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President Spencer W. Kimball dedicated the Washington D.C. Temple for the first time from Nov. 19 to Nov. 22, 1974. In his address at the temple dedication, President Kimball said, “It is imperative that we have temples and that we use them to their capacity. That, … we must keep in mind. Not just build, but fill.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Father, we are concerned with the political world of today and that nations seem to need only the lighting of a match to bring war and desolation and destruction. Bless, we pray thee, the leaders of nations, that they may rule wisely and righteously and give thy people freedom to worship thee in truth and righteousness. Stay the powers, our Father, that would bring us to the brink of annihilation.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Washington D.C. Temple here.
The Washington D.C. Temple was rededicated on August 14, 2022, by President Russell M. Nelson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in three sessions. “The temple is more beautiful now than it ever was before, and it was stunning before,” said President Nelson in his address at the ceremony. “This temple has been renewed. There is more light.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Today, we are ever grateful for the free exercise of religion guaranteed by the inspired Constitution of the United States of America. We are grateful for that Constitution and for the leaders of this great nation, past, present and future. Please bless them with a desire to do what is right.”
Read the rededication prayer of the Washington D.C. Temple here.
Plans to build a house of the Lord in Washington, D.C., were announced on Nov. 15, 1968, six years after the site was selected in 1962.
President Hugh B. Brown, a counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the site for the new temple on Dec. 7, 1968. Church leaders completed the groundbreaking ceremony following the site dedication.
Until the 20th Century, the church would hold the cornerstone ceremony immediately after the temple was completed, rather than during the dedication. President Kimball; President Marion G. Romney, second counselor in the First Presidency; and Elder Hinckley applied mortar to the cornerstone during the Washington D.C. Temple completion ceremony on Sept. 9, 1974.
The temple open house was extended to accommodate more visitors touring the temple. Over 750,000 visitors, including Betty Ford, the United States’ first lady and numerous international dignitaries, attended the temple open house.
President Spencer W. Kimball dedicated the Washington D.C. Temple from Nov. 19 to Nov. 22, 1974. Ten dedicatory sessions were held.
In order to upgrade mechanical systems and update finishes within the temple, the Washington D.C. Temple was closed in March 2018. It was expected to reopen in 2020, with an open house announced from Sept. 24 through Oct. 31, 2020. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the open house and rededication of the temple were postponed.
After the renovations were completed, the temple was opened to the public again for the first time in almost 50 years. The open house dates ran from April 28 to June 11, 2022, and attracted over 250,000 visitors.
President Russell M. Nelson rededicated the Washington D.C. Temple on Aug. 14, 2022, in three sessions.
The site for the Washington D.C. Temple was selected in 1962, six years before the temple was announced on Nov. 15, 1968. The site dedication and groundbreaking for this house of the Lord was held Dec. 7, 1968, by President Hugh B. Brown, a counselor in the First Presidency. The temple was completed six years later and dedicated from Nov. 19 to Nov. 22, 1974. The dedication was done by President Spencer W. Kimball in 10 sessions. Prior to the dedication, the temple held a public open house, attracting over 750,000 visitors.
In 2018, the temple closed for renovations. It was scheduled to reopen in December 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it was scheduled to reopen, the open house lasted from April 28 to June 11, 2022, attracting over 250,000 visitors. President Russell M. Nelson rededicated the temple in three sessions on Aug. 14, 2022.
The Washington D.C. Temple is built from Alabama white marble on 52 acres of land. The post-modern design of this temple features six spires to emulate the Salt Lake Temple. The three towers to the east represent the Melchizedek Priesthood leadership, and the three to the west represent the Aaronic Priesthood leadership. The temple contains a baptistry, celestial room, six ordinance rooms and 12 sealing rooms across seven floors.
The Washington D.C. Temple is the third-largest temple in the Church, at 240 feet by 136 feet, with a floor area of 160,000 square feet. The easternmost spire is 288 feet tall, making it the Church’s tallest house of the Lord. At the time of its 2022 rededication, the Washington D.C. Temple served 38 stakes in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia and West Virginia.
15 November 1968
19 November 1974
President Spencer W. Kimball
14 August 2022
9900 Stoneybrook Drive
Kensington, Maryland 20895-3199
United States
View schedule and book online
(1) 301-588-0650
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Maryland.
The Washington D.C. Temple was the first temple built east of the Mississippi River since the 1840s.
The Washington D.C. Temple is one of only five temples featuring an angel Moroni statue holding the gold plates.
The temple’s seven-week open house brought in 758,328 visitors, the greatest number of visitors at an open house at the time. The previous record of the most-attended temple open house had been the Los Angeles California Temple, with 662,401 visitors.
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Maryland.
The Washington D.C. Temple was the first temple built east of the Mississippi River since the 1840s.
The Washington D.C. Temple is one of only five temples featuring an angel Moroni statue holding the gold plates.
The temple’s seven-week open house brought in 758,328 visitors, the greatest number of visitors at an open house at the time. The previous record of the most-attended temple open house had been the Los Angeles California Temple, with 662,401 visitors.
