|
|
 THE ORIGINAL TEMPLE  In 1839, under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith, early Church members drained swampland on the bend of the Mississippi River and created the City of Nauvoo, Illinois.Construction of the original temple began in October 1840. By March 1841, workers had laid foundation stones. Church leaders conducted an official cornerstone laying ceremony on April 6, 1841. The temple was constructed of limestone, cut in solid blocks four to six feet in diameter, from quarries located on the outskirts of the city. Walls were three feet thick, with some individual stones weighing as much as 4,000 pounds. Pine for the temple's interior and roof was harvested from Wisconsin pine forests and rafted down the Black River and then the Mississippi River to Nauvoo.  The original 50,000 square foot temple housed approximately 60 rooms. It measured 128 feet in length by 88 feet in width, and its spire rose 165 feet. The temple was adorned by an angelic weathervane that rested atop the temple.When Latter-day Saints learned they would be driven from Nauvoo, they redoubled their efforts to complete the temple. As portions were completed, they were dedicated and put to use. December 1845 marked the beginning of the temple rites that were administered in this temple, and in January 1846 the first marriage in the temple was performed. In February 1846, many of the first 2,000 to 2,500 Latter-day Saints to embark on their westward exodus from Nauvoo made sacred covenants to God in the temple before their departure. Work on the temple continued through spring, when an additional 12,000 Mormon Pioneers began their historic trek across Iowa and America's vast central wilderness to the Rocky Mountains. After its completion, the Nauvoo Temple was dedicated in a private service on April 30, 1846, and in a public ceremony the following day. Although the Nauvoo Temple was the Church's second modern-day temple, it was the first in which baptisms, marriages and other ceremonies for deceased individuals were performed by proxy. Shortly after the Latter-day Saints were driven from Nauvoo, the temple was desecrated by mobs and by October 1848 was almost completely destroyed by an arsonist. In May 1850 a tornado struck, toppling all but the western wall of the temple. REBUILDING THE TEMPLE  Plans to rebuild the Nauvoo Illinois Temple were announced on April 4, 1999 by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley.Ground was broken on October 24, 1999. The cornerstones were dedicated on November 5, 2000. Construction time for the new temple was approximately two and one-half years. The temple is situated on the original 3.3-acre block. The limestone exterior is a near duplicate of the original temple exterior. The limestone, quarried in Alabama, is indistinguishable from the stone used on the original temple. The interior is designed in period finishes, and the structure now meets or exceeds modern building standards and codes. The sun, moon, and star stones were replicated by craftsmen in Canada, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Idaho, and Utah.  The height of the temple is 161 feet 9 inches to the top of the angel Moroni statue. The height of the original temple was 157 feet, with a horizontal angel.The temple has about 65,000 square feet. As in the original temple, there are six floors, including a basement. The baptismal font is located in the basement. It is a close replica of the original. The twelve oxen upon which the font rests are carved from limestone, as were the original oxen. The bowl is also made of limestone, with a fiberglass liner. Interior staircases are situated in each of the temple's four corners. The circular staircase in the southwest corner is a close replica of one in the original temple. The window glass, made in France, is the same type of glass made in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Each circular window on the fourth floor contains a large star made of red, white, and blue colored glass, as did the original windows. The clock tower houses four working clocks, one facing each direction. The bell in the tower was cast in Holland, and is programmed to strike with the timing of the clock. Doors and window frames replicating the original were crafted in Nauvoo. The temple was financed by contributions from Church members throughout the world, and the structure was completely paid for when it was dedicated in June 2002. To learn more about the purpose of temples, please click here. |