Provo Utah Temple

The Provo Utah Temple (formerly the Provo Temple) is the 17th constructed and 15th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Located in the city of Provo, Utah, it was built with a modern single-spire design, similar to the original design of the Ogden Utah Temple.

Provo Utah Temple
Number 15
Dedicated February 9, 1972 (February 9, 1972) by
Joseph Fielding Smith
Site 17 acres (6.9 hectares)
Floor area 128,325 sq ft (11,922 m2)
Height 175 ft (53 m)
Preceded by Ogden Utah Temple
Followed by Washington D.C. Temple
Official website • News & images

History

Since Provo’s early years, a hill just northeast of downtown Provo was known as "Temple Hill." Instead of a temple, however, the Maeser Building was built on the hill in 1911 as a part of the Brigham Young University (BYU) campus. A 17-acre (69,000 m2) block of property at the base of Rock Canyon was chosen as the site for the Provo Temple.

The intention to construct a temple in Provo was announced by the LDS Church on August 14, 1967, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 15, 1969, with construction beginning soon thereafter. Emil B. Fetzer, the architect for the Ogden and Provo temples, was asked to create a functional design with efficiency, convenience, and reasonable cost as key factors.

The temple was dedicated on February 9, 1972, by LDS Church president Joseph Fielding Smith. The two dedicatory services were broadcast to several large auditoriums on the BYU campus, including the 22,700-seat Marriott Center. The temple has 6 ordinance rooms and 12 sealing rooms, and has a total floor area of 128,325 square feet (11,921.8 m2). Thirty-one years after the temple's completion, a statue of the Angel Moroni was added to the spire, which itself was changed from gold to white.

In large part because of its location across the street from a Missionary Training Center and proximity to the BYU campus, the Provo Utah Temple is one of the church's busiest.

In 2016, the Provo City Center Temple was dedicated, making Provo the first city with two active temples in the world.[1] The two temples are 2.4 miles apart.[2]

In 2020, the Provo Utah Temple was closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.[3]

Temple presidents

Notable temple presidents have included: A. Theodore Tuttle (1980–82); J. Elliot Cameron (1989–92); Dean L. Larsen (1998–2001); Merrill J. Bateman (2007–10); Robert H. Daines III (2010–13); and Alan Ashton (2013–2016).[4] As of November 2016, Donald H. Livingstone is the current president.[5]

See also

References
  1. Walch, Tad (March 20, 2016), "Elder Oaks dedicates Provo City Center Temple as 150th temple of the LDS Church", Deseret News
  2. Taylor, Scott. "How far apart are these Mormon temples?", Deseret News, 19 October 2017. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
  3. Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "All Latter-day Saint temples to close due to coronavirus", The Salt Lake Tribune, 26 March 2020. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
  4. "New temple presidents", Church News, June 1, 2013
  5. "New temple presidents", Church News, June 9, 2016
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