Washington D.C. Temple | ||||
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Number | 16 | |||
Dedication | November 19, 1974, by Spencer W. Kimball | |||
Site | 52 acres (21 ha) | |||
Floor area | 156,558 sq ft (14,544.7 m2) | |||
Height | 288 ft (88 m) | |||
Official website • News & images | ||||
Church chronology | ||||
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Additional information | ||||
Announced | November 15, 1968, by David O. McKay | |||
Groundbreaking | December 7, 1968, by Hugh B. Brown | |||
Open house | September 17 – November 2, 1974. April 28, 2022 - June 11, 2022. [1] | |||
Rededicated | August 14, 2022, by Russell M. Nelson [2] | |||
Designed by | Fred L. Markham, Harold K. Beecher, Henry P. Fetzer, and Keith W. Wilcox | |||
Location | Kensington, Maryland, U.S. | |||
Geographic coordinates | 39°0′50.68440″N77°3′56.24639″W / 39.0140790000°N 77.0656239972°W | |||
Exterior finish | Reinforced concrete sheathed in Alabama white marble | |||
Baptistries | 1 | |||
Ordinance rooms | 6 (stationary) | |||
Sealing rooms | 14 | |||
Clothing rental | Yes | |||
Visitors' center | Yes | |||
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The Washington D.C. Temple (formerly the Washington Temple) is the 18th constructed and 16th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is located in Kensington, Maryland, United States, just north of Washington, D.C., near the Capital Beltway. The temple was dedicated in 1974 after an open house that attracted over 750,000 people, including several international dignitaries. The temple was the first temple built by the church east of the Mississippi River since 1846, when the original Nauvoo Temple was dedicated.
Built at a cost of about $15 million in 1968, the temple is the church's tallest; its easternmost spire is 288 feet (88 m) tall. Its floor area of 160,000 square feet (15,000 m2) is the third-largest among church temples. Its design emulates the Salt Lake Temple with six spires, three on each end, and the building is encased in white Alabama marble.
Plans to build the temple were announced on November 15, 1968, with a groundbreaking ceremony held on December 7. [3] Clearing of the land started May 28, 1971. The site chosen for the temple was a 57-acre (23 ha) wooded hill purchased in 1962 just north of the Capital Beltway. [4] Only 11 acres (4.5 ha) of the site was cleared to give the area a more remote feeling. It was completed and dedicated in 1974. It was the Church's first U.S. temple built east of the Mississippi River since 1846 and remained the church's only temple in eastern North America until the dedication of the Atlanta Georgia Temple in 1983. [5]
At the time of the temple's completion, it served all Latter-day Saint members in 31 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, seven Canadian provinces, Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic. [6] Original cost estimates for the temple were about $15 million. Members of the church within the temple's attendance district were asked to contribute at least $4.5 million. Eventually, local members donated around $6 million for the temple's construction. [5]
At a completion ceremony the church's First Presidency buried a metal box with historical items near a corner of the temple. During the first week of the temple open house, government officials and diplomats from around the world were taken on special tours through the building. The open house continued for seven weeks and over 750,000 people went through the temple. The high number of people that attended the open house was attributed to the large amount of coverage that the temple and church received as it neared completion. Articles about the temple were printed in Time , Newsweek , and U.S. News & World Report . There was also a large press conference held that introduced the temple and church president Spencer W. Kimball. Demand for tickets to the open house was high and the tickets were gone before the first day of tours; times were extended to accommodate more people. Ten dedicatory sessions were held for the temple between November 19 and 22, 1974. Over 40,000 church members attended these dedicatory services. [5]
During a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on August 23, 2011, the temple sustained minor damage to some parts of the exterior. The tops of four spires were knocked off and fell to the ground, as did several pieces of marble from the building's facade. No significant damage was reported to the temple's interior or to the neighboring visitors' center. Repairs were made beginning in September of that year and no disruptions occurred in its normal operating schedule. [7] [8]
The temple closed in March 2018 for renovations to upgrade the mechanical systems and update finishes and furnishings. [9] The renovations were anticipated to be completed in 2020 and the adjacent visitor center was scheduled to be operational throughout the renovation. [10] In February 2020, the church announced that with renovations nearing completion, a public open house would be held from September 24 through October 31, 2020, with the temple scheduled for rededication on Sunday, December 13, 2020. [11] However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the church announced on June 17, 2020, that the open house and rededication dates would be postponed until large public gatherings are determined to be safe. [12] On July 20, 2021, the church announced the open house would be scheduled for April 28 through June 4, 2022, with the temple scheduled for rededication on Sunday, June 19, 2022. [13] However, on January 28, 2022, the church announced that the duration of the open house tours would be extended as needed, [14] with the rededication pushed back to August 14, 2022. [15] [16] The church put up banners in the city to promote the event and recorded a virtual tour, led by Gary E. Stevenson and Dale G. Renlund, who serve as members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. [16] [17]
Notable presidents of the temple include Franklin D. Richards (1983–1986), David S. King (1990–1993), and F. Melvin Hammond (2005–2008).
Designed by architects Fred L. Markham, Harold K. Beecher, Henry P. Fetzer and Keith Wilcox, the Washington D.C. Temple was built with a modern six-spire design based on the design of the Salt Lake Temple, with the three towers to the east representing the Melchizedek priesthood, and the three towers to the west representing the Aaronic priesthood. The temple was designed to be similar in style and form to the Salt Lake Temple so that it would be easily recognized as a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [18] The central eastern tower reaches a height of 288 feet (88 m), the tallest of any of the church's temples. The temple has a total floor area of 160,000 square feet (15,000 m2), making it the church's third-largest. The temple includes six ordinance rooms and fourteen sealing rooms. The Washington D.C. Temple's angel Moroni statue, which sits atop the tallest tower, is 18 feet (5.5 m) tall and weighs 2 tons. [5] The outer walls are covered in white Alabama marble and the spires are coated in 24-carat gold. [18] There are two large stained glass windows on the eastern and westernmost spires. Although there appear to be no other windows, the marble was shaved to 0.625 inches (1.59 cm) thick over window openings, thin enough to be translucent. [19]
The temple is located in suburban Kensington, Maryland, north of Washington, D.C. It is accessible mainly from the Capital Beltway (Interstate 495) exit 33, but also via the Red Line of the Washington Metro through a limited free shuttle service to and from the Forest Glen station. [20] The look and white color of the Washington D.C. Temple, coupled with its location near the Capital Beltway has made it a local landmark. [21] D.C.-area traffic reports often refer to the "Mormon temple" or "the temple". [22]
Sometime after the temple was constructed, an unknown person painted "Surrender Dorothy" on the girders of a railroad bridge that crosses the Beltway; to drivers approaching the temple from the east, the words appeared like a caption under the building. [23] The Maryland State Police removed the message, which has been repainted from time to time. [23] [24] Church newsletters have cited the graffiti as an example of misconceptions about their religion, although local members of the church generally find the re-appearing inscription amusing rather than offensive. [24] [25]
On August 24, 2018, "Surrender Donald" lettering (referring to US president Donald Trump) was spotted on the same bridge over the Washington Beltway. Evidently, the sign was made of easily removable letters that minimize property damage and was installed between 4 and 5 AM. Reportedly, Claude Taylor and his MadDog PAC claimed responsibility. [26] On November 5, during the 2020 United States presidential election, "Surrender Donald" appeared again – this time in paint. [27]
Since 1978 the temple has annually hosted the Festival of Lights at the visitors' center, officially running from December 2 to January 1. The event attracts thousands of visitors who come to view millions of lights on the temple grounds. The festival features live performances by the Mormon Choir of Washington, D.C.; a public lighting ceremony; a narrated outdoor nativity scene; and nightly performances from various regional artists and musicians. [28] [29] Each year, a different ambassador to the United States is invited as a guest speaker at the festival's opening lighting ceremony. For example, in 2011, J. W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr. and his wife, Donna, hosted Brazilian Ambassador to the United States Mauro Vieira, with L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presiding. [30]
The Mesa Arizona Temple is the seventh operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Mesa, Arizona, it is the first of the church's six temples built or planned in the state.
The Idaho Falls Idaho Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The intent to build the temple was announced on March 3, 1937, by church president Heber J. Grant during the church's general conference. It is the church's tenth constructed and eighth operating temple, the first built in Idaho, and the first built with a modern single-spire design.
The Ogden Utah Temple is the sixteenth constructed and fourteenth operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in Ogden, Utah, it was originally built with a modern, single-spire design very similar to the Provo Utah Temple. During a renovation completed in 2014, the exterior and interior were extensively changed.
The Tokyo Japan Temple is the 20th constructed and 18th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, it was the first temple built in Asia, being dedicated in 1980. It has a compact style that was a precursor for later buildings in urban areas, such as the Hong Kong China and Manhattan New York temples.
The Jordan River Utah Temple is the 20th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in South Jordan, Utah, it was built with a modern single-spire design.
The Atlanta Georgia Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the first temple built by the church in the Southeastern United States and the second temple east of the Mississippi River since 1846. Members of the church consider it a literal "house of God" comparable to the ancient Israelite temple where, as recorded in Bible, God spoke with Samuel. Emphasizing this belief, the building's façade bears the inscription "Holiness to the Lord – The House of the Lord."
The Boise Idaho Temple is the 29th constructed and 27th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is located in the city of Boise, Idaho.
The Raleigh North Carolina Temple is the 68th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Frankfurt Germany Temple is the 43rd constructed and 41st operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Friedrichsdorf, Germany, it was built with the same general architecture as the six-spire design used in the Boise, Chicago, and Dallas temples, but it was only given a single-spire.
The Memphis Tennessee Temple is the 80th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is located in Bartlett, Tennessee.
The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple is the 95th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It serves stakes in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas.
The Houston Texas Temple is the 97th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple serves over forty-four thousand Latter-day Saints in east Texas, and a few congregations in southwest Louisiana.
The Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple is the 94th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Buenos Aires Argentina Temple is the 39th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located in Ciudad Evita, near Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The Asunción Paraguay Temple is the 112th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Below is a chronological list of temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with sortable columns. In the LDS Church, a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord and considered by church members to be the most sacred struct ures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time, and then each is dedicated as a "House of the Lord," after which only members with a current temple recommend are permitted to enter. Thus, they are not churches or meetinghouses, but rather specialized places of worship. The LDS Church has 335 temples in various phases, which includes 188 dedicated temples, 53 under construction, and 94 others announced. Within temples, members of the LDS Church make covenants, receive instructions, and perform rituals and ordinances. Additionally, members consider the temple a place to commune with God, seek God's aid, understand God's will, and receive personal revelation.
The Mexico City Mexico Temple is the 28th constructed and 26th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The intent to construct the temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on 1 October 2011.
The San Juan Puerto Rico Temple is the 176th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is the church's third temple in the Caribbean and the only one in Puerto Rico, serving the 23,000 members who live there.