In 1847, when Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, presidentBrigham Young selected a plot of the desert ground and proclaimed, “Here we will build a temple to our God.” When the city was surveyed, the block enclosing that location was designated for the temple, and became known as Temple Square. Temple Square is surrounded by a 15-foot wall that was built shortly after the block was so designated. The square also became the headquarters of the LDS Church. Other buildings were built on the plot, including a tabernacle (prior to the one occupying Temple Square today) and Endowment House, both of which were later torn down. The Salt Lake Tabernacle, home of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, was built in 1867 to accommodate the church’s general conferences, with a seating capacity of 8,000. Another church building, the Salt Lake Assembly Hall, was later built with a seating capacity of 2,000.
As the church has grown, its headquarters have expanded into the surrounding area. In 1917, an administration building was built on the block east of the temple and in 1972, the twenty-eight story LDS Church Office Building, which was, for many years, the tallest building in the state of Utah. The Hotel Utah, another building on this block, was remodeled in 1995 as additional office space and a large film theater and renamed the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. In 2000, the church purchased the section of Main Street between this block and Temple Square and connected the two blocks with a plaza called the Main Street Plaza. In 2000, the church completed a new, 21,000 seat Conference Center on the block north of Temple Square. The Family History Library and the Church History Museum are located on the block west of Temple Square. The Church History Library is located on the block northeast of Temple Square.
Attracting 3 million to 5 million visitors a year, Temple Square is the most popular tourist attraction in Utah, bringing in more visitors than the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone National Park. By comparison, Utah’s five National Parks—Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches—had a combined total of 5.3 million visitors in 2005. The grounds, as well as the Gardens at Temple Square, often host concerts and other events. During the Christmas holiday season, approximately 100,000 Christmas lights sparkle from trees and shrubs around Temple Square each evening until 10 pm. The lighting of Temple Square is a popular event, usually attended by more than 10,000 people. Temple Square serves as the center point for all street addresses in Salt Lake City. The streets in Salt Lake follow a grid pattern which deviate out from the southeast corner of Temple Square.
