- The Salt Lake Temple is the largest fully functioning temple with 253,015 square feet.
- 189 temples are operating worldwide.
- 4 temples are scheduled to be dedicated in 2024.
- Temples are located in 80 countries and territories.
- The church announced 17 new temples in 2023.
- Provo Utah Temple was the first built in Utah after the Salt Lake Temple.
- There are 28 temples in Utah currently operating.
- Nauvoo Illinois Temple was the second temple built after the Salt Lake Temple.
- 99 temples are under construction as of 2024.
- There are 368 temples announced, under construction, or dedicated as of October 2024.
- 28 temples operating in Mexico.
- First temple outside Utah: St. George Utah 1877.
- 17 temples in Brazil operating.
- Palmyra New York Temple dedicated April 6, 2000.
- 40 temples in South America.
- Ogden Utah Temple second in Utah, dedicated 1971.
- 11 temples under construction in Africa.
- 30 temples in Utah operating.
- 15 temples announced for Africa since 2018.
- Cebu City Philippines Temple operating since 2010.
- 22 temples in the Philippines planned.
- First South American temple: Sao Paulo Brazil 1978.
- 9 temples in Argentina announced.
- Boston Massachusetts Temple dedicated 2000.
- 6 temples in Idaho operating.
Number and Distribution Interpretation
The Church is engaged in a truly global, and frankly staggering, spiritual real estate boom, building outward from its Utah cradle at a pace that would make any developer blush, yet all for the same sacred work.
Size and Dimensions
- Salt Lake Temple stands at 210 feet tall.
- Mexico City Mexico Temple covers 127,347 square feet.
- Bern Switzerland Temple is 59,254 square feet.
- Laie Hawaii Temple measures 46,968 square feet.
- Washington D.C. Temple is the second largest at 160,000 square feet.
- Average temple size is about 40,000 to 50,000 square feet for newer ones.
- Hong Kong China Temple is 41,000 square feet over 6 floors.
- Manhattan New York Temple is 47,000 square feet.
- Boise Idaho Temple spire reaches 198 feet.
- Cardston Alberta Temple is 60,000 square feet.
- Jordan River Utah Temple 148,000 sq ft.
- Bountiful Utah Temple 160,000 sq ft.
- Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple 121,000 sq ft.
- Nauvoo Illinois Temple 54,000 sq ft.
- Frankfurt Germany Temple 34,000 sq ft.
- Apia Samoa Temple 28,000 sq ft.
- Stockholm Sweden Temple 32,000 sq ft.
- Cape Town South Africa Temple 49,000 sq ft.
- Columbus Ohio Temple 67,000 sq ft.
- Durban South Africa Temple 49,000 sq ft.
- Sacramento California Temple 94,000 sq ft.
- Newport Beach California Temple 82,000 sq ft.
- San Diego California Temple 83,000 sq ft.
- Medford Oregon Temple 41,000 sq ft.
- Anchorage Alaska Temple 25,000 sq ft.
- Billings Montana Temple 33,000 sq ft.
- Denver Colorado Temple 110,000 sq ft.
- Little Rock Arkansas Temple 28,000 sq ft.
- Tucson Arizona Temple 73,000 sq ft.
- Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple 32,000 sq ft.
Size and Dimensions Interpretation
These statistics reveal that while the Church builds for the future with expansive temples in its heartland, it adapts gracefully to the practical and often compact realities of international cities, proving that spiritual grandeur is measured in purpose, not merely in square feet or height.
Unique Features
- Salt Lake Temple first baptisms for dead in 1877.
- Celestial Room in temples symbolizes heaven.
- Sealing rooms perform eternal marriages.
- Baptistry supported by 12 oxen statues.
- Murals in some instruction rooms depict creation.
- Angel Moroni statues atop most spires.
- Holy of Holies in older temples.
- Progressive rooms: creation, garden, world, terrestrial.
- Some temples have film presentation instead of live.
- Some temples feature stained glass windows with biblical scenes.
- Baptistry oxen represent 12 tribes of Israel.
- Endowments performed single-file in some older temples.
- Live actors in some temple films phased out.
- Moroni statue holds trumpets in heralding pose.
- Garden rooms with plants and waterfalls.
- Veils for final ordinance symbolizing transition.
- Temples closed during global pandemic 2020.
- Single spire vs multiple spires in designs.
- Reflecting pools at some temple entrances.
- Some temples have underground parking.
- Christus statue replicas in visitor centers.
- No windows in some endowment rooms for focus.
- Spatially oriented architecture for ordinances.
- Moonstones on Salt Lake Temple exterior.
- Sunstones, starstones, earthstones symbols.
- Waterfalls in celestial rooms for peace.
- Temples open to public during open house.
- Different Moroni poses: trumpeting, holding plates.
Unique Features Interpretation
From its first proxy baptisms in 1877 to the statues of trumpet-wielding angels on its spires, every symbolic oxen, mural, and sealed room in LDS temples forms a physical and progressive blueprint for a theology that meticulously maps the journey from earthly ordinance to eternal family.
Sources & References
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