USA Guide
The Southwest
Temple Square
The geographical – and spiritual – heart of Salt Lake City is Temple Square, the world headquarters of the Mormon Church (or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – LDS). Its focus, the multi-spired granite Temple itself, was completed in 1893 after forty years of intensive labor. Only confirmed Mormons may enter the Temple, and even they do so only for the most sacred LDS rituals – marriage, baptisms, and "sealing," the joining of a family unit for eternity.
Wander through the gates of Temple Square, however, and you'll swiftly be shepherded to join a free 45-minute tour. As well as passing monuments to Mormon pioneers, you'll be ushered into the odd oblong shell of the Mormon Tabernacle. No images of any kind adorn its interior, where a helper laconically displays its remarkable acoustic properties by tearing up a newspaper and dropping a nail. There's free admission to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 9.30am Sunday broadcast, and its rehearsals on Thursday evenings at 8pm.
The primary aim of the tours is to awaken your interest in the Mormon faith. In the northern of the square's two visitor centers (both daily 9am–9pm), displays focus to a considerable extent on the life and times of Jesus Christ, while its southern counterpart tells the story of Salt Lake City's first Mormon settlers.