1. St. George Temple (1877)
2. Logan Temple (1884)
3. Manti Temple (1888)
4. Salt Lake Temple (1893)
5. Laie Temple (1919)
6. Cardston Temple (1923)
7. Mesa Temple (1927)
8. Idaho Falls Temple (1945)
The Manti Temple is probably the best-preserved example of pioneer architecture. Dedicated in 1888 and located in rural Sanpete Valley, it has remained relatively untouched from modern renovations.
I pulled a basic floor plan of the temple from Thomas Carter's Building Zion. This floor plan is based on how the temple was originally built, so there are some inaccuracies and changes. I've kept his first floor plan here, but there have been some changes to the baptistry layout, the tunnel that originally went through the bottom of the east tower now holds locker rooms, and there have been some sealing rooms added. I've drawn my own plans of the second and third floors.
Here's a old and a newer photo as you are looking in toward the temple:
A newer photo looking back toward the annex entrance:
The annex has seen many renovations since it was originally built, but it still matches the actual temple's architectural qualities very well--in its doors, door knobs and hinges, moldings, and other characteristics.
The annex also has interesting artwork on its walls--a Nauvoo-era temple apron belonging to Isaac Morley just past the recommend desk (visible at the end of the hall in the image above), a sketch of John Taylor by John Hafen in the men's locker room, and a couple of C.C.A. Christensen paintings.
Christensen (the same artist who painted the creation room mural) painted two murals of the temple hill in 1889. One of them shows the temple hill how it looked when pioneers first arrived in the Sanpete Valley. This one is located at the second stairway, where patrons go up or down for the locker rooms:
The other shows the temple completed. This one used to be located in the lobby, located directly above the old sacrament table that used to stand in the Logan Temple's assembly hall. In the 2020s renovation, it was replaced by an painting of Christ as the Good Shepherd, and moved to the back of the annex chapel. It turns out that when they found this painting, green had been crudely painted over the temple hill to make it look like the grassy knoll what the temple actually sits on. When preservationists removed the green, they were able to uncover the grant stairway leading to the temple, which was in the original plans.
The annex chapel that patrons sit in while waiting for a session to begin also has a beautiful, large painting of Christ with children at the front, painted by John Hafen in 1906 (it's a copy of Benard Plockhorst's Jesus Blessing the Children, which you can view here).
At the end of the annex hallway is the entrance into the temple proper. Going to the right leads to sealing rooms, the spiral staircases, and the baptistry.
The cast-iron baptistry font and oxen were made in Salt Lake City in 1885-6, by the same mold based on the St. George Temple and used for the Logan Temple. Like St. George, these oxen don't have hooves, it just ends with legs.
The baptistry has some wonderful murals, done by Robert L. Shepherd in 1948, when he was also painting the Garden Room. On one wall, murals show the baptism of Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery baptizing each other. Directly above the font, doves and stars are painted.
Finally, scriptural quotations with landscape backgrounds on the other two walls were added by Wes Wright in the 1980s renovations. Overall, it's a colorful baptistry. In the baptism's lobby is George Ottinger's large painting, The Baptism of Limhi, painted in 1888 as the first image for George Reynolds' The Story of the Book of Mormon. Whether it's a copy or the original, it's a monumental piece to look at.
The creation room is the oldest surviving mural present in an LDS temple. It was painted by C.C.A. Christensen in 1886. (The St. George temple murals came in the 1930s, the Logan Temples murals were removed in its 1970s gutting, the Garden and World room murals in Manti had to be redone in the 1940s, and the Salt Lake Temple came 5 years after Manti). This mural is the hardest to care for, because Christensen painted it directly on the plaster--it can't be removed. In the early 1980s, conservationists noticed that this mural was in the worst shape of the three, and took measures to preserve it. In the 2020s renovation, they painstakingly went over the mural one inch at a time, removing an old varnish that was mixing with the paint and putting on a new varnish to preserve it. I believe they originally planned to redo the mural before deciding to go to the effort of preserving it. It looks great!
The book C.C.A. Christensen: Mormon Immigrant Artist provides some detailed pictures of this beautiful mural.
As you progress clock-wise around the room, each day of the creation is told in the mural. Here is the second day; the separation of the seas from the waters. The third day (the creation of heavenly bodies) is visible in the wide shot of the room above, just left of the door. The portion of the third day has been heavily painted over by later artists in attempts to restore the original.
On the right side of the door is the fourth day; the creation of plants. (The line down this photo is in the original book; I believe this is where the walls come together in a corner.) Christensen used hollyhocks (common in Utah and his home country, Denmark) in the foreground; in the back are lombardy poplars (a common tree planted by pioneers in Utah).
Finally, the back of the room and the left (east) side shows the creation of animals. This begins with some depictions of Jurassic-era creatures and ferns. I love that Christensen included these drawings. For an interesting look at the context of these creatures, see this article.
From the garden room, patrons head up a larger staircase into the world room.
This sealing room, sometimes called the blue or persian room, is connected to the south side of the Celestial Room. It is definitely one of the most ornate sealing rooms in the Church. It serves as the temple's holy of holies, and served as such for the Church before the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated in 1893. The details are incredible. A frosted window in this room looks over the world room. It was likely placed there to provide natural light.
All of the pioneer temples, including Nauvoo, have spiral staircases. However, only Manti has an open design. In St. George, Logan, and Salt Lake, there is a central column. (The rebuilt Nauvoo Temple doesn't have one, so you get a similar view.)
The mural in the "world" room, as you describe here, was most fascinating during my first and only visit to the Manti temple weeks ago. Being Chinese baptized into the church in Taiwan, I was most surprised to find Chinese people depicted in that mural. I felt it had to do with the gathering of the saints unto Zion. The welcoming Native American chief has a gesture like that of the Saviour in a popular Second Coming painting. I will go to the BYU studies paper you recommend here. Thank you so much for sharing your observations and research.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm glad I could provide some more information. That mural is definitely one of my favorites.
DeleteThank you for your post! It's really wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
DeleteWhat a wonderful blog this is!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I hope you enjoy it!
DeleteI was surprised and impressed to see in one of the Christensen murals that, as you pointed out, there are Jurassic era creatures included. Fascinating! Thank you for a wonderfully informative blog.
ReplyDeleteIt's really unique! For background information on the Jurassic-era creature, see here: http://juvenileinstructor.org/things-i-did-not-know-dinosaurs-in-the-manti-temple/
DeleteCurious if you have any info on the painting of Jesus and the children in the chapel?
ReplyDeleteHi Scott--I know what you're talking about. I haven't been able to find any pictures of the painting, or find out who it was done by. (I really should just walk to the front of the chapel the next time I'm there and see if I can spot a signature.) It looks like it is an older painting. I'm wondering if Dan Weggeland had a hand in it; it looks like his style. I'll keep digging and see if I can find any other info.
DeleteI found that the painting of the Savior blessing the children was given to the temple by Bishop John B. Maiben. Still trying to find other information on it.
DeleteI love this temple. The terrestrial room is one of my favorite in any temple.
ReplyDeleteIn the Baptitery I seem to remember the workers telling me that there uses to be a quote on the wall that has since been removed from the Doctrine and Covenants. Do you have any info or pictures?
I have loved reading your blog by the way. You provide wonderful information. Glad I stumbled across it.
Hi Brower Family,
DeleteI haven't heard anything about an old scripture on the baptistry wall, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't there. Maybe I need to poke around the baptistry and ask the workers next time I'm in town. :)
Glad you enjoy the blog!
Wonderful comments on the Manti Temple. I plan to attend a session here soon while on vacation. Your comments will enhance our visit.n
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it, Kathleen! Have fun!
DeleteI have loved reading your blog! I am a painter and love hearing about the history of the murals. do you have more information about the murals in Meza? what artists where involved in the renovations of the murals in the 1990's?
ReplyDeleteSorry I missed this comment, Anon! For more info on the Mesa Temple, see here: http://ldspioneerarchitecture.blogspot.com/2017/05/mesa-temple-interior.html.
DeleteMy wife and I had a great time at the Temple. My friend in Springville who's great, great grandfather did the Muriel in the creation room and the picture as you walk in.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good connection to have, unknown!
Deletethe sealing room off the celestial room was the holy of holies for pres woodruff
ReplyDeleteThat's correct, Anon. All temples, not just the early ones, have a room that can be used as the Holy of Holies, when needed.
DeleteI really enjoyed this blog! Manti is one of my favorite temples. My favorite thing to talk about is the drive through that was originally there on the east side. I always go to the south east side to see where it use to be. You can also see remnants of it by the entrance to women's locker room. It's an amazing temple for sure!
ReplyDeleteThe tunnel was pretty unique, and I wish I could find more information about why they chose to include that. (Was a major road planned up there?)
DeleteIt was used as a pull through area for carriages, like a covered driveway. Your carriage driver would pull in, drop you off and then continue through to the other side. It was closed off to allow for additional space inside the temple the north opening is covered by the annex. You can still see where the south opening was. The archway is still there.
DeleteI was sealed in what the Manti temple workers called the "Tower Room," which is in fact the sealing room with the blue cushions you included. It was about the same size as the smaller sealing rooms in more modern temples (not cramped but not big). One of my favorite memories is trying to avoid stepping on my bride's train as we descended the stairs after our sealing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for confirming, Unknown. It's probably not used as often because people tend to have more guests for live sealings, but it's a great chance to see those staircases.
DeleteMy second great-grandfather, Hans O Magleby was one of the chief carpenters on the Spiral staircases
ReplyDeleteThey are amazing, DBittner! That's a nice connection to have!
DeleteThe World Room in the Manti temple is one of my absolute favorite temple rooms. Instead of just depicting a desert, it depicts the world as mankind tried to create it but of course failed because they were doing it would divine guidance. This has always made a huge impression on me; more so than "just another desert". This room and its amazing artist set a standard.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my favorites as well. You have the juxtapositions of the Israelites on the south wall and the Gentiles on the north wall, and then they all meet at the front of the room in the New World, with Zion in the back. It speaks to the unique dispensation of the last days and the need for all of God's children to work together to build Zion.
DeleteI find all of this so very fascinating! In beginning my adventure into genealogy I discovered only 1 day earlier that the husband of my 1st cousin 3 times removed took part in building the staircase. In all his children's memoirs, it is noted that David Emmanuel Brown was very gifted with his skills of carpentry. This is an excerpt regarding the staircase, "Just prior to the year 1888 father spent a work-mission on the Manti Temple, working as a carpenter. His special assignment was on the winding stairs and other decorative adornments. The winding stairs is built to stand independently of wall support and runs from the main floor to the very top of the west tower. At the dedication of the Temple, the whole family was taken to Manti to be present, May 1888." This led me to more research and your blog. I would love to see this one day. Thank you for your writings!
ReplyDeleteThanks Becky!
DeleteDavid was my great grandfather and we love seeing these pictures.
DeleteI know a daughter in law of Minerva Teichert. I’ll ask her if Minerva painted on top of existing murals. I’ll let you know what I find out.
ReplyDeleteThanks L Harlow. From what I've been able to find, there were no original world room murals, and Teichert's were the first. It's odd because Logan definitely had murals in their world room, as did Salt Lake, so Manti seems to have been an exception. (St. George had some type of murals added to their original ordinance rooms in the basement, but I'm not sure of the timing).
DeleteI was sealed to my husband by his Mission President in the Tower Room in 1987. Would you know of any images of the room from that year?
ReplyDeleteI don't, and unfortunately haven't found many rooms of the tower room at all. I'll let you know if I find any.
DeleteLooking forward to visiting during the open house when I can focus on the architecture and beauty of the building. One question. If the staircases are in the west towers, then how do they access a sealing room in the east tier? Do you have to pass through the assembly hall on the upper floor?
ReplyDeleteAs someone else noted below, the circular staircases in the two west towers are not the only staircases. There is an elevator on the east end. There is also a large staircase that takes you from the temple entrance (right by the creation room) up to the Celestial Room, and I also believe there is a small staircase on the west side of the temple that you can use to go from the Celestial Room up to the assembly hall.
DeleteSealing rooms on the east side of the temple are accessed through the Celestial Room. You can either take the stairs near the entrance to the Creation Room or the elevator near the men's dressing room (basement) or the women's dressing room (first floor). If you enter the elevator near the women's dressing room, make sure to notice the stone archway, which was part of the original tunnel for carriages to pull through. There is a video on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvDyfJBQGXE&t=4s) that shows a 3D model of the temple in 1888, and it shows the tunnel very clearly.
ReplyDeleteDo you know the artist of the Christ the Good Shepherd painting in the entry lobby?
ReplyDeleteI don't. They haven't published who it was.
DeleteHe is a local artist living in Manti last name Covington
DeleteMy grandmother had a notebook starting in 1936, in which she detailed her activity at the Manti Temple. She mentions often that she goes to a prayer room to pray at the altar. I have never heard of such a thing in any of the temples that I have been to, and I wonder what room she could have been writing about.
ReplyDeleteIt was common in the 1800s and early to mid 1900s for some of the older temples to have a prayer room, which was a room with an altar in the middle where groups or individuals could pray. I've read about it in a few places.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteJudging only from the architecture of meetinghouses and the locations of those prayer rooms, I believe that in the Manti temple, the fifth floor room on the west side at the top of the spiral staircases is likely to have been the prayer room. Prayer rooms were typically the tallest point in the building and were often accessed from each side, sometimes with gendered changing rooms on either side. Often the stairs leading to the prayer room are more ornate than other stairs in the building.
DeleteCan you confirm that this was the prayer room in the Manti temple, or have you seen any evidence to the contrary?
I know several old, now demolished, chapels in Lehi had a prayer room as well.
DeleteDo you know what accounts for the square footage difference between Manti and Logan? I believe they are similar dimensions otherwise. Did the 1970s Logan renovation open up drastically more floor space?
ReplyDeleteTia. Wonderful blog!
Yes, that and the Logan Temple Annex is much larger as well. But the renovation gave the Logan Temple more floors than Manti has because it removes the progressive pattern that cuts between floors, of that makes sense.
DeleteI noticed there is one detail in the assembly room that is new in this recent renovation. The light fixtures in the middle and sides of the room were added. The same thing was done in the St. George Temple.
ReplyDeleteWould you have a plan of the annex or know what it looks like inside?
ReplyDeleteOne of the sealing rooms was the living quarters for the temple president. My great-great grandfather Daniel H. Wells was the first president of the Manti temple and lived there. I believe it was one of then up the spiral staircases. Do you know which sealing room that was?
ReplyDelete