The Hague Netherlands Temple Wiki

Description

The Hague Netherlands Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints located in Zoetermeer Netherlands. Zoetermeer translates to Sweet Lake in English. So, in one sense, the temple could be called the “Sweet Lake Temple,” as opposed to the historic “Salt Lake Temple” in Utah.

The Temple is used by more than 13,000 members from the Netherlands, Belgium and parts of France

History

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a seasoned history in the Netherlands. The first Dutch members formed a branch, or small congregation, in 1862.

Missionary Elder Orson Hyde, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles first entered the Netherlands in 1841. He stayed for a little more than a week preaching the gospel, but he had really been sent to go to Jerusalem. It was not until twenty years later in 1861 that the first missionaries were officially sent to the Netherlands. On October 1, 1861 near the village Broek bij Akkerwoude the first converts to the Church in the Netherlands were baptized.

More than 14,000 people were baptized in the country, but most emigrated to the United States to be in Utah near Church headquarters. In more recent years Church leadership has asked members to stay in their own lands and build up the Church there. The Church has continued to steadily grow in the Netherlands and there are now three stakes and 7,800 members.

Announcement

Plans to build the temple were announced on August 16, 1999, as part of a project bringing small-scale temples to more areas of the world. In the October 1997 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley had declared that more small-scale temples would be built in a number of communities, allowing more members to enjoy the blessings of the temple without having to travel great distances.

The announcement The Hague Netherlands Temple brought joy to many members living in that part of Europe. Èveline Panhuyzen, a Church member from the Netherlands, said, “For me and my family it is a privilege to have the temple nearby. Now we don’t have to drive five hours to Frankfurt. We can go to the temple by bike in 10 minutes. It is a great feeling to be able to go to the temple often.”^[1] Quoted in “A Temple in the Land of Tulips and Windmills,” Church News, Aug. 24, 2002.

“You have no idea how blessed we feel having a temple in the Netherlands,” said Robert Kirschbaum, longtime member of the Church in The Hague Netherlands Stake.[ref“President Hinckley Makes Historic Visit to Europe,” Ensign, Dec. 2002, 67.[/ref]

Groundbreaking

Construction on the temple began shortly after the announcement, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held on August 26, 2000, led by Church leader John K. Carmack.

A church building was razed to permit construction of the The Hague Netherlands Temple since the city would allow only one building on the site, which is located in a city park.

Construction

During the temple’s construction, there was a continual flow of onlookers who came to look at the dignified edifice in its various stages of completion. Due to interest and involvement from the community, a ceremony was held on December 16, 2000, to celebrate the first pylons that would be driven into the ground to stabilize the structure. Some 350 people attended, including the mayor of Zoetermeer, who activated the machinery when everything was in place.

Open House

After the temple was finished, it opened for all members of the public to tour from August 17 to August 31, 2002, with more than 32,000 visitors attending. Government and civic leaders, media representatives and construction crew members and their families were given private tours by Church leaders.

“We open the temple to the public because we want them to know us and better understand our relationship with Jesus Christ and our commitment to the well-being of people and families,” said President Johannes D. Noot, spokesman for the Church in the Netherlands.^[2] Quoted in “A Temple in the Land of Tulips and Windmills,” Church News, Aug. 24, 2002.

Dedication

The Hague Netherlands Temple was dedicated in four sessions on September 8, 2002, by President Gordon B. Hinckley. As part of the proceedings he conducted a cornerstone ceremony, in which he placed mortar around the edge of the temple’s cornerstone and invited Church leaders to participate. He then offered a dedicatory prayer, in which he expressed gratitude for the temple: “We thank Thee now for this beautiful and sacred house. We have waited so long for it. Our hearts look to Thee with profound gratitude.” He continued with a prayer for the Netherlands, saying, “We pray for this nation that peace may reign among the people. We pray that there may ever be freedom in the land. We pray that its citizens may always have cause to be grateful for the land of their birth.”^[3]The Hague Netherlands Temple dedicatory prayer, in Church News, Sept. 8, 2002.

President Hinckley dedicated the The Hague Netherlands Temple the day after he rededicated the Freiberg Germany Temple.

Two years after dedication, in a general conference address, President Hinckley spoke of The Hague Netherlands Temple dedication as a “touching and wonderful experience.” He also said, “The temple is a beautiful structure in a good area. I am so grateful for the house of the Lord which will accommodate the Saints of the Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of France.”^[4]Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2002, 79.

Dedication Order

The Hague Netherlands Temple is the 114th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the eighth temple built in Europe, and the first built in the Netherlands.

Presidents

Details

Location

The temple is a landmark to Church members in The Hague, a coastal city that rests along the Atlantic Ocean. Beautiful grounds filled with trees, flowers and native shrubbery are open to the Zoetermeer community and all other members of the public.

The The Hague Netherlands Temple is the first, and so far only temple, to sit below sea level.

Exterior

Its unique architecture is one of the most notable features of The Hague Netherlands Temple. Architect Albert van Eerden, who is not a member of the Church, felt the specialness of the temple as he worked on it. “From the start, over three years ago, I felt this project was more than just a job,” he noted at the dedication ceremony. “I am very proud and honored that I was part of a process that led to this magnificent building, but also to a home for all of you. Every time I enter the celestial room I feel the serenity and peace we are looking for at certain times. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity of establishing this building, which will probably be the best I will ever build.”^[5] Quoted in “A Temple in the Land of Tulips and Windmills,” Church News, Aug. 24, 2002.

Land comes a premium in the Netherlands, so the parcel purchased by the Church for the The Hague Netherlands Temple is just larger than the footprint of the building itself. Although the city constructed a parking lot adjacent to the temple, the Church desired to have at least some parking under its control, so the only direction to go was down. The result is a 40-car (and many-bicycle) parking structure.

Cladding

The temple’s interesting geometric-shaped exterior is finished with granite imported from Italy. Horizontal and vertical lines intersect the basic rectangular design, giving the temple a modern feel.

Windows

Art glass windows stand out against the polished granite walls

Symbolism

Inscriptions

Cornerstone

ERECTED
2xxx

Spires and Moroni

Spire

A single spire sits atop The Hague Netherlands Temple. The spire is a multi stepped tower, sitting inline with the front doors of the temple, putting it left of center when the Temple is viewed straight on.

Moroni

The spire features a statue of the angel Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet at it’s peak. His raised trumpet symbolizes the spreading of the gospel throughout the world.

Interior

The temple’s 14,477-square-foot interior features vibrant cherrywood doors and Austrian Strauss crystal chandeliers.

Rooms

Inside the temple are two sealing rooms, two instruction rooms, a celestial room and a baptistry.

Individuals and Contractors

Sources and Links

Additional Articles

Sources/Citation