Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple Wiki

On Dec. 16, 2006 — at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple — Church President Gordon B. Hinckley announced a temple would be built in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, a country also known as “the land of the Mayans.” He said at the ceremony, “The [first] temple in Guatemala City can’t accommodate all those who wish to come. … [The temple] will bless the people in a way no other structure on earth can bless them.”

text

Guatemala Temples at the Time of Announcement

Announced

• –

Under Construction

• –

Dedicated

• Guatemala City Guatemala [1984]

Ground was formally broken for the Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple on a beautiful spring morning on 14 March 2009 to an audience of more than 700 Church leaders and other special guests including the mayor and a congressional delegate. Elder Don R. Clarke, president of the Central America Area, presided. In his remarks, he said, “It is through your obedience and dilligence that the Lord has allowed the construction of this holy house.”^[2]”Se inicia la construcción del Templo de la Ciudad de Quetzaltenango Guatemala,” La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días 17 Mar. 2009.

More than 700 guests, including local officials, were in attendance.^[3]Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple”. Church News. Retrieved 2025-09-05.

Render for the temple was released in conjunction with the groundbreaking ceremony.

During the 15-day public open house for the Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple, more than 126,000 visitors toured the building, including about 16,500 on the final day alone.^[4]“Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for the Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple”, Church News, 20 May 2011. Retrieved on 28 March 2020. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/open-house-dedication-date-announced-quetzaltenango-guatemala-temple^[5]“Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org”. Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 2025-09-05.https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/quetzaltenango-guatemala-temple/

Among the attendees were Guatemalan president Álvaro Colom, four cabinet ministers, and Jorge Barrientos, mayor of Quetzaltenango.^[6]“Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple”. Church News. Retrieved 2025-09-05. https://www.thechurchnews.com/almanac/temples/quetzaltenango-guatemala/

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf — second counselor in the First Presidency — dedicated the Quetzaltenango temple on 11 December 2011 in three sessions. He said at the event that Latter-day Saint Guatemalans are the sons and daughters of Father Lehi.

“After this day, this temple will be as sacred as the temple of Solomon, the temple in Nauvoo, the temple in Salt Lake City or as sacred as any of the temples in the world,” President Uchtdorf said.

Attending the dedication ceremony with President Uchtdorf were Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elder Larry W. Gibbons, a General Authority Seventy; and members of the Central America Area Presidency — Elder Enrique R. Falabella, Elder Carlos H. Amado and Elder James B. Martino. Their wives were also in attendance that day.

Elder Martino spoke at the dedication of his amazement to finally have a temple in Quetzaltenango. He said, “I have always had the feeling that these people are special.”

The dedicatory services for the Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple were broadcast to meetinghouses throughout the entire country, allowing all worthy members in Guatemala to participate in the dedication of its nation’s second temple.

The Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple was the first temple dedicated by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who was serving as Second Counselor in the First Presidency.

Placed among the breathtaking mountains and volcanoes of Quetzaltenango Valley, the Mayan-inspired Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple stands high atop a knoll on the western edge of Quetzaltenango—commonly known as Xela—near the city zoo, Parque Zoológico Minerva, and across from Los Cerezos condominiums.

The temple is on a 6.47-acre (2.6 ha) site on a knoll overlooking the Quetzaltenango Valley.^[7]“Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple | ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org”. Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 2025-09-05. The landscaped grounds include walkways, trees, and a patron housing facility.^[8]“Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple”. Baer Welding. Retrieved 2025-09-05.

Site

with a precast concrete exterior created in Mexico. The surrounding temple grounds were designed with various walkways and small trees.

he structure is 80 feet (24.4 m) tall, with an exterior of precast concrete panels from Mexico^[4] and a single spire that has a gold-leafed angel Moroni statue.^[5]

Cladding

text

Water Course

Windows

text

Spandrel panel

text

text

On October 1, 2010, the gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni was raised to its final position atop the single spire of the Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple.