Things to Do in Utah

Exploring the unknown and well known in the Great State of Utah

Temple Square in Salt Lake City

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Temple Square is Utah’s number one tourist attraction. So if you are LDS or not, this 34 acre square is a must see! It draws millions of visitors a year and  consists of the Salt Lake Temple, the Tabernacle (home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), the Assembly Hall and two visitors’ centers.  Temple Square also has exquisite gardens and interesting historical sites, as well as 4 restaurants, church history museum, conference center, church history library, Joseph Smith Memorial Building and Relief Society Building.  Also featured are the largest genealogy library of its kind in the world and the renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. Each year there are over 2000 events at Temple Square and most of them are free to the public.

Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake temple took over 40 years to complete. It is made of granite and is the centerpiece of the square.  The temple is considered the house of the Lord and is sacred to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (You can read more on why Mormon’s building temples.)  It is not open to the public, however, the most of the other buildings on Temple Square are open to the public.

 

The gardens at Temple Square include 250 flower beds, more than 165,000 bedding plants, and over 700 varieties of plants from all over the world. The gardens are redesigned every six months and replanted by hundreds of volunteers. Free one-hour garden tours are given May through September. You can call (801) 240-5916 for scheduling.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The tabernacle, built in 1967, is the home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The dome-shaped auditorium seats 2900 people and is so acoustically sensitive that a pin dropped at the pulpit can be clearly heard at the back of the hall – 170 feet away. The magnificent pipe organ has only 11,623 pipes. Seeing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is truly amazing.

 

Visitor Center at Temple Square
There are two visitor centers on Temple Square. Both have beautiful art, exhibits, films and information on the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During the winter, both buildings provide warmth when you take a break from the beautiful Christmas lights.

 

Christus statue at temple square
The Christus is our favorite piece of art in the North Visitor Center. It sits alone in a dome shaped room and is simply spectacular.

 

Temple Square is truly amazing during the holidays. The lights are gorgeous and the grounds are spectacular. This video show the transformation into the lights at night!

 

Where is Temple Square?

When Salt Lake City was formed, it was set up to revolve around the temple. Therefore, Temple Square is at the heart of downtown Salt Lake City.  It is surrounded by streets named “Temple” – West Temple, North Temple, East Temple and South Temple.  Take the 400 S or 600 S I-15 exit and go east. Then turn north on West Temple or East Temple.

 

Where to Park at Temple Square?

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Mormon temple square

If you are a Utah resident or a tourist, Temple Square is a MUST! It is gorgeous. There are free guided tours, but you are also welcome to wander the beautiful grounds and gardens at your leisure.  If you have any questions, the missionaries in dress clothes and a black and white name tag are more than happy to help! Just ask away. You won’t regret visiting Temple Square!

 

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Comments

  3. Alana says

    I was in Utah years ago, but not near Salt Lake City. I live in upstate New York, so it wold be a journey for me. But, I never knew about the gardens that are there. Now, this is going onto my bucket list.

  5. Camille says

    I love Temple Square and that its the #1 tourist spot in Utah! I’ve been so many times but now I take my kids. Its fun seeing it through new eyes and see what exhibits have changed. I think I’m discovering more things now because I’m with my kids that I ever did when I was a kid.

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