Manti Utah Temple Facts for Kids

Manti Utah Temple

Number

Dedicated

Quick facts for kids

May 21, 1888 by
Lorenzo Snow

Site

27 acres (10.9 hectares)

Floor area

100,373 sq ft (9,325 m²)

Height

179 ft (55 m)

Preceded by

Logan Utah Temple

Followed by

Salt Lake Temple

Official website: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/details/manti-utah-temple • News & images

Additional information
Announced	June 25, 1875
Groundbreaking	April 25, 1877 by Brigham Young
Open House	June 6–8, 1985 (after renovations)
Rededicated	June 14, 1985 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Designed by	William H. Folsom
Location	Temple Hill Manti, Utah United States
Exterior finish	Cream-colored oolite limestone
Temple design	Castellated Gothic
Ordinance rooms	4 (live acting, four-stage progressive sessions)
Sealing rooms	8
Clothing rental	Available
Cafeteria	Available
Visitors' center	Not available
Notes	Wilford Woodruff performed a private dedication on May 17, 1888.


Manti Temple
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Location in Utah Show map of Utah Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	N edge of Manti, on U.S. 89, Manti, Utah
Area	4.3 acres (1.7 ha)
Built	1877
Architect	William H. Folsom
Architectural style	Gothic Revival, French Renaissance Revival, Second French Empire, Colonial architectural
NRHP reference No.	71000854
Added to NRHP	August 12, 1971

The Manti Utah Temple is an important building for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was the fifth temple built by the church and the third one west of the Mississippi River. It stands in Manti, Utah, and was designed by William Harrison Folsom. The temple is very tall and can be seen from far away in the Sanpete Valley. Like all temples of the church, only members who follow church rules can go inside.

History of the Manti Temple
Art and Murals
- Minerva Teichert's World Room Mural
Renovations and Changes
- Changes to Murals
Temple Style and Design
Temple Presidents
See also

History of the Manti Temple

The decision to build a temple in Manti was made by Church president Brigham Young on June 25, 1875. He chose the exact spot for the temple on April 25, 1877. Young said that a special angel named Moroni had already chosen this spot for a temple.

At that time, the main temple in Salt Lake City was still being built. It wasn't finished until 1893. So, the Manti Temple, along with the St. George and Logan temples, were built to meet the church's immediate needs. The temple was built on a large hill called the Manti Stone Quarry. Early settlers believed this hill would be a temple site. Brigham Young named the 27-acre (110,000 m²) area "Temple Hill."

Manti Temple dedication admission, signed by Wilford Woodruff

The Manti Temple was finished in 1888. A special private dedication was held on May 17, 1888, with a prayer written by Wilford Woodruff. Then, three public dedication ceremonies took place from May 21 to 23, 1888, led by Lorenzo Snow.

For a while, the Manti Temple had a special room called the Holy of Holies. This room was later used for special ceremonies called sealings. It was closed in the late 1970s.

In 1966, a study showed that many people were using the Salt Lake, Logan, and Manti temples. To help with this, two new temples were built in Ogden and Provo.

Art and Murals

The Manti Temple is famous for its beautiful murals (large wall paintings). Several artists from the church helped create them. These include C. C. A. Christensen (who painted the Creation Room), Minerva Teichert (who painted the World Room), and Robert L. Shepherd (who painted the Garden Room). Other artists like John Hafen, J. B. Fairbanks, and Dan Weggeland also contributed.

Some of the original murals were damaged over time. New murals were painted over them. For example, Weggeland's Garden Room mural is still underneath Shepherd's painting. The temple also has many other paintings, some showing the temple hill and Native American camps.

Minerva Teichert's World Room Mural

Minerva Teichert was asked by church president George Albert Smith to paint the World Room mural. She was the first woman in the church to get such a big painting job. She was paid $4,000 for her work.

While painting, Teichert was sick from lead poisoning, which caused her pain and made it hard to see. She wanted to finish the huge project in just one month. She often prayed for help and worked very fast.

Detail of the north wall of the Garden Room as painted by Minerva Teichert.

Frank Stevens helped Teichert by moving scaffolding and making sketches. Much of the painting was done high up on scaffolding, sometimes 28 feet in the air. Both artists were a bit scared of working so high. Once, while painting the Tower of Babel scene, Teichert fell off a scaffold and hurt her arm. After seeing a doctor, she went right back to work a few hours later.

The mural has 120 figures. Teichert called it a "great pageant." She said she worked "very fast" and painted nearly 4,000 square feet (370 m²) in 23 days. She returned later to add finishing touches, making the total work time about 28 days.

Renovations and Changes

The Manti Temple has been updated and repaired many times. In 1907, a large stone stairway was built leading up to the temple's west doors. In 1935, the temple was lit up at night for the first time. The stone stairs were removed in 1940 to make the grounds more beautiful. Between 1944 and 1945, parts of the temple like the chapel and Garden Room were remodeled.

There used to be a tunnel under the east tower where wagons and cars could drive through. This tunnel was closed in the 1960s. People used to joke that it was "the only temple you can go through without a recommend."

In 1981, church leaders decided the inside of the temple needed a lot of work. This renovation took four years. During this time, murals and old furniture were fixed, offices were made bigger, and an elevator was added. Water damage was repaired, and locker rooms were improved. In June 1985, Gordon B. Hinckley, a church leader, led the ceremonies to rededicate the temple. The outside of the temple has also been cared for since then.

Changes to Murals

In March 2021, the church announced big changes for the Manti and Salt Lake temples. This included changing how some ceremonies were done. To make these changes, the inside of the temples would be updated. This meant some historic artwork, including Minerva Teichert's murals, might be moved.

A week later, the church said they would work with art experts to find the best way to remove and save parts or all of Teichert's murals. They wanted to display them for people to see.

On May 1, church president Russell M. Nelson announced that the temple's interior, including its art, would be preserved. To help more people use temples in the area, he also announced that a new temple would be built in Ephraim, Utah.

Temple Style and Design

The Manti Temple mixes several architectural styles. These include Gothic Revival, French Renaissance Revival, and Second French Empire. The temple has 100,373 square feet (9,325 m²) of floor space. It has eight sealing rooms, four ordinance rooms, and a Celestial room.

The outside of the temple is made of a special cream-colored stone called oolite limestone. This stone came from quarries on the very hill where the temple stands. The two towers of the temple are 179 feet (55 m) tall. Inside the towers, there are amazing spiral staircases that show how clever the early pioneers were.

Temple Presidents

Many leaders have served as temple presidents over the years. Some notable ones include: Daniel H. Wells (1888–91), Anthon H. Lund (1891–93), John D. T. McAllister (1893–1906), Robert D. Young (1933–43), Jack H. Goaslind Jr. (2000–03), and Ed J. Pinegar (2009–12). As of early 2024, Richard W. and Linda N. Wheeler are the temple president and matron.