Salt Lake Tabernacle facts for kids
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Mormon Tabernacle
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The exterior of the Tabernacle in December 2008
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| Location | 50 W. North Temple Salt Lake City, Utah |
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| Coordinates | 40°46′13.5″N 111°53′35.3″W / 40.770417°N 111.893139°W |
| Public transit | Temple Square Trax Station |
| Owner | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
| Type | Auditorium |
| Seating type | Reserved by Section |
| Capacity | 3,500 (after 2007 renovation) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | July 26, 1864 |
| Opened | October 6, 1867 (First General Conference held) October 9, 1875 (building dedication) |
| Architect | Henry Grow Truman O. Angell (1870 gallery addition) with contributions from William Folsom and Brigham Young |
| Website | |
| Salt Lake Tabernacle | |
The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is a famous building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was built between 1863 and 1875 for large meetings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
For many years, it hosted the church's big semi-annual conferences. In 2000, these meetings moved to the larger LDS Conference Center. Today, the Tabernacle is a historic landmark. It is still used for extra crowds during conferences. It is famous for its amazing sound quality and its huge pipe organ. The Tabernacle Choir has performed here for over 100 years.
Contents
Building the Tabernacle
The Tabernacle was built from 1864 to 1867. It was the largest meeting hall in the United States by 1892. The building has a strong sandstone base. Its unique dome-shaped roof is supported by 44 sandstone pillars. Before a big update in 2007, about 7,000 people could sit inside.
Henry Grow, an engineer, led the first part of the building project. The most amazing part was the huge, domed roof. Brigham Young, the church president, wanted a roof without any inside pillars. This way, everyone could see the stage clearly.
Grow designed the roof to be 150 feet wide and 250 feet long. Some people thought the roof would fall when the supports were removed. But it was built very strongly. The roof's wooden frame was nine feet thick. It was held together with wooden pegs. Wet rawhide was wrapped around the wood. When the rawhide dried, it tightened, holding the pegs even more firmly.
Building the roof started in 1865. Henry Grow worked quickly from the center outwards. He finished the roof by spring 1867. The Tabernacle was first used for a conference in October 1867. The roof has been strong for over a century. Its original wooden shingles were replaced with aluminum in 1947.
The first benches and balcony supports were made from local "white pine" trees. Workers painted them to look like oak and marble. During the 2007 renovation, new oak benches were put in. This made more legroom but reduced the seating by about 1,000 seats.
The Famous Organ
The Salt Lake Tabernacle organ is a main feature inside the building. It sits at the west end, above the choir seats. The first organ was built in 1867 and had 700 pipes. Over time, the organ has been rebuilt many times. Now, it has 11,623 pipes, making it one of the largest pipe organs in the world.
The current organ was finished in 1948 by G. Donald Harrison. It was updated and restored in 1989. The largest pipes you see on the outside are made of wood. They were built in the same way as the balcony pillars.
Building Design and Art
The Tabernacle's design was amazing for its time. A writer for Scientific American noted how hard it must have been to build such a heavy roof. Some early visitors joked that it looked like a "soup kettle" or a "giant tortoise." But famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright called it "one of the architectural masterpieces of the country and perhaps the world."
Art and Statues Inside
For many years, the Tabernacle had different art on its walls. There was a painting showing Joseph Smith getting the Gold plates from an angel. A portrait of Joseph Smith also hung near the organ. In 1875, a fountain was placed in the middle of the building. It was meant to show the "living water" of Christ.
Also in 1875, a statue of an angel blowing a trumpet was placed between the two largest organ pipes. The highest pulpit was decorated with lion statues. These lions represented Brigham Young as the "Lion of the Lord."
Decorations and Banners
When it was first built, the Tabernacle didn't have much paint. So, people used many decorations. These included a blue banner with a gold beehive. There was also a star with the word "Utah." Another banner read, "Under the everlasting covenant God must and shall be glorified." Large American flags, bunting, garland, and flowers were also used.
What the Tabernacle is Used For
The Tabernacle was the main place for the church's general conferences for 132 years. As more people attended, the conferences moved to the new Conference Center in 2000. But the Tabernacle is still used for overflow crowds during these big meetings.
The Tabernacle is the home of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. It was also where the Utah Symphony Orchestra performed before Abravanel Hall was built. It is the historic place where the famous radio and TV show Music and the Spoken Word is broadcast.
Amazing Sound Quality
The Tabernacle was built before electronic sound systems. So, it was designed to have amazing sound quality. This way, everyone in the audience could hear the speakers clearly. The roof is shaped like a special oval, with the pulpit at one end. This design helps sound from the pulpit travel and be heard clearly at the other end of the building.
Church president Brigham Young reportedly said the design was inspired by "the best sounding board in the world... the roof of my mouth." Later, Truman O. Angell added the balcony in 1870. This helped make the sound even better. The building is known worldwide for its perfect sound. You can even hear a pin drop from one side of the building to the other, over 250 feet away!
Recent Updates
The Tabernacle was closed from 2005 to 2007 for major renovations. These updates included making the building stronger against earthquakes. New gold leaf was added to the organ pipes. The ceiling was fixed and repainted. New dressing rooms and a music library were built for the choir. Three recording studios were added under the main floor. The stage area was also updated. All the plumbing was replaced.
The building reopened in March 2007. An opening concert with the Tabernacle Choir was held in April 2007. As part of the updates, all 44 pillars supporting the roof were made stronger with steel bars and concrete.
Famous Visitors and Speakers
Many important people have spoken from the Tabernacle pulpit. Twelve U.S. presidents have visited, including Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy.
Other famous speakers include Susan B. Anthony (a leader for women's rights), Charles Lindbergh (the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic), and Helen Keller (a famous author and activist). Susan B. Anthony praised the Tabernacle, calling it "the most magnificent gathering I ever saw."
In 1980, actor James Stewart even conducted the Tabernacle Choir there. This was for a TV special called Mr. Krueger's Christmas.
Visiting the Tabernacle
At first, tourists were not encouraged to visit the Tabernacle. It was seen as a very sacred place. But now, tours are offered to anyone who wants one. Missionaries who give tours often show off the amazing sound quality. They might drop a pin on the pulpit or tear a newspaper. You can hear these small sounds throughout the entire building!
See also
In Spanish: Tabernáculo de Salt Lake City para niños
- List of concert halls
- Salt Lake Assembly Hall
- Salt Lake Temple
- List of pipe organs
