50 Wells Street
Nauvoo, Illinois
217-453-6252
The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple constructed by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons. The church's first temple was completed in Kirtland, Ohio, United States in 1836. Soon after establishing their headquarters in Nauvoo in 1839 the Church made preparations to erect a temple. On 6 April 1841, the temple's cornerstone was laid under the direction of Joseph Smith, Jr., the church's founder. At its base the building was 128 feet long and 88 feet wide with a clock tower and weather vane reaching to a total height of 165 feet, more than double the size of the Kirtland Temple. The Nauvoo Temple contained two assembly halls, one on the first floor and one on the second, called the lower and upper courts, classrooms and offices in the attic, and a full basement which housed a baptismal font. The Nauvoo Temple was designed in the Greek Revival style by Mormon architect William Weeks, under the direction of Smith. Weeks' design made use of distinctively Latter-day Saint motifs, including Sunstones, Moonstones, and Starstones, which reference Revelation 12:1 concerning the “woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.”
Construction was only half complete when Smith was assassinated in 1844. After a succession crisis, Brigham Young was sustained as the church's leader by the majority of Mormons in Nauvoo. As mob violence increased during the summer of 1845, he encouraged the completion of the temple even as preparations were being made to abandon the city. Even as the temple was under construction portions of it were used for sacred rites. Most of the Latter-day Saints left Nauvoo in early 1846, but a small crew remained to finish the temple's first floor, so that it could be formally dedicated. Once the first floor was finished with pulpits and benches, the building was finally dedicated in private services on 30 April 1846 and the first public services were held on 1 May. In September 1846 the remaining Mormons were driven from the city and vigilantes entered the near-empty city and vandalized the temple.
Initially the church's agents tried to lease the structure, first to the Catholic Church, and then to private individuals. When this failed, they attempted to sell the temple, asking up to $200,000, but finally settling on $5,000 to another Mormon, David T. LeBaron. LeBaron was attempting to lease the property to the New York Home Missionary Society when the temple was set on fire on the night of October 8, 1848. Despite efforts by Nauvoo's residents the temple was gutted. In 1849 LeBaron sold the damaged temple to Étienne Cabet for $2,000. Cabet, whose followers were called Icarians, hoped to establish Nauvoo as a communistic utopia. On 27 May 1850, the temple was struck by a tornado which toppled one wall, and Cabet ordered the demolition of two more walls in the interests of public safety, leaving only the façade standing. The Icarians used much of the temple's stone to build a new school building on the southwest corner of the temple lot. By 1857, however, most of Cabet's followers had left Nauvoo and over time many of the original stones for the temple were used in the construction of other buildings throughout Hancock County. Finally in 1865 Nauvoo's City Council ordered the demolition of the last standing portion of the temple. Soon afterwards, all evidence of the temple disappeared, except for a hand pump over a well that supplied water to the font.
Between 1937 and 1962, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reacquired the lot on which the temple stood. In 1999 church president Gordon B. Hinckley announced the rebuilding of the temple on its original footprint. After two years of construction, on 27 June 2002, the church dedicated the new temple. The exterior is a replica of the first temple, but the interior is laid out like a modern Latter-day Saint temple. The limestone used for the original temple was quarried from a site just west of the temple. Much of that quarry was submerged by rising water behind the Keokuk Dam in 1912. A quarry in Alabama was chosen provide stone for the new because it provided stone that is a close match to the limestone originally used.
The Nauvoo Temple Information Center (photo above) is dedicated to serving people who come to see Nauvoo and to attend the Temple or the general public who wish to see what the interior of the temple looks like. It is best suited for waiting or casual visiting while other family members are attending the Temple. It is furnished with comfortable lounge chairs, sofas, and has a small children's play room with toys and TV (for video use). The restroom has a convenient changing table for infants. Children must be supervised by an adult 18 years or older. Two videos are shown at the information center: “Temple Reborn” is a 14 minute film that recounts events in the history of the original Nauvoo Temple and depicts the interior and exterior of the rebuilt temple. “The Restoration” is a 19 minute video that was filmed on location and vividly depicts the religious history of the Church.
Visiting the Nauvoo Temple
Visiting Hours
Visitors to the interior of the temple are limited to members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints only and reservations are recommended
Temple open 8 am - 6 pm
All visitors can utilize the Nauvoo Temple Information Center located across the street from the temple at 1195 Knight Street
January 2 - April 12: Tuesday: 10:30 am - 5 pm, Wednesday: - Friday 2:30 pm - 8 pm, Saturday: 7:30 am - 8 pm
April 28 - October 25: Monday: 7:30 am - 6 pm, Tuesday - Saturday: 8:30 am - 8 pm
November 11 - December 30: Tuesday: 10:30 am - 5 pm, Wednesday - Friday: 1:30 pm - 8 pm, Saturday: 7:30 am - 8 pm
There is no fee to visit the Nauvoo Temple or the Nauvoo Temple Information Center
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