While the exterior projects of the Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square renovations have included the temple enveloped in scaffolding, seismic upgrades to the foundation and the construction of entry pavilions, the interior of the house of the Lord also has been undergoing renovations.
The interior of the Salt Lake Temple is designed to be a holy space that honors the pioneer past and also accommodates the worship of God for more generations, according to the update released on Saturday, Sept. 21, on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Artist renderings of the interior were also released. A list of questions and answers about the Salt Lake Temple was also published.
Church President Russell M. Nelson said in the 2019 press conference announcing the renovations that all upgrades to the temple “will emphasize and highlight the life, ministry and mission of Jesus Christ in His desire to bless every nation, kindred, tongue and people.”
The recent update includes what has been preserved and changed in the interior, including those due to the seismic upgrades for the temple and increasing the capacity and accessibility in the house of the Lord.
Returning to pioneer-era roots
The Salt Lake Temple has been renovated many times since its original dedication on April 6, 1893, including in the 1930s, the 1960s, and the 1980s, with many of the most extensive renovations from 1962 to 1966. And with this recent renovation, the needed seismic upgrades while preserving the interior still meant changes were needed, ChurchofJesusChrist.org reported.
Many portions of the temple with particular historical and spiritual significance are being preserved and restored, including the celestial room, two original sealing rooms, the large assembly room on the fifth floor, the four stone spiral staircases in each corner tower and most of the terrestrial room. Also, the oxen of the original baptismal font, original doorknobs and the Tiffany glass windows have been restored, and artisans are working to restore original furniture, lighting and artwork.
Additionally, historic research was done to discover the Victorian-era patterns and designs original to the temple, and these designs are being incorporated in carpets, draperies, fabric, paint, rugs and trims.
“The renovated temple will feel more consistent and more like the original Salt Lake Temple from beginning to end,” said Bill Williams, the Church’s director of architecture. “As soon as you walk through the doors of the north entry pavilion, it will look like a Victorian-era temple, which was never the case after previous renovations. I think for most people it will feel like, ‘Wow. Now it feels like the Salt Lake Temple from stem to stern.’”
Interior changes
Some elements of the temple’s interior couldn’t be restored, according to ChurchofJesusChrist.org
“While we were not able to keep all elements of the original temple, it’s also true that the Salt Lake Temple is a living building — with a past and a future,” Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé said. “We have done everything possible to preserve this holy edifice. I rejoice that this significant renovation is creating spaces for future generations to have their own sacred experiences.”
The seismic upgrades, including strengthening the temple and making it easier and safer for everyone, required changes to the floorplan and removing many parts of the historic interior. These include the removal of the staircase connecting the temple’s first and second floors, due to the complexity of the seismic upgrade.
Many interior walls were made from unreinforced masonry, and those walls also had to be removed. The murals in the instruction rooms were hand-painted on plaster and were not saved, according to ChurchofJesusChrist.org
Historians, preservationists and conservators led efforts to document and preserve sections of the murals and other historic components. These were then documented and photographed, and portions will be preserved in the nearby Church History Library.
Expansion and accessibility
Another purpose of the renovation was improving the temple’s capacity and accessibility, which also resulted in changes to the interior.
These include:
- The underground addition to the temple had an additional 100,000 square feet.
- The temple will have two baptistries, instead of one. The original cast-iron oxen are being restored and placed in one of the new baptistries.
- The house of the Lord will have 22 sealing rooms, up from 13.
- The temple will have five endowment instruction rooms, with increased seating space.
- The house of the Lord will have one veil room.
- New elevators, including those with high capacity, have been added throughout the house of the Lord.
- Stairs or ramps between the instruction rooms have been eliminated.
In the temple endowment, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints learn more about the plan of salvation and make several sacred covenants. Events that are part of the plan of salvation are presented, including the Creation of the world, the Fall of Adam and Eve, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Apostasy and the Restoration.
Previously in the Salt Lake Temple, members would progress through a series of rooms during the endowment, and in each room, murals were painted on the walls to help illustrate what is taught in the room. (In other temples, depending on the design, people may stay in the same room for the endowment instruction or change rooms once.)
After the renovation, the endowment in the Salt Lake Temple will be a single-room video presentation and available in more than 90 languages. The rooms will have high-quality audio/visual systems to support different languages and, like many other houses of the Lord, the ordinance will have subtitles.
The north addition will also have a central corridor system to help with navigational issues. Also, the improvements include upgrades to lighting and mechanical systems and more efficient utilities, such as new heating, air conditioning, electrical and plumbing systems.
“We want to create a positive, seamless experience for everyone who visits the temple,” said Andy Kirby, director of the Church’s historic temple renovations. “We removed all 1960s infrastructure, with its low ceilings and confusing corridors. The new central corridor, with its skylight view of the temple, makes it easier to find your way.”
About the Salt Lake Temple renovation
The Salt Lake Temple was dedicated on April 6, 1893, after 40 years of construction. The recent renovation of the Salt Lake Temple was announced in April 2019, and the Salt Lake Temple closed at the end of that year for the multiyear project.
The renovations include “the removal of the existing temple entry/annex, removal of the South Visitors’ Center, renovation of the historic Salt Lake Temple, construction of new temple entry buildings and visitors’ pavilions and new hardscape and landscaping.”
The temple’s foundation has been undergoing a significant seismic upgrade, including installing a base isolation system, to help the temple withstand large-magnitude earthquakes. Reinforced concrete beams are being installed under the foundations of the temple using the “jack and bore” process. A new access tunnel under North Temple Street will be installed to connect the Conference Center parking area to the temple’s entrance.
Also, various plazas around Temple Square have been renovated, including the removal of the North Visitors’ Center to make room for gardens and restrooms.
The most recent update in August showed the finished Church Office Building Plaza and adjoining Main Street Plaza, progress on the new pavilions and on the seismic upgrade to the Salt Lake Temple. The concrete transfer girders, which in an earthquake transfer the load of the temple to a stronger, reinforced foundation, have been recently completed for the temple’s west towers, with the east towers done earlier.
In March 2023, it was announced that the project’s targeted completion date was now in 2026.
