New interior images of the recently renovated Hamilton New Zealand Temple have been published, in conjunction with the temple’s “media day” Tuesday, Aug. 23, and just ahead of its public open house later this week.
Dedicated on April 20, 1958, as the 11th-oldest operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Hamilton temple has been closed since July 2018 for a series of renovations, including seismic strengthening and upgrades to its mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems.
The temple is 4,204 square meters — a little more than 45,250 square feet — and stands 47.5 meters tall (nearly 156 feet) from the main entrance to the top of the spire.
For the temple’s exterior, the historic painted concrete mason remains unchanged. With construction beginning in 1956, the concrete blocks were manufactured on site by the original construction crew, mostly comprised of labor missionaries who donated their time.
Inside, the temple’s layout has been reconfigured for better flow and efficiency. Some of the original design elements were restored, including the historic murals. New design elements reflect the work of the temple’s original builders as well as local Māori traditions.
Other interior features include oak millwork from Hamilton craftspeople and decorative painting derived from local Māori patterns.
Other changes included a new roof and an accessible entrance to the baptistry. The inside furnishings, landscaping and parking lot also all received a refresh.
Photos and information on the open house were published on the Church’s Newsroom site in New Zealand late morning Tuesday, Aug. 23 — Monday evening in the United States.
The First Presidency announced in April that after nearly four years of closure, the Hamilton New Zealand Temple — the Church’s first temple in the Southern Hemisphere and third beyond the North American continent, after temples in Hawaii and Switzerland — will be rededicated Sunday, Oct. 16, by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
The public open house for the temple, located at 509 Tuhikaramea Road, Temple View, Hamilton, New Zealand, begins Friday, Aug. 26, and runs through Saturday, Sept. 17, excluding Sundays; reservations can be made online at hamiltontemple.nz.
Billboards throughout New Zealand’s Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Waikato areas have called attention to the open house.
The Hamilton temple currently serves some 117,000 Latter-day saints in New Zealand.
A second temple in the country is under construction — the Auckland New Zealand Temple was announced by President Russell M. Nelson in October 2018 general conference, with ground broken on June 13, 2020. And a third temple in New Zealand — for the city of Wellington — was announced in April 2022 general conference and is in the planning stages.
For more information and photos of the newly renovated Hamilton New Zealand Temple, go to ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
