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Writer's pictureNathan Augustine

Renovations and Expansions

Updated: Jun 24


Logan Utah Temple


A 2017 Deseret News article titled LDS Church not just temple-building, but temple-renovating said:

With more than 150 temples worldwide, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been described as a temple-building church. And with the operations of those temples spanning 140 years, it also has become a temple-renovating church.
Of the LDS Church’s 20 oldest operating temples, 15 have had, are having or will have at least one series of extensive and lengthy renovations with a subsequent dedication or rededication. Take the 30 oldest operating temples, and that number increases to 23. Six temples have been rededicated not once but twice.

As of today all of the 30 oldest temples have been or will be renovated except Seattle and Manilla.


Eight of these are second renovations. Besides these the Church has renovated and rededicated 16 other temples, one of them twice and is renovating or is planning to renovate eight more including another second renovation.


The following is a list of most of the major renovations the Church has made to its temples, not all of which were followed by a rededication:


Laie Hawaii Temple


As mentioned in an earlier post, the Church renovated most of the early temples to present the endowment on video instead of live and usually changed them from four stage progression to single room (see my earlier post on Progression). They updated the décor, often expanded them and made other improvements at the same time:

London England Temple


The first temples designed to present the endowment on video had one or two Instruction rooms, which limited their flexibility. The Church has renovated all of them:


Ogden Utah Temple


The Ogden Utah Temple has had one major renovation and rededication.



Seattle Washington Temple


When the Church began renovating the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple in 2024, the Seattle Washington Temple became the oldest temple to not yet undergo a major renovation  (A look at temple renovations and the Provo and Manhattan temples).


Washington DC Temple


The Washington DC Temple has had one major renovation and rededication.

  • When the Church renovated it they installed energy-efficient mechanical, electrical and lighting systems and new plumbing as well as refreshing and restoring the mid-century modern interior and adding backlights to the stained glass. They rededicated it in 2022 (Open House Begins for Washington D.C. Temple).


São Paulo Brazil Temple


The São Paulo Brazil Temple has had one major renovation and rededication.

  • It was originally 51,279 sq. ft. (4.764 m2) the Church renovated and expanded it to 55,000 sq. ft. (5.110 m2) and rededicated it in 2004 (Sao Paulo Brazil Temple).


Tokyo Japan Temple


The Tokyo Japan Temple has had one major renovation and rededication.


Jordan River Utah Temple


The Jordan River Utah Temple has had one major renovation and rededication.


Atlanta Georgia Temple


The Atlanta Georgia Temple has had two major renovations and rededications.


Papeete Tahiti Temple


The Church renovated and expanded the five small South Pacific temples built in the early 1980's:


Mexico City Mexico Temple


The Mexico City Mexico Temple has had two major renovations and rededications.


Dallas Texas Temple


The three six spire temples that the Church built in the United States in the mid 1980's were used so much that they needed their square footage doubled almost immediately:

  • The Boise Idaho Temple has had two major renovations and rededications.

  • The Dallas Texas Temple has had one major renovation and rededication.

    • It was originally 17,850 sq. ft. (1.658 m2) the Church renovated and expanded it to 44,207 sq. ft. (4.107 m2) and rededicated it in 1989 (Dallas Texas Temple).

  • The Chicago Illinois Temple has had one major renovation and rededication.

    • It was originally 17,850 sq. ft. (1.658 m2) the Church renovated and expanded it to 37,062 sq. ft. (3.443 m2) and rededicated it in 1989 (Chicago Illinois Temple).


Freiberg Germany Temple


The Freiberg Germany Temple has had two major renovations and rededications. It is the only temple built in a Communist country (until Shanghi China). At first the Church was concerned that the East German government would change their mind and shut it down so they did not invest as much into it as they did most other temples. It was originally 7,840 sq. ft. (728 m2) and lacked air conditioning, which made the temple uncomfortable in the summertime (The Freiberg Temple: An Unexpected Legacy of a Communist State and a Faithful People by Raymond M. Kuehne, Dialog, Summer 2004, pg. 121 and Freiberg Germany Temple Rededicated).


Buenos Aires Argentina Temple


The Buenos Aires Argentina Temple has had one major renovation and rededication.


Frankfurt Germany Temple


The Frankfurt Germany Temple has had one major renovation and rededication.


Hong Kong China Temple


The Hong Kong China Temple has had one major renovation and rededication.

  • When the Church renovated it they upgraded its mechanical, electrical, heating and plumbing systems, replaced all of its exterior stone, removed the spire and angel Moroni statue and reworked some of the windows. They also reconfigured the interior by incorporating space that was used as a meetinghouse into the temple, which increased the temple's square footage from 21,744 sq. ft. (2,020 m2) (Hong Kong China Temple) to 51,921 sq. ft. (4,823 m2) (Hong Kong Temple Fact Sheet) (Church Releases Hong Kong China Temple Renovation Details)


Montreal Quebec Temple


Of the 49 temples that follow the pattern of the Monticello Utah Temple, 10 have been renovated and / or expanded:


Houston Texas Temple


The Houston Texas Temple has had one rededication.


The Church is currently renovating or plans to renovate the following temples and will rededicate them upon completion (in order of expected completion):


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