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President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Anchorage Alaska Temple in seven sessions, from Jan. 9 to Jan. 10, 1999. The event brought 6, 971 people, some traveling from as far as the Yukon Territory in Canada, to attend the dedication services, which began at 8 a.m. with the cornerstone ceremony.
During the dedicatory prayer, President Hinckley said, “We pray that this temple may stand against the storms of nature through the years to come.” He blessed the temple to be free from vandalism and recognized by those who aren’t members of the Church as an expression of love for God.
Read the whole dedicatory prayer of the Anchorage Alaska Temple here.
On Feb. 4, 2004, President Gordon B. Hinckley rededicated the Anchorage temple, which had been closed in April 2003 for renovation and expansion. More than 5,700 people attended the in-person ceremony, which was also broadcast to a meetinghouse in the Yukon Territory.
The additions to the new structure included changing rooms, office space, a laundry area, a patron waiting room and a separate ordinance room with a capacity of 50 people. The expansion enlarged the temple from 6,800 to 11,937 square feet.
During the rededication prayer, President Hinckley said, “it has become necessary to renovate and add to this sacred structure” to accommodate an increase in temple work.
Read the 2004 rededication prayer of the Anchorage Alaska Temple here.
President Gordon B. Hinckley announced plans to build a temple in Anchorage, Alaska, during the priesthood session of 1997 general conference.
Elder F. Melvin Hammond of the Seventy presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Anchorage temple. Some 1,700 people attended the groundbreaking services.
Nearly 15,000 people attended the two-and-a-half day open house of the Anchorage temple.
President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Anchorage Alaska Temple in seven sessions, from Jan. 9 to Jan. 10, 1999. The event brought 6,291 people, some traveling from as far as the Yukon Territory in Canada, attended the dedication services.
The Anchorage temple was closed for renovation starting in April 2003.
President Gordon B. Hinckley rededicated the Anchorage Alaska Temple on Feb. 4, 2004, after being closed for renovation since April 2003. The new additions to the temple included changing rooms, office space, a laundry area, a patron waiting room and a separate ordinance room.
The First Presidency announced plans to resize, reconstruct and relocate the Anchorage Alaska Temple, starting in early 2024. The modifications are planned to be completed by summer 2026.
During October 1997 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley announced that a temple would be built in Anchorage, Alaska. Six months later, Elder F. Melvin Hammond of the Seventy, president of the North America Northwest Area presidency, presided the groundbreaking ceremony for the house of the Lord.
On Jan. 9, 1999, President Hinckley dedicated the Anchorage Alaska Temple in seven sessions. The temple was closed from April 2003 to February 2004 for expansion purposes. On Feb. 4, 2004, the newly renovated temple was rededicated by President Hinckley.
On Jan. 23, 2023, the First Presidency announced that the Anchorage temple would undergo reconstruction and enlargement. Additionally, the temple will be relocated within the same property to where a stake meetinghouse currently stands.
When the temple was first constructed, it covered 6,800 square feet. Upon reconstruction, it was enlarged to 11,937 square feet. The temple currently sits on a 5.54-acre site, alongside a meetinghouse.
The exterior finish is made from stone-clad Sierra white granite. The temple also has a spire with an angel Moroni statue mounted on top of it.
On the interior, the temple contains a celestial room, a baptistry, one ordinance room and one sealing room. The celestial room has a 700-pound chandelier integrated with thousands of Hungarian crystals and 140 lights, which give off a gold-colored ray of light through the windows.
The temple will undergo extensive construction starting in early 2024 that will increase the temple’s square footage to about 30,000 square feet. In addition, the temple will be relocated to where the Anchorage Alaska Stake meetinghouse currently sits; a new chapel will be built from the current temple structure.
4 October 1997
9 January 1999
4 Feb. 2004
13161 Brayton Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99516
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple built and dedicated in Alaska.
Starting in early 2024, the temple will be reconstructed and relocated to where the adjacent meetinghouse sits. Completion is expected in summer 2026.
President Gordon B. Hinckley both dedicated and rededicated the Anchorage Alaska Temple.
This temple was considered one of the first “smaller temples” when it was first built in 1997.
The Anchorage temple is the northernmost Latter-day Saint temple of the Church.
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple built and dedicated in Alaska.
Starting in early 2024, the temple will be reconstructed and relocated to where the adjacent meetinghouse sits. Completion is expected in summer 2026.
President Gordon B. Hinckley both dedicated and rededicated the Anchorage Alaska Temple.
This temple was considered one of the first “smaller temples” when it was first built in 1997.
The Anchorage temple is the northernmost Latter-day Saint temple of the Church.