Saratoga Springs Utah Temple Begins Public Open House

It stands majestic and serene against a stunning landscape. Mount Timpanogos and Utah Lake, iconic Utah landmarks, frame its concrete shear walls and decorative band, which depicts mountains, wetlands and snowy egrets (the logo of Saratoga Springs, a swanlike bird that symbolizes purity and is found near Utah Lake). The Saratoga Springs Utah Temple is the 179th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is now open to the public for 13 weeks.

Downloadable B-roll | Media Day B-roll | SOTs | High-Resolution Photos | Temple Press Kit PDF

This sacred space, located northwest of Utah Lake in Utah County, was first announced at general conference in April 2017 by then Church President Thomas S. Monson.

Invited guests can begin tours from April 10 to 14, 2023, followed by public tours occurring April 15 to July 8, 2023. Tours will be conducted six days a week, excluding Sundays.

As a house of the Lord, this temple is entered by only the most devout Latter-day Saints after its dedication. Thus, they are eager to show the building to neighbors and friends during the open house.

At the conclusion of the open house, the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple will be dedicated in two sessions (10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. MDT) on Sunday, August 13, 2023, by President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency. The dedication will be broadcast to congregations throughout the area.

The design cues and color palette of the temple are inspired by the blues, purples, golds and greens of surrounding flora and fauna, such as wildflowers, marsh grass, reeds and the snowy egrets.

The finest materials and workmanship have gone into the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple, from imported mahogany and marble to custom art-glass windows and crystal chandeliers — finishes designed to enhance the experience for those who come to worship in this holy place.

Elder Kevin R. Duncan, Temple Department executive director, explained, “Because we’re building His house, we strive to give our … very best craftsmanship, the very best materials that we can. It’s not ostentatious. It’s simplistic beauty that elevates one’s vision toward Christ.”

“The temple is a place of light and beauty,” said Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “All of God’s creations are reflected in the variety of what we see in the temple and how it’s put together.

“They’re very impressive from the outside, but much more impressive than the actual physical structures are what takes place inside,” continued Elder Bednar. “In the temples, we learn about God’s plan for his children. We learn about the role of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer. And as we learn about the true nature of God, that changes us as we come to know about Him [and] love Him.”

Temples differ from the Church’s meetinghouses. All are welcome to attend weekly Sunday worship services and other weekday activities at meetinghouses. The primary purpose of temples is for Latter-day Saints to take part in sacred ceremonies, such as marriages, which unite families forever, and proxy baptisms on behalf of deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity to be baptized while living. In short, temples are where Latter-day Saints make promises with God and learn of their divine origin.

Saratoga Springs Temple Media Day

Several Church leaders made comments at the temple media day on Monday, April 10, 2023.

Sister Kristin M. Yee of the Relief Society General Presidency (herself an artist) said the temple’s artwork is “just exquisite.”

“When you put effort into creating artwork for God,” she continued, “He helps us and magnifies those abilities. You can see the beauty of that magnification in the stained glass and the woodwork, in the stone, in the carpet. It all points us back to Him.”

“Even on the outside of the temple you see these motifs that really reflect this area — the beautiful Wasatch mountains, the wonder of the wetlands of Utah Lake and the flowers in this area” Elder Duncan added. “That’s the kind of thing that connects people in the area to people in the area — whether they’re members of our faith or not — to [this] wonderful temple.”

Elder Evan A. Schmutz of the Utah Area Presidency encouraged people of all ages and faiths to walk through the Saratoga Springs Temple.

“We really believe that all who come in … are going to feel something in their hearts,” he said. “They’re going to feel reverence for God. And they’re going to feel a sense of belonging to our Father in Heaven.”