Temple Square
, with its majestic six-spire granite temple towering over the beautifully landscaped grounds, is a site not to be missed in Salt Lake City. Temple Square encompasses 10 acres and includes the Salt Lake Temple, the Mormon Tabernacle building, the Assembly Hall, two visitors' centers, as well as many monuments.
Instructions
1. Plan your visit to Temple Square. Concerts are offered year-round. During the Christmas season, there is a life-size manger and the trees and shrubs become a festival of sparkling lights. You can also enjoy nightly concerts. During the warmer months, the grounds boast colorful flower gardens.
2. Arrange transportation. Temple Square is located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City. As a matter of fact, Salt Lake County's road "grid" system starts at Temple Square. Parking can be expensive and somewhat hard to find downtown; however, public transportation is available. You can take advantage of the UTA bus system or go for a ride on the TRAX train, an above-ground subway system.
3. Go to the North Visitors' Center. Take the circular ramp to the upper floor rotunda to see the 11-foot Christus, an exact replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen's Christus in Copenhagen, Denmark. Be sure to enjoy the exhibit "The Savior's Ministry," which features the statue. You can see exhibits on the life and ministry of Christ on the main and lower levels. Visitors can also see exhibits on the humanitarian efforts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. There are concerts available November through March.
4. Tour the domed Tabernacle. Construction on the Tabernacle began in 1863 and took twelve years to complete. The acoustics inside are so sensitive that visitors in the back of the hall can hear a pin drop from the pulpit--a distance of 170 feet. The famous pipe organ boasts nearly 12,000 pipes. There are regularly scheduled organ recitals. If you are visiting on a Thursday evening or a Sunday morning, you can hear the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
5. Visit the Assembly Hall. This Gothic-style building sits on the southwest corner of Temple Square. Construction started on the Assembly Hall back in 1877 and lasted for five years. You can enjoy free concerts here every Friday and Saturday night. Only guests age eight and older are admitted. Tickets are not required.
6. Tour the South Visitors' Center. Inside you can learn about the building of the Salt Lake Temple, which took forty years to complete. You can also see exhibits showing the importance of families, which is a key focus of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
7. Take a stroll through the Temple grounds. You can admire the immaculate flower gardens and get close up to the Temple, although only members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are permitted inside.
Tags: Temple Square, Salt Lake, Assembly Hall, Christ Latter-Day, Christ Latter-Day Saints
