The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has provided a first look inside the new Orem Utah Temple, releasing more than a dozen interior and exterior images prior to media, special-guest and public tours of the new house of the Lord.

Located between Utah County’s Wasatch Front and the eastern shores of Utah Lake, the Orem temple will be the state’s 19^th dedicated temple, with another nine temples awaiting dedication or under construction.

The interior and exterior images of the three-story, 71,998-square-foot sacred edifice built in a prominent, visible location just off Interstate 15 and near Utah Valley University were first published Monday, Oct. 23, on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. The photos were accompanied by a three-minute video offering additional looks inside and out of the temple.

The series of open-house tours of the Orem temple begins Monday morning, with a 9 a.m. briefing, tour and interviews with media representatives.

The public tours are available from Friday, Oct. 27, through Saturday, Dec. 16, excluding Sundays and Thanksgiving Day, with special-guest tours set for Tuesday through Thursday, Oct. 24-26.  

The celestial room in the Orem Utah Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Reservations for the public tours, which are recommended and available online, are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Orem Utah Temple will be dedicated on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in two sessions, at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The dedicatory sessions will be broadcast to all meetinghouses in the temple district.

Orem temple and site

The Orem temple is built on nearly 16 acres of a homestead settled by the Wiliamsen family, Norwegian immigrants and Latter-day Saint converts who arrived in 1864. Subsequent generations farmed the property, which was purchased by the Church in 2004.

A sealing room in the Orem Utah Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

It is located in Orem’s Lakeview area, known for its fruit orchards and dairy farms. As such, the cherry bloom is an integral design element of the temple’s interior finishes in the art glass, wood panels and metal handrails.

With marble wainscots and wood columns featured throughout the temple, the details of the columns, wainscoting and coffered ceilings become more articulated as one moves throughout the temple’s ordinance rooms, culminating in the celestial room. Woodwork is painted, and wall coverings are subtle, allowing for the attention to be on the temple work and worship taking place. 

The baptistry in the Orem Utah Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Exterior of the Orem temple

The symmetrical granite-clad steel structure is topped by a multitiered tower, featuring a slender steel spire. Topping out at a height of 218 feet, the Orem temple is one of the Church’s taller temples.

The floor plan includes four 50-seat instruction rooms.

The bride’s room in the Orem Utah Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The exterior is clad in Pedras Salgadas granite stone panels, fabricated in Portugal, with the panel carvings on the parapets and window surrounds completed in Michigan. Outside, the doors are bronze-colored and the windows taupe-hued with art glass.

The first-story windows feature art-glass designs representing the nearby wetlands and Utah Lake, with water, cattails, bulrushes and other grasses and prominent elements. The second- and third-story windows feature elements of the cherry tree — blossoms, leaves, fruit and branches.

The recommend desk in the Orem Utah Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The large selection of trees, shrubs and perennials comprising the landscaping include white fir, bigtooth maple, Norwegian sunset maple, snow queen hydrangeas, common periwinkle and whirling butterfly bushes.

Interior of the Orem temple

The flooring features Crema Marfil marble from Turkey, fabricated in California in cream and red colors, with shades of green and brown. The flooring patterns involve diamond shapes and circle accents, with a simple linear border of multiple colors and an additional cherry leaf border.

A waiting room in the Orem Utah Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Carpet is used in the ordinance rooms, with carpet carvings replicating the diamond patterns and circle accents of the stone flooring. The corner elements various flowers and cherry branches with blossoms, leaves and cherries. The carpeting’s range of green and gold colors create an abstract floral atmosphere.

Designs for the decorative paintings, which are based on art nouveau styles, feature curving lines, cattails and cherry branches and blossoms. The colors — reds and greens, with light-brown and pink accents — are similar to those used throughout the temple. Gold-leaf line work highlights specific designs and elements.

A chandelier in the sealing room in the Orem Utah Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The interior art glass is a simple reflection of the exterior windows, starting with the same bottom border pattern and grid work. The glass doors to and upper windows of the celestial room feature cherry tree branch, bloom and leaf designs.

The lighting fixtures are of transitional cylindrical shapes. The materials include brass, crystal and glass, with motifs inspired by the cherry tree.

The grand staircase in the Orem Utah Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints

The millwork has art nouveau motifs inspired by local flora and the nearby wetlands, while the font railing in the baptistry is decorative metal and etched glass, also using cherry tree elements.

Interior walls are in cream, tan and green tones, and the furniture has a cherry finish.

The Orem Utah Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Orem Utah Temple history

A temple for Orem was one of eight locations announced on Oct. 5, 2019, by President Russell M. Nelson during the Saturday evening women’s session of general conference.

The three-story, 70,000-square-foot edifice with a single attached central spire is located on a 15.39-acre tract at 1471 S. Geneva Road in Orem, just west of Interstate 15 and Utah Valley University. The First Presidency announced the temple site on Dec. 11, 2019, and released the exterior rendering on June 24, 2020.

An upward view of the celestial room in the Orem Utah Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

It was the first of the eight to begin construction when Elder Craig C. Christensen, a General Authority Seventy and then president of the Utah Area, presided at the Sept. 5, 2020, groundbreaking ceremony.

Announced by the First Presidency four months ago, the temple’s dedication date had drawn increased interest since President Nelson had announced plans to reconstruct the Provo Utah Temple, located less than five miles away. That closure was planned to occur after the dedication of the Orem temple and start of its operation — it is now— is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2024.

In the Orem Utah Temple baptistry, the oxen below the font represent the 12 tribes of Israel.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

In November 2021, the Church released an exterior rendering of the redesigned Provo temple, which will remain at the same location at the mouth of Rock Canyon on Provo’s east bench.

One of Utah’s 28 temples

The Orem temple is of the Church’s 28 total temples — dedicated, under construction or renovation — in the state.

The grand staircase in the Orem Utah Temple.

The Church of Jesus Chrst of Latter-day Saints

Utah’s currently operating temples are the Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Draper, Jordan River, Logan, Monticello, Mount Timpanogos, Ogden, Oquirrh Mountain, Payson, Provo, Provo City Center, Saratoga Springs and Vernal temples.

Besides the pending dedication of the Orem temple, the Red Cliffs Utah Temple has its dedication in spring 2024.

The metal handles and stained glass inserts of a Orem Utah Temple entrance door.

Three pioneer-era temples have undergone renovations in the past several years, with the St. George Utah Temple to be rededicated in December. Work continues on the Salt Lake and Manti temples.

Eight other Utah temples are under construction — Deseret Peak, Ephraim, Heber Valley, Layton, Lindon, Smithfield, Syracuse and Taylorsville.

The Orem Utah Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Orem Utah Temple

Address: 1451 S. 1100 West, Orem, UT 84058

Announced: Oct. 5, 2019, by President Russell M. Nelson.

Groundbreaking: Sept. 5, 2020, by Elder Craig C. Christensen, General Authority Seventy and Utah Area president.

Scheduled for dedication: Jan. 21, 2024.

Public open house: Friday, Oct. 27, through Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023 (excluding Sundays and Thanksgiving Day).

Property size: 15.39 acres.

Building size: 71,998 square feet.

Building height: 218 feet, including the spire.