San Juan Puerto Rico Temple facts for kids

18°23′08″N 66°01′47″W / 18.3855°N 66.0296°W / 18.3855; -66.0296 The San Juan Puerto Rico Temple is a special building for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the LDS Church). It is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This temple is the 176th one built by the church around the world. It is also the only temple in Puerto Rico and the third one in the Caribbean area. About 23,000 church members in Puerto Rico use this temple.

Building the Temple: A Look at Its History

How the Temple Was Announced

The idea to build this temple was first shared by Russell M. Nelson. He is the worldwide leader, or president, of the church. He announced it on October 7, 2018. This happened during a big meeting called a general conference. At the same time, President Nelson also announced plans for 11 other new temples. This brought the total number of temples to 201, including those already built, being built, or just announced.

Starting Construction: The Groundbreaking Ceremony

A few days before the groundbreaking, a picture of what the temple would look like was shared. Then, on January 17, 2019, the church announced the start date. A special event called a "groundbreaking" was held on May 4, 2019. This ceremony marked the official start of building the temple. Walter F. González, a church leader in the Caribbean, led the event. Leaders at the groundbreaking said they expected the temple to take about two years to build.

Opening the Temple: Delays and Dedication

The temple was first planned to be finished in 2021. However, building was slowed down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After construction was complete, the public had a chance to visit. An "open house" was held from December 1 to December 17, 2022. Finally, the temple was officially dedicated on January 15, 2023. D. Todd Christofferson, another church leader, led the dedication. Over 2,100 church members watched the ceremony from other locations.

Temple Design: Inside and Out

Outside the Temple

The San Juan Puerto Rico Temple has one main floor and a tall spire. The building is about 6,988 square feet in size. With its spire, it stands 74 feet tall. The spire's design was inspired by the towers on the San Juan City Hall. The outside of the temple is made of concrete. Its style looks like local Spanish colonial architecture, which is common in the area.

Inside the Temple

The glass inside the temple has designs inspired by "quatrefoil" shapes. These are special four-leaf patterns found on local buildings. The walkways around the temple were made using concrete from Puerto Rico. The light-colored "crema vosscione" tiles came from Mexico. The colorful accent tiles were made in Vietnam. The carpets inside have patterns that also match the Spanish Colonial style. Their colors remind visitors of Puerto Rico.

See also

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Puerto Rico
• Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by geographic region
• Temple architecture (Latter-day Saints)