In late 2019, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints underwent renovations of Temple Square. After nearly four years since the start of the renovations, here’s what’s been done.
On June 1, a completed portion of the plaza south of the Church offices will be open to the public during Temple Square hours. According to a Church news release, two different entrances will be “accessible (to the public) from the west side of State Street as well as from a walkway between the Church Administration Building and the Lion House.”
Part of the changes in the area include international flag displays and a monument.
“When the plaza fully reopens, it will display 91 international flags to represent the global growth of the Church,” the news release said. “It will also include a monument stone inscribed with a scripture from the Bible (Isaiah 2:2): “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.”
Construction will continue on the plaza between the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and the Church Administration Building. It is expected to the completed by the end of 2023.
On May 3, the first of 98 base isolators on the Salt Lake City Temple was installed.
“A single base isolator weighs 18,000 pounds but can carry a weight of 8 million pounds,” the news release said. “Installing isolators will allow the temple to move horizontally up to five feet in any direction during an earthquake.