Nauvoo Temple

Nauvoo Temple

Destroyed

Undated photograph of the Nauvoo Temple.

Dedication

1 May 1846 by
Orson Hyde

Floor area

54,000 sq ft (5,000 m²)

Preceded by

Kirtland Temple

Official website• News & images

Additional information
Announcement	August 1840
Groundbreaking	18 February 1841
Designed by	William Weeks
Location	50 Wells Street, Nauvoo, Illinois 62354
Temple design	Greek revival
Visitors' center	Yes
Notes	Some sources claim a private dedication on 30 April 1846 by Brigham Young. Abandoned in 1846, destroyed by fire on 19 November 1848, rebuilt in 2002 (see 113)

Coordinates: 40°33′1.216800″N 91°23′2.972399″W / 40.55033800000°N 91.38415899972°W / 40.55033800000; -91.38415899972 The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The church's first temple was completed in Kirtland, Ohio, United States, in 1836. When the main body of the church was forced out of Nauvoo, Illinois, in the winter of 1846, the church attempted to sell the building, finally succeeding in 1848. The building was damaged by fire and a tornado before being demolished.

In 1937, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) reacquired the lot on which the original temple had stood. In 2000, the church began to build a temple on the original site whose exterior is a replica of the first temple, but whose interior is laid out like a modern Latter-day Saint temple. On 27 June 2002, a date that coincided with the 158th anniversary of the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, the temple was dedicated by the LDS Church as the Nauvoo Illinois Temple.

The Latter Day Saints made preparations to build a temple soon after establishing their headquarters at Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1839. On 6 April 1841, the temple's cornerstone was laid under the direction of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement and Sidney Rigdon gave the principal oration. At its base the building was 128 feet (39 m) long and 88 feet (27 m) wide with a clock tower and weather vane reaching to a total height of 165 feet (50 m)—a 60% increase over the dimensions of the Kirtland Temple. Like Kirtland, the Nauvoo Temple contained two assembly halls, one on the first floor and one on the second, called the lower and upper courts. Both had classrooms and offices in the attic. Unlike Kirtland, the Nauvoo Temple had a full basement which housed a baptismal font. Because the Saints had to abandon Nauvoo, the building was not entirely completed. The basement with its font was finished, as were the first floor assembly hall and the attic. When these parts of the building were completed they were used for performing ordinances (basement and attic) or for worship services (first floor assembly hall).

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