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Temple Square
Surrounded by high white walls, the 14-hectare (35-acre) site where the Mormon settlers established their first Utah community is the heart and soul of Salt Lake City. It contains the Tabernacle and Temple (see below), the Assembly Hall, where there are free weekend concerts, and two visitor centres, both of which contain displays and presentations on the Mormon faith. The square contains several memorials and statues, such as the Handcart Monument and the Seagull Monument. The latter commemorates a flock of California gulls, which saved the early pioneers from a plague of crickets that threatened to destroy their crops. Mormon guides offer visitors free 45-minute tours of the sites, starting every few minutes at the flagpole.
Directly opposite Temple Square is the restored Joseph Smith Memorial Building, where a free film, Legacy, telling the story of the early pioneers, is screened. Beside it stands the Brigham Young Monument, which honours the pioneer LDS Church leader.
The square is bordered by North Temple, 300 North, South Temple, West Temple and State Street
Tel: 1 800 537 9703.
Website: www.visittemplesquare.com
Mormon Tabernacle
Salt Lake City's most famous building is one of the most fascinating structures in the United States. The oval Tabernacle, begun in 1863, took 12 years to complete. Built as a gathering place for the community, it is capped by a massive domed roof rising 20m (65ft) high. Brigham Young is said to have hit on the idea for its unusual design while contemplating a hollowed-out eggshell sliced lengthwise. He wanted the roof to be self-supporting, with no pillars to block the congregation's views, so bridge-building techniques were used to construct arched lattice trusses as the main supports. The huge beams of the dome were bent into shape with steam and weighted at both ends. It still ranks among the largest timber-roof frames in the world. Equally impressive is the Tabernacle's simple, unadorned interior. Because hardwood was not available, the pioneer craftsmen painted the wood grain on the walls and benches to resemble oak.
The building is home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which was formed in 1847. Its acoustics are so remarkable that a pin drop rings clearly throughout the hall. The 11,000-pipe organ features golden pipes made of hand-carved round wood staves. The choir gives free performances inside the Tabernacle twice a week, one of which is a broadcast of its weekly radio programme, ‘Music and the Spoken Word' on Sundays at 0930, and their weekly rehearsals are on Thursdays from 2000-2130. There are also daily organ recitals at 1200.
Temple Square
Tel: (801) 240 2534 (Temple Square Visitor Center).
Free admission.
Mormon Temple
Towering above Temple Square, the Mormon Temple is one of the most striking sights of Salt Lake City. The tallest of its six spires reaches 64m (210ft) and is topped by a statue of the Angel Moroni, which is made of hammered copper and covered with a thick overlay of gold leaf. Construction began in 1853, and the temple took 40 years to complete. Enormous blocks of granite were hauled by oxen for 24km (15 miles) from a quarry in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The foundation walls are 4.8m (16ft) thick and 4.8m (16ft) deep. The temple is closed to the public and is only accessible to practising Mormons during religious ceremonies.
Temple Square
Tel: (801) 240 2534 (Temple Square Visitor Center).
Free admission, Mormons only.
Beehive House
The first Mormons called their land ‘Deseret', which means ‘honeybee', a symbol of industriousness - the beehive is Utah's state symbol today. The Beehive House, built in 1854, was the home of LDS leader and territorial governor, Brigham Young, until he died in 1877. This simple, white house, with its smart green shutters and long verandahs, was then the finest in the city. Meticulously restored with period furnishings, artefacts and antiques, it houses a small museum concerning Young's life. The ornate reception room is the highlight of the free guided tours that run every 10 minutes, including a tour of the kitchen, bedrooms and children's playroom. Eagle Gate, the original entrance to Young's property, stands just to the east of the Beehive House. The 23m (76ft) arch is topped by the statue of an eagle weighing 1,814kg (4,000lbs). Young had over 50 wives and many children and the Lion House next door was built in 1855, to provide additional space for his growing family.
67 East South Temple
Tel: (801) 240 2671.
Free admission.
Family History Library
This library, owned by the Mormon Church, contains the largest collection of genealogical information in the world. It includes several million rolls of microfilmed records holding over 3 billion names from all around the world and hundreds of thousands of microfiche, CDs, books, and maps, with more historical documents added each year. Most records date from the mid 16th century to 1930. Free classes are offered on genealogical research, and volunteers at the library speak up to 30 different languages to help researchers read documents collected from all over the world. Access to all genealogical documents is offered free, and visitors are instructed on how to research their own family roots.
35 North West Temple
Tel: (801) 240 2584 or 1 800 346 6044.
Website: www.familysearch.org
Free admission.
Pioneer Memorial Museum
Run by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers and dedicated to historical memorabilia, the Pioneer Memorial Museum is one of the best in the state. Its 38 rooms contain furniture, textiles, a doll collection, toys, photographs and household items from the days of the pioneers. It also contains the original eagle that once perched on top of Eagle Gate. Among the historic vehicles in the carriage house is a 1902 fire engine.
300 North Main Street
Tel: (801) 532 6479.
Website: www.dupinternational.org/museum/museum.html
Free admission; contributions welcome.
Utah State Capitol
Built in 1915, the State Capitol building is one of the finest examples of the Renaissance Revival style in the country. This Salt Lake City landmark sits on top of a hill overlooking the city. Its stately walls of Utah granite are framed with 24 Corinthian columns and topped by a gleaming copper dome. The interior rotunda is lined with Georgian marble and paintings illustrating Utah history. A two-year renovation, including adding earthquake-proof foundations, has recently been completed, and the Capitol will again be open to the public by summer 2008.
Capitol Hill, northern end of State Street
Tel: (801) 538 3000 or 1563 (tour information).
Website: www.utah.gov/capitolbuilding
Free admission.
Cathedral of the Madeleine
This beautiful gothic cathedral was begun in 1900, by Bishop Lawrence Scanlon, the first Roman Catholic bishop of Salt Lake. It features Venetian mosaics and other ornate artwork, Tennessee and Utah marble, and outstanding stained-glass windows. An extensive US$9.7 million renovation was completed in 1993.
331 East South Temple
Tel: (801) 328 8941.
Website: www.saltlakecathedral.org
Free admission.
Utah Museum of Fine Arts
Set in a handsome specially designed building on the University of Utah campus, which opened in June 2001, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts contains some 17,000 pieces of art. Exhibits from Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America are on display along with American works, including a collection of antiquities dating back to 3000BC. There is also a contemporary art gallery and sculpture garden. The museum stages world-class temporary exhibitions.
Marcia and John Price Museum Building, 410 Campus Center Drive, University of Utah
Tel: (801) 581 7332.
Website: www.umfa.utah.edu
Free admission.
Clark Planetarium
The Clark Planetarium has a space science museum, with interactive exhibits, an Exhibit Hall with models of a lunar hemisphere, a relief globe and a Foucault pendulum. The planetarium puts on daily star shows that simulate trips to the planets, as well as laser/music concerts on the subject of space.
110 South 400 West (Gateway Mall)
Tel: (801) 456 7827/STAR.
Website: www.clarkplanetarium.org
Free admission to the museum and exhibits, charge for star/laser shows.
This is The Place Heritage Park
This park commemorates the place where the first Mormon pioneers ended their 2,080km (1,300-mile) trek across America. It is named after This Is the Place Monument, erected in 1947 to commemorate the centennial of Brigham Young's decision to settle there. The park contains Heritage Village, a recreation of a pioneer village from the mid 19th century, with reconstructed general store, bank and other buildings and actors in period costume demonstrating ways of life from the pioneer era. Brigham Young's original farmhouse, renovated with period furnishings, is also situated here.
2601 East Sunnyside Avenue at 800 South
Tel: (801) 582 1847.
Website: www.thisistheplace.org
Free admission to the park; charge for Heritage Village.
Surrounded by high white walls, the 14-hectare (35-acre) site where the Mormon settlers established their first Utah community is the heart and soul of Salt Lake City. It contains the Tabernacle and Temple (see below), the Assembly Hall, where there are free weekend concerts, and two visitor centres, both of which contain displays and presentations on the Mormon faith. The square contains several memorials and statues, such as the Handcart Monument and the Seagull Monument. The latter commemorates a flock of California gulls, which saved the early pioneers from a plague of crickets that threatened to destroy their crops. Mormon guides offer visitors free 45-minute tours of the sites, starting every few minutes at the flagpole.
Directly opposite Temple Square is the restored Joseph Smith Memorial Building, where a free film, Legacy, telling the story of the early pioneers, is screened. Beside it stands the Brigham Young Monument, which honours the pioneer LDS Church leader.
The square is bordered by North Temple, 300 North, South Temple, West Temple and State Street
Tel: 1 800 537 9703.
Website: www.visittemplesquare.com
Mormon Tabernacle
Salt Lake City's most famous building is one of the most fascinating structures in the United States. The oval Tabernacle, begun in 1863, took 12 years to complete. Built as a gathering place for the community, it is capped by a massive domed roof rising 20m (65ft) high. Brigham Young is said to have hit on the idea for its unusual design while contemplating a hollowed-out eggshell sliced lengthwise. He wanted the roof to be self-supporting, with no pillars to block the congregation's views, so bridge-building techniques were used to construct arched lattice trusses as the main supports. The huge beams of the dome were bent into shape with steam and weighted at both ends. It still ranks among the largest timber-roof frames in the world. Equally impressive is the Tabernacle's simple, unadorned interior. Because hardwood was not available, the pioneer craftsmen painted the wood grain on the walls and benches to resemble oak.
The building is home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which was formed in 1847. Its acoustics are so remarkable that a pin drop rings clearly throughout the hall. The 11,000-pipe organ features golden pipes made of hand-carved round wood staves. The choir gives free performances inside the Tabernacle twice a week, one of which is a broadcast of its weekly radio programme, ‘Music and the Spoken Word' on Sundays at 0930, and their weekly rehearsals are on Thursdays from 2000-2130. There are also daily organ recitals at 1200.
Temple Square
Tel: (801) 240 2534 (Temple Square Visitor Center).
Free admission.
Mormon Temple
Towering above Temple Square, the Mormon Temple is one of the most striking sights of Salt Lake City. The tallest of its six spires reaches 64m (210ft) and is topped by a statue of the Angel Moroni, which is made of hammered copper and covered with a thick overlay of gold leaf. Construction began in 1853, and the temple took 40 years to complete. Enormous blocks of granite were hauled by oxen for 24km (15 miles) from a quarry in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The foundation walls are 4.8m (16ft) thick and 4.8m (16ft) deep. The temple is closed to the public and is only accessible to practising Mormons during religious ceremonies.
Temple Square
Tel: (801) 240 2534 (Temple Square Visitor Center).
Free admission, Mormons only.
Beehive House
The first Mormons called their land ‘Deseret', which means ‘honeybee', a symbol of industriousness - the beehive is Utah's state symbol today. The Beehive House, built in 1854, was the home of LDS leader and territorial governor, Brigham Young, until he died in 1877. This simple, white house, with its smart green shutters and long verandahs, was then the finest in the city. Meticulously restored with period furnishings, artefacts and antiques, it houses a small museum concerning Young's life. The ornate reception room is the highlight of the free guided tours that run every 10 minutes, including a tour of the kitchen, bedrooms and children's playroom. Eagle Gate, the original entrance to Young's property, stands just to the east of the Beehive House. The 23m (76ft) arch is topped by the statue of an eagle weighing 1,814kg (4,000lbs). Young had over 50 wives and many children and the Lion House next door was built in 1855, to provide additional space for his growing family.
67 East South Temple
Tel: (801) 240 2671.
Free admission.
Family History Library
This library, owned by the Mormon Church, contains the largest collection of genealogical information in the world. It includes several million rolls of microfilmed records holding over 3 billion names from all around the world and hundreds of thousands of microfiche, CDs, books, and maps, with more historical documents added each year. Most records date from the mid 16th century to 1930. Free classes are offered on genealogical research, and volunteers at the library speak up to 30 different languages to help researchers read documents collected from all over the world. Access to all genealogical documents is offered free, and visitors are instructed on how to research their own family roots.
35 North West Temple
Tel: (801) 240 2584 or 1 800 346 6044.
Website: www.familysearch.org
Free admission.
Pioneer Memorial Museum
Run by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers and dedicated to historical memorabilia, the Pioneer Memorial Museum is one of the best in the state. Its 38 rooms contain furniture, textiles, a doll collection, toys, photographs and household items from the days of the pioneers. It also contains the original eagle that once perched on top of Eagle Gate. Among the historic vehicles in the carriage house is a 1902 fire engine.
300 North Main Street
Tel: (801) 532 6479.
Website: www.dupinternational.org/museum/museum.html
Free admission; contributions welcome.
Utah State Capitol
Built in 1915, the State Capitol building is one of the finest examples of the Renaissance Revival style in the country. This Salt Lake City landmark sits on top of a hill overlooking the city. Its stately walls of Utah granite are framed with 24 Corinthian columns and topped by a gleaming copper dome. The interior rotunda is lined with Georgian marble and paintings illustrating Utah history. A two-year renovation, including adding earthquake-proof foundations, has recently been completed, and the Capitol will again be open to the public by summer 2008.
Capitol Hill, northern end of State Street
Tel: (801) 538 3000 or 1563 (tour information).
Website: www.utah.gov/capitolbuilding
Free admission.
Cathedral of the Madeleine
This beautiful gothic cathedral was begun in 1900, by Bishop Lawrence Scanlon, the first Roman Catholic bishop of Salt Lake. It features Venetian mosaics and other ornate artwork, Tennessee and Utah marble, and outstanding stained-glass windows. An extensive US$9.7 million renovation was completed in 1993.
331 East South Temple
Tel: (801) 328 8941.
Website: www.saltlakecathedral.org
Free admission.
Utah Museum of Fine Arts
Set in a handsome specially designed building on the University of Utah campus, which opened in June 2001, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts contains some 17,000 pieces of art. Exhibits from Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America are on display along with American works, including a collection of antiquities dating back to 3000BC. There is also a contemporary art gallery and sculpture garden. The museum stages world-class temporary exhibitions.
Marcia and John Price Museum Building, 410 Campus Center Drive, University of Utah
Tel: (801) 581 7332.
Website: www.umfa.utah.edu
Free admission.
Clark Planetarium
The Clark Planetarium has a space science museum, with interactive exhibits, an Exhibit Hall with models of a lunar hemisphere, a relief globe and a Foucault pendulum. The planetarium puts on daily star shows that simulate trips to the planets, as well as laser/music concerts on the subject of space.
110 South 400 West (Gateway Mall)
Tel: (801) 456 7827/STAR.
Website: www.clarkplanetarium.org
Free admission to the museum and exhibits, charge for star/laser shows.
This is The Place Heritage Park
This park commemorates the place where the first Mormon pioneers ended their 2,080km (1,300-mile) trek across America. It is named after This Is the Place Monument, erected in 1947 to commemorate the centennial of Brigham Young's decision to settle there. The park contains Heritage Village, a recreation of a pioneer village from the mid 19th century, with reconstructed general store, bank and other buildings and actors in period costume demonstrating ways of life from the pioneer era. Brigham Young's original farmhouse, renovated with period furnishings, is also situated here.
2601 East Sunnyside Avenue at 800 South
Tel: (801) 582 1847.
Website: www.thisistheplace.org
Free admission to the park; charge for Heritage Village.
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