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{{Infobox temple
|title2 = [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
|image1 = Saltlake1.jpg
|type = 4th Operating Temple
|location = [[LDS Church in Utah|Utah]]
|address = 50 West North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah  84150-0701
|map = [https://classic.lds.org/maps/#ll=40.770422,-111.89171&z=18&m=google.road&q=lake%20temple&find=temple:790834 map]
|lds_web = [https://www.lds.org/temples/details/salt-lake-temple?lang=eng weblink]
|gallery = [https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/salt-lake-temple/ gallery]
|district =  Salt Lake City metropolitan area and Northeastern Nevada
|announced = 28 July 1847
|open_house = 05 April 1893
|dedication_date = 06-24 April 1893
|row11 = Wilford Woodruff
}}

The '''Salt Lake Temple''' is a [[temple]] of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] (LDS Church) located on [[Temple Square]] in [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]], United States. At {{convert|253015|sqft|m2}}, it is the [[Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|largest LDS temple]] by floor area. Dedicated in 1893, it is the sixth temple completed by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth temple built since the [[Mormon pioneers|Mormon exodus]] from [[Nauvoo, Illinois]], in 1846.<ref name=LDSChurchTemples.com>{{citation |url= http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/saltlake/ |title= Salt Lake Temple |work= Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |publisher= LDSChurchTemples.com |first= Rick |last= Satterfield |accessdate= October 11, 2012 }}</ref>

==Details==
[[File:Salt Lake Temple model - 2 March 2013.jpg|thumb|Cutaway model showing the interior layout of the temple]]

The Salt Lake Temple is the centerpiece of the {{convert|10|acre|adj=on}} [[Temple Square]] in Salt Lake City, Utah. Like other LDS temples, it is considered sacred by the church and its members and a [[temple recommend]] is required to enter, so there are no public tours inside the temple as there are for other adjacent buildings on Temple Square. In 1912, the first public photographs of the interior were published in the book ''[[The House of the Lord]]'', by [[James E. Talmage]].<ref>Talmage, James.  ''The House of the Lord''.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1912</ref>  Since then, various photographs have been published, including by ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine in 1938.<ref name="life1938010322">{{citation |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=jkoEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA3&pg=PA22#v=onepage&f=true |title= The Destiny of 747,000 Mormons is Shaped in These Hallowed Temple Rooms |journal= [[Life (magazine)|Life]] |date= January 3, 1938 |volume= 4 |issue= 1 |pages= 22–23 |accessdate= October 11, 2012 }}</ref> The temple grounds are open to the public and are a popular tourist attraction.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.utah.com/mormon/temple_square.htm |title= Temple Square |publisher= Utah.com (Utah Office of Tourism) |accessdate= October 11, 2012}}</ref> Due to its location at LDS Church headquarters and its historical significance, the Temple is patronized by Latter-day Saints from many parts of the world. The Salt Lake Temple is also the location of the weekly meetings of the [[First Presidency (LDS Church)|First Presidency]] and the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)|Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]].<ref>{{citation |url= http://www.lds.org/ensign/1991/05/prophets |title= Prophets |last= Craven |first= Rulon G. |journal= [[Ensign (LDS magazine)|Ensign]] |date=May 1991 |accessdate= October 11, 2012 }}</ref>{{r|life1938010322}} As such, there are special meeting rooms in the building for these purposes, including the [[Holy of Holies (LDS Church)|Holy of Holies]], which are not present in other temples.

The temple includes some elements thought to evoke [[Solomon's Temple]] at [[Jerusalem]]. It is oriented towards Jerusalem and the large basin used as a baptismal font is mounted on the backs of twelve oxen, as was the [[Molten Sea]] in Solomon's Temple (see Chronicles 4:2–4). (However, the literal interpretation of the Biblical verses has been disputed.)<ref name=Hamblin>{{cite book |title= Solomon's Temple: Myth and History |last= Hamblin |first= William J. |authorlink= William J. Hamblin |last2= Seely |first2= David Rolph |authorlink2= David Rolph Seely |year= 2007 |publisher= [[Thames & Hudson]] |pages= 191–193 |isbn= 9780500251331 }}</ref> At the east end of the building, the height of the center pinnacle to the base of the angel Moroni is 210 feet,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://ldschurchnewsarchive.com/temples/98/Salt-Lake.html |title= Salt Lake Temple |publisher= ldschurchnewsarchive.com |accessdate= October 11, 2012 }}</ref> or 120 cubits,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://maranathachurchofgod.ca/Article-Origin_of_the_Biblical_Cubit.html |title= What Was The True Origin Of The Biblical Cubit? |publisher= Maranatha Church Of God (Barrie, Ontario, Canada) |work= maranathachurchofgod.ca |date= January 2011 |accessdate= October 11, 2012 |deadurl= yes |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20131021201528/http://maranathachurchofgod.ca/Article-Origin_of_the_Biblical_Cubit.html |archivedate= October 21, 2013 |df= mdy-all }}{{Unreliable source?|date=October 2012}}</ref> making this Temple 20 cubits taller than the Temple of Solomon.<ref>{{citation |first= Chaim |last= Clorfene |url= http://www.jewishmag.com/111mag/temple/temple.htm |title= Ezra's Temple, Herod's Temple and Ezekiel's vision of the Third Temple |publisher= Jewishmag.com |date=February 2007 |issue= 111 |accessdate= October 11, 2012 }}</ref>

===Name===
The official name of the Salt Lake Temple is also unique. In 1999, as the building of LDS temples accelerated, the church announced a formal naming convention for all existing and future temples. For temples located in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]], the name of the temple is generally the city or town in which the temple is located, followed by the name of the applicable state or province (with no comma). For temples outside of the U.S. and Canada, the name of the temple is generally the city name (as above) followed by the name of the country. However, for reasons on which the church did not elaborate, the Salt Lake Temple was made an exception to the new guidelines and was not renamed the "Salt Lake City Utah Temple".<ref>{{cite news |title= Temples renamed to uniform guidelines |url= http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/36633/Temples-renamed-to-uniform-guidelines.html |newspaper= [[Church News]] |publisher= ''[[Deseret News]]'' |date= October 16, 1999 |accessdate= October 11, 2012 }}</ref> (The [[Provo City Center Temple]] is the only other temple that does not include a state, province, or country in the temple's name.)<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865552787/Its-official-the-Provo-City-Center-Temple.html?pg=all |title= It's official: the Provo City Center Temple |date= March 23, 2012 |newspaper=Deseret News |first= Joseph |last= Walker |accessdate=August 10, 2013}}</ref>

===Location===
The temple is located in downtown Salt Lake City, with several mountain peaks close by. Nearby, a shallow stream, [[City Creek (Utah)|City Creek]], splits and flows both to the west and to the south, flowing into the [[Jordan River (Utah)|Jordan River]]. There is a wall around the {{convert|10|acre|ha|sing=on}} temple site. The surrounding wall became the first permanent structure on what has become known as Temple Square. The wall is a uniform 15 feet high but varies in appearance because of the southwest slope of the site.<ref name=Hamilton>{{harvnb|Hamilton|1992|p={{Page needed|date=October 2012}} }}</ref>

==Uses==
The temple is considered the house of God and is reserved for special ceremonies for practicing Latter-Day Saints. The main [[ordinance room]]s are used during the [[Endowment (Latter Day Saints)|endowment ceremony]]—namely the garden, telestial, terrestrial, and celestial rooms in that order of use.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Talbot|first1=Bridger|title=The Evolution of Sacred Space: The Changing Environment of the Endowment|journal=Front Matter: 2014 BYU Religious Education Student Symposium|date=2014|url=https://rsc-dev.byu.edu/archived/byu-religious-education-student-symposium-2014/evolution-sacred-space-changing-environment|accessdate=July 9, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Mangus|first1=Brittany|title=Prepare Now for the Temple: An Essential Guide for Young Adult Sisters|date=January 8, 2013|publisher=Cedar Fort Inc.|location=Springville, Utah|isbn=1599550520|page=1996|edition=Reprint|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XFl9TXWrP70C&pg=PA1996&lpg=PA1996#v=onepage&q&f=false|accessdate=July 9, 2017}}</ref> A [[Washing and anointing|washing and anointing ceremony]] is also administered, and until 1921, the rooms were also used for healing rituals of washing and anointing for the sick or pregnant and were administered by women and men.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Wright|first1=Kristine|last2=Stapley|first2=Jonathan|title=Female Ritual Healing in Mormonism|journal=Journal of Mormon History|date=Winter 2011|volume=37|issue=1|url=https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&context=mormonhistory#page=18}}</ref>{{rp|16,67}} The temple also serves as a place for [[Sealing (Mormonism)|marriage sealing ceremonies]] for live and deceased persons. Additional uses include functioning as a location for [[Baptism for the dead|baptisms for the dead]], baptisms for health (until being discontinued in 1921),<ref name="Baptism">{{cite journal|last1=Stapley|first1=Jonathan A.|last2=Wright|first2=Kristene L.|title="They Shall Be Made Whole": A History of Baptism for Health|journal=Journal of Mormon History|date=Fall 2008|volume=34|issue=4|url=https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1056&context=mormonhistory#page=76}}</ref>{{rp|98}} and, briefly, for re-baptism for the renewal of covenants.<ref name="Baptism" />{{rp|97}} Other rituals performed in the temple include the [[second anointing|second anointing ordinance]] for live and deceased persons,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Buerger|first1=David John|title='The Fullness of the Priesthood': The Second Anointing in Latter-day Saint Theology and Practice|journal=Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought|date=Spring 1983|volume=16|issue=1|pages=41, 43|url=https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V16N01_12.pdf|accessdate=July 10, 2017}}</ref> and meeting rooms for church leaders.<ref name="House">{{cite book|last1=Talmage|first1=James|title=The House of the Lord: A Study of Holy Sanctuaries Modern and Ancient|date=1912|publisher=Deseret News|location=Salt Lake City|url=https://archive.org/stream/houseoflordstudy00talm#page/n8/mode/1up|accessdate=July 9, 2017}}</ref>{{rp|195–197}}<ref name="Inside" />{{rp|30}}

==Temple construction and dedication==
[[File:Granite for temple.jpg|upright|thumb|Granite for temple being quarried at [[Little Cottonwood Canyon]] (1872)]]
The location for the temple was first marked by [[Prophet, seer, and revelator|Mormon prophet]] [[Brigham Young]], the second [[President of the Church (LDS Church)|president of the church]], on July 28, 1847, just four days after arriving in the [[Salt Lake Valley]]. In 1901 the apostle [[Anthon H. Lund]] recorded in his journal that "it is said" that [[Oliver Cowdery]]'s divining rod was used to locate the temple site.<ref>Anthon H. Lund Journal, July 5, 1901, cited by BYU Prof. [[D. Michael Quinn]] https://byustudies.byu.edu/content/latter-day-saint-prayer-circles</ref>  The temple site was dedicated on February 14, 1853 by [[Heber C. Kimball]]. Groundbreaking ceremonies were presided over by Young, who laid the [[cornerstone]] on April 6 of that year.<ref name="Hanks">{{cite web |first= Marion D |last= Hanks |authorlink= Marion D. Hanks |url= http://ldsfaq.byu.edu/viewEM.aspx?number=162 |title= Salt Lake Temple |work= LDS FAQ |publisher= [[BYU Studies]] |accessdate= October 11, 2012 |deadurl= yes |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20131021201525/http://ldsfaq.byu.edu/viewEM.aspx?number=162 |archivedate= October 21, 2013 |df= mdy-all }}</ref><!-- This is the original source for the previous lightplanet ref --> The architect was [[Truman O. Angell]], and the temple features both Gothic and Romanesque elements.

[[Sandstone]] was originally used for the foundation. During the [[Utah War]], the foundation was buried and the lot made to look like a plowed field to prevent unwanted attention from federal troops. After tensions had eased in 1858 and work on the temple resumed, it was discovered that many of the foundation stones had cracked, making them unsuitable for use. Although not all of the sandstone was replaced, the inadequate sandstone was replaced.  The walls are [[quartz monzonite]] (which has the appearance of [[granite]]) from [[Little Cottonwood Canyon]], located twenty miles (32&nbsp;km) southeast of the temple site. [[Oxen]] transported the quarried rock initially, but as the [[Transcontinental Railroad]] neared completion in 1869 the remaining stones were carried by rail at a much faster rate.<ref name="Hanks"/>

[[File:Salt-lake-temple details.jpg|left|thumb|left|150px|A plaque with construction details]]
The [[Coping (architecture)|capstone]]—the granite sphere that holds the statue of the [[Angel Moroni]]—was laid on April 6, 1892, by means of an electric motor and switch operated by [[Wilford Woodruff]], the church's fourth president, thus completing work on the temple's exterior. The Angel Moroni statue, standing {{convert|12.5|ft|m}} tall, was placed on top of the capstone later the same day.<ref>{{citation |url= http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/22575/Temple-capstone-laid-100-years-ago.html |newspaper= [[Church News]] |title= Temple capstone laid 100 years ago |date= April 4, 1992 |accessdate= October 11, 2012 }}</ref> At the capstone ceremony it was proposed by Woodruff that the interior of the building be finished 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 his death in 1910. Woodruff dedicated the temple on April 6, 1893, exactly forty years after the cornerstone was laid.<ref name="Hanks"/>

==Symbolism==

The Salt Lake Temple incorporates many symbolic adornments including [[Masonic ritual and symbolism|Masonic symbols]].<ref name="Masonry">{{cite journal |last= Homer |first= Michael W. |title= 'Similarity of Priesthood in Masonry': The Relationship Between Freemasonry and Mormonism |journal= Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought |date= Fall 1994 |volume=27 |issue=3 |url= https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V27N03_15.pdf |accessdate= July 8, 2017}}</ref>{{rp|73,79}}<ref name="Symbolism" />{{rp|38–39}} Symbolism is an important subject in the LDS faith.<ref name="Why Symbols?">{{citation |title= Why Symbols? |url= http://www.lds.org/ensign/2007/02/why-symbols |journal= [[Ensign (LDS magazine)|Ensign]] |date= February 2007 |accessdate= October 11, 2012 }}</ref> These symbols include the following:
[[File:Salt Lake Temple Symbols.png|thumb|350px|center|Infographic of the locations and details of some Salt Lake Temple exterior symbols.]]

* '''All-Seeing Eye''' – The center tower on each side contains a depiction of the [[Eye of Providence|All-Seeing Eye of God]] representing how God sees all things.<ref name="Celestial">{{cite book|last1=Berber|first1=Allen H.|title=Celestial Symbols: Symbolism in Doctrine, Religious Traditions and Temple Architecture|date=April 4, 2006|publisher=Horizon Publishers|isbn=0882908081|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WSw9X9eYU6gC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false|accessdate=July 10, 2017}}</ref>{{rp|147}}<ref name=LDSChurchTemples.com />
[[File:East Elevation of the Temple.jpg|thumb|right|175px|Original 1854 design of the East side showing the horizontal angel, sun faces, earth details, and compass and square window details. These elements were later modified or removed.]]
* '''Angel Statue''' – The golden [[Angel Moroni]] placed on the capstone of the temple symbolizes the angel mentioned in {{Sourcetext |source= Bible |version= King James |book= Revelation |chapter= 14 |verse= 6}} that will come to welcome in the [[Second Coming of Christ]]. Early architectural plans showed two horizontally flying angels<ref>{{cite web|title=Oldest Artwork on Temple Square|url=https://www.templesquare.com/blog/oldest-artwork-on-temple-square/|website=Temple Square Blog|publisher=LDS Church Deseret Management Corporation|accessdate=July 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Salt Lake Temple p.47|url=https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=435107|website=collections.lib.utah.edu|publisher=University of Utah|accessdate=July 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bishop|first1=M. Guy|last2=Holzapfel|first2=Richard Neitzel|title=The  'St. Peter's of  the New World': The  Salt Lake Temple, Tourism, and a New Image for Utah|journal=Utah Historical Quarterly|date=Spring 1993|volume=61|page=33|url=http://digitallibrary.utah.gov/awweb/pdfopener?sid=D46887B2069F01C5751B879A3461E0DE&did=35155&fl=%2Fpublications%2Fdg000105.pdf|accessdate=July 8, 2017}} Page 33 archived [https://web.archive.org/web/20170708042802/http://digitallibrary.utah.gov/download/pdf/35155/33_m.pdf here].</ref> and the earliest references to the Salt Lake Temple's angel were always [[Gabriel]]. The original  blueprint drawings intended the angel to be wearing temple ceremonial clothing like the angel on the Nauvoo temple, but W.H. Mullin's 12.5-foot statue wears a crown instead of a temple cap that was originally built with a bright light creating a halo effect at night.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gaskill|first1=Alonzo L.|title=Temple Reflections: Insights into the House of the Lord|date=August 9, 2016|publisher=Cedar Fort Inc.|isbn=1462118992|pages=193–194|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YLvPDAAAQBAJ&lpg=PT3&pg=PT269#v=onepage|accessdate=September 6, 2017}}</ref>
* '''Beehive''' – The [[Beehive#Symbolism|beehive symbol]] (which appears on the [[Seal of Utah|Utah state seal]]) appears on external doors and doorknobs and symbolizes the thrift, industry, perseverance, and order of the Mormon people.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Oman|first1=Richard G.|title=Beehive Symbol|url=http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Beehive_Symbol|website=BYU Harold B. Lee Library|publisher=Brigham Young University|accessdate=June 25, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Symbolism" />{{rp|44}}
* '''Big Dipper''' – On the west side of the temple the [[Big Dipper]] appears, which represents how the priesthood can help people find their way to heaven as the constellation helped travelers find the [[Polaris|North Star]].<ref>{{citation |url= http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/deseretnews1/id/175407/rec/23 |title= The Temple: To the Editor of the Deseret News |author= [[Truman O. Angell]] |date= August 17, 1854 |newspaper= Deseret News |volume= 4 |number= 23 |page= 2 |place= Great Salt Lake City, Utah Territory |quote= Moral, [of Ursa Major is that] the lost may find themselves by the Priesthood |accessdate= August 19, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Symbolism" />{{rp|42}} The uppermost stars on the temple's constellation align with the actual North Star.<ref name="Themes">{{cite book|last1=Lyon|first1=Jack|title=Understanding Temple Symbols: Themes of the Temple in Scripture, History, and Art|date=December 5, 2016|publisher=Deseret Book Company|isbn=1629722448}}</ref>
* '''Compass and Square''' –  Early plan drawings of the temple show the Masonic arrangements of a [[Square and Compasses|compass and square]] placed around the second and fourth floor windows,<ref name="Symbolism" />{{rp|43}} but the plans were changed during construction.<ref name="Symbolism" />{{rp|39}} These symbols had appeared on the [[Nauvoo Temple]] weathervane.<ref name="Symbolism" />{{rp|43}}
* '''Clasped Hands''' – Above each external door and doorknob appears the "[[Handshake|hand clasp]]," which is a representation of [[Covenant (Latter Day Saints)|covenants]] that are made within temples or brotherly love.<ref name="Symbolism" />{{rp|43}}
* '''Clouds''' – On the east side of the temple are "clouds raining down" representing the way God has continued [[Revelation (Latter Day Saints)|revelation]] and still speaks to man "like the rains out of Heaven"<ref name=LDSChurchTemples.com /> or alternatively a [[Plan of salvation (Latter Day Saints)#Pre-mortal existence|veil of ignorance]] or sin.<ref name="Symbolism" />{{rp|43}}
* '''Earths''' – The earthstones in the lower buttresses have been interpreted as the gospel of Christ spreading over the whole Earth.<ref name="Symbolism" />{{rp|42}}
[[File:South Elevation of the Temple.jpg|thumb|right|An original 1854 elevation plan showing the saturn stones, earth stone detail, sun faces, and square and compass window accents. These elements were later discarded.]]
* '''Saturns''' – Early drawings and a written description by [[Truman O. Angell|Angell]] showed Saturnstones along the top tier of the temple,<ref name="House" />{{rp|146}}<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Zimmerman|first1=Dean R.|title=The Salt Lake Temple|journal=The New Era|date=June 1978|url=https://www.lds.org/new-era/1978/06/the-salt-lake-temple?lang=eng|accessdate=July 10, 2017}}</ref> though the design was changed years later.<ref name="BYU">{{cite journal|last1=Oman|first1=Richard G.|title=Exterior Symbolism of the Salt Lake Temple: Reflecting the Faith that Called the Place into Being|journal=BYU Studies Quarterly|date=1996|volume=36|issue=4|url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/file/2768/download?token=seT2rCVO|accessdate=July 10, 2017|deadurl=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710020626/https://byustudies.byu.edu/file/2768/download?token=seT2rCVO|archivedate=July 10, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref>{{rp|60–62}}<ref name="Temples">{{cite journal|last1=Cowan|first1=Richard O.|title=Latter-day Saint Temples as Symbols|journal=Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture|date=2012|volume=21|issue=1|url=http://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1488&context=jbms|accessdate=July 10, 2017|deadurl=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710024255/http://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1488&context=jbms|archivedate=July 10, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref>{{rp|9}}
* '''Spires''' –  The six spires of the temple represent the power of the [[Priesthood (LDS Church)|priesthood]]. The three spires on the east side are a little higher than those on the west: they represent the [[Melchizedek priesthood (Latter Day Saints)|Melchizedek]], or "higher priesthood", and the [[Aaronic priesthood (LDS Church)|Aaronic]], or "preparatory priesthood" respectively. The three spires on the east side represent the church's [[First Presidency (LDS Church)|First Presidency]] and the twelve smaller spires on those three represent the [[Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church)|Twelve Apostles]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Arave|first1=Lynn|title=Symbolism Can Be Seen in Architecture of S.L. Temple|url=http://mormontimes.com/around_church/temples/?id=5178|accessdate=July 10, 2017|work=Mormon Times|agency=Deseret News|publisher=LDS Church|date=November 27, 2008|deadurl=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209003645/http://mormontimes.com/around_church/temples/?id=5178|archivedate=December 9, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* '''Sun, Moon, and Stars''' – Around the temple there are several carved stones depicting the sun, moon, and stars which correspond respectively to the [[Degrees of glory#Celestial kingdom|celestial]], [[Degrees of glory#Terrestrial kingdom|terrestrial]], and [[Degrees of glory#Telestial kingdom|telestial]] [[Degrees of glory|kingdoms of glory]] in the afterlife.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Holzapfel|first1=Richard Neitzel|title=Every Window, Every Spire Speaks of the Things of God|journal=Liahona|date=November 1993|url=https://www.lds.org/liahona/1993/11/every-window-every-spire-speaks-of-the-things-of-god?lang=eng|accessdate=July 10, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Symbolism">{{cite journal|last1=Roberts|first1=Allen D.|title=Where Are the All-Seeing Eyes? The Origin, Use, and Decline of Early Mormon Symbolism|journal=Sunstone Magazine|date=May 1985|volume=1|issue=49|url=https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/pdf/049-36-48.pdf|accessdate=June 25, 2017}}</ref>{{rp|42}} The sunstones have also been interpreted to represent God, the moonstones in different phases as representing different phases of life, and the starstones representing Jesus Christ.<ref name=LDSChurchTemples.com /> These symbols were drawn from the three lesser lights symbols in the [[Freemasonry]] practiced by many early church leaders in [[Nauvoo, Illinois|Nauvoo]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Andrew|first1=Laurel B.|title=The Early Temples of the Mormons: The Architecture of the Millennial Kingdom in the American West|date=June 1978|publisher=State University of New York Printing|isbn=0873953584|pages=84–85|edition=1st|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1H-ZenigoXcC&pg=PA85&lpg=PA85&q&f=false#v=onepage&q&f=false|accessdate=June 25, 2017}}</ref> Additionally, five-pointed stars have traditionally represented the five wounds of Christ (hands, feet, and side) and the five-pointed star with an elongated downward ray found on several LDS temples has been interpreted to represent Christ coming to Earth.<ref name="Themes" />{{rp|125}}

==Bombings==
The temple has been damaged by two separate bombing incidents. The first was indirect damage from a bomb on April 10, 1910 at the nearby Hotel Utah (now the [[Joseph Smith Memorial Building]]). This damaged the trumpet of the Moroni statue atop the temple.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kirby |first1=Robert |title=Kirby's disturbing history: Close encounters of the bizarre kind at Mormonism's Temple Square |url=http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=5038535&itype=CMSID |work=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=10 March 2017|quote=In April 1910, Moroni's trumpet was knocked awry by a bomb set at the construction site of the Hotel Utah across the street. The bomb, which involved a labor dispute, shattered windows blocks away. Moroni's trumpet wasn't fixed until two months later, when the church paid a couple of steeplejacks $125 to climb the spire and reposition it.}}</ref> The second was on November 14, 1962, when at about 1:30 AM, the southeast door of the Salt Lake Temple was bombed.<ref name = Tribune>{{cite news|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1962/11/15/page/32/article/blast-mormon-temple-with-plastic-bomb|accessdate=January 19, 2015|agency=Chicago Daily Tribune|title=Blast Mormon Temple with Plastic Bomb|date=November 15, 1962}}</ref><ref name = Sunstone>{{cite journal|last1=Johnson|first1=Jeffrey O.|title=Change and Growth: The Mormon Church & the 1960sHE 1960|journal=[[Sunstone (magazine)|Sunstone]]|date=June 1994|url=https://www.sunstonemagazine.com/pdf/095-25-29.pdf|accessdate=January 19, 2015}}</ref> FBI agents state that the explosive had been wrapped around the door handles on the southeast entrance of the temple.<ref name = Tribune/> The large wooden entrance doors were damaged by flying fragments of metal and glass. Damage to interior walls occurred 25 feet inside the temple, but damage to the interior was minor.<ref name = Tribune/>  Eleven exterior windows were shattered.<ref name = Tribune/> Some members of the LDS Church believed the incident was related to violence surrounding the [[Civil Rights Movement]], the nation's racial strife,<ref name = Sunstone/> and the church's [[Black people and the priesthood (LDS)|priesthood restriction, based on race,]] in effect at the time.

=== 1962 Renovation ===
The Salt Lake Temple has been renovated many times since its original dedication. The most extensive renovation took place from 1962 to 1966. The temple was rededicated and an addition for sealing rooms was placed alongside the north side of the temple.

===1999 Salt Lake City tornado===
{{Further|1999 Salt Lake City tornado}}
The temple suffered light to moderate damage in 1999 when a tornado rated F2 on the [[Fujita Scale]] struck Salt Lake City around 12:45 PM. A wedding ceremony taking place at the time allowed one of the photographers taking photographs of the new couple to record video of the tornado as it passed near the temple, forcing the bride and groom and everyone with them to shelter against the temple doors and pillars for protection from the wind and debris. They were unable to be allowed inside to take shelter as the temple doors were locked at the time. Despite being pelted with rain and hail, everyone survived, and were able to then come out to look at the damage to many of the trees around the temple grounds and surrounding buildings before resuming the ceremony. <ref name="Weather Gone Viral">{{cite|title=Weather Gone Viral|agency=The Weather Channel}}</ref><ref name="Salt Lake Temple Tornado Wedding">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhigIe6kzS4|title=Salt Lake Temple Tornado Wedding|date=August 11, 1999|agency=Final Touch Film & Video Production|accessdate=October 10, 2018|}}</ref>

=== 2019 Renovation Closure ===

* 19 Apr 2019: '''[https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900066500/salt-lake-temple-square-closing-lds-mormon.html Church announces Four Year Rnovation of Salt Lake Temple & Plaza]''' - Temple to close on Dec 29th.

==Interior images==
Below are several photographs from the interior of the temple. In response to a member obtaining unauthorized images of the interior of the temple, church leaders decided to release the book ''[[The House of the Lord]]'' in 1912, which contained authorized black-and-white photographs of the interior, some of which are shown below.<ref name="Inside">{{cite journal|last1=Walgreen|first1=Kent|title=Inside the Salt Lake Temple: Gisbert Bossard's 1911 Photographs|journal=Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought|date=Fall 1996|volume=29|issue=3|url=https://dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V29N03_9.pdf|accessdate=July 8, 2017}}</ref>{{rp|6}}<ref name="Stone">{{cite book|last1=Wadsworth|first1=Nelson B.|title=Set in Stone, Fixed in Glass|date=September 1992|publisher=Signature Books|location=Salt Lake City|isbn=1560850248|url=http://signaturebookslibrary.org/set-in-stone-fixed-in-glass-epilogue-the-max-florence-affair/|accessdate=July 8, 2017}}</ref>{{rp|365–369,374}}<ref name="House" />{{rp|240–316}} The unauthorized photographs had been taken over several months the year before by a man who was repeatedly allowed to enter with his camera while the temple was closed by a temple gardener friend.<ref name="Stone" />{{rp|358,362}}

== Temple District ==
The Salt Lake Temple serves members from 61 stakes and 1 district headquartered in the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Area and Northeastern Nevada:
=== Salt Lake Metro Area ===
# [[Cottonwood Heights Utah Brighton Stake]]
# [[Cottonwood Heights Utah Wasatch Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Big Cottonwood Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Bonneville Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Bonneville YSA Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Butler Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Butler West Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Cannon Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Canyon Rim Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Central Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Cottonwood Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Cottonwood Heights Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake East Mill Creek Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake East Mill Creek North Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Emigration Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Ensign Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Foothill Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Granite Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Granite Park Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Grant Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Highland Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Hillside Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Holladay Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Holladay North Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Holladay South Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Holladay YSA Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Liberty Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Little Cottonwood Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Married Student Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Millcreek Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Monument Park Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Mount Olympus Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Olympus Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Parleys Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Pioneer Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Pioneer YSA Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Riverside Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Rose Park Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Rose Park North Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake South Cottonwood Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Valley View Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Wilford Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Winder Stake]]
# [[Salt Lake Winder West Stake]]

=== Summit County, Utah ===
# [[Kamas Utah Stake]]
# [[Park City Utah Stake]]

=== Tooele County, Utah ===
# [[Erda Utah Stake]]
# [[Grantsville Utah Stake]]
# [[Grantsville Utah West Stake]]
# [[Stansbury Park Utah Stake]]
# [[Stansbury Park Utah South Stake]]
# [[Tooele Utah Stake]]
# [[Tooele Utah East Stake]]
# [[Tooele Utah North Stake]]
# [[Tooele Utah South Stake]]
# [[Tooele Utah Valley View Stake]]
# [[Tooele Utah West Stake]]
# [[Wendover Utah District]]

=== Eastern Nevada ===
# [[Elko Nevada East Stake]]
# [[Elko Nevada West Stake]]

==Temple presidents==
{{unreferenced|section|date=April 2018}}<!--https://ldschurchtemples.org/saltlake/presidents/ is not affiliated with the LDS church and is not a reliable source-->
{{div col}}
# [https://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Lorenzo_Snow_(1814-1901) Lorenzo Snow], 1893–98
# [https://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Joseph_Fielding_Smith_(1838-1918) Joseph F. Smith], 1898–1911
# [[Anthon H. Lund]], 1911–21
# [[George F. Richards]], 1921–38
# [[Stephen L. Chipman]], 1938–45
# [https://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Joseph_Fielding_Smith_(1876-1972) Joseph Fielding Smith], 1945–49
# [[Robert D. Young]], 1949–53
# [[ElRay L. Christiansen]], 1953–61
# Willard E. Smith, 1961–64
# [[Howard S. McDonald]], 1964–68
# [[O. Leslie Stone]], 1968–72
# John K. Edmunds, 1972–77
# A. Ray Curtis, 1977–82
# [[Marion D. Hanks]], 1982–85
# [[Victor L. Brown]], 1985–87
# Edgar M. Denny, 1987–90
# Spencer H. Osborn, 1990–93
# [[George I. Cannon]], 1993–96
# [[Carlos E. Asay]], 1996–99
# Derrill H. Richards, 1999
# [[W. Eugene Hansen]], 1999–2002
# [[L. Aldin Porter]], 2002–05
# M. Richard Walker, 2005–08
# [[Sheldon F. Child]], 2008–11
# Oren Claron Alldredge Jr., 2011–14
# [[Cecil O. Samuelson]], 2014–17
# B. Jackson Wixom, 2017–present
{{div col end}}


== See Also ==
* [[LDS Church in Utah]]
* [[Utah List of Stakes of the Church]]
* [[Mormon Temples List]]

== References==
<references/>
[[Category:Salt Lake]]
[[Category:Salt Lake City]]
[[Category:Utah]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Temples of the Church]]
[[Category:1893]]
[[Category:Wilford Woodruff]]