Harare Zimbabwe Temple Wiki
Quick Facts
Quick Facts
ANNOUNCED
3 April 2016
ANNOUNCED BY
President Thomas S. Monson
GROUNDBREAKING
12 December 2020
GROUNDBREAKING PRESIDED BY
Elder Edward Dube
DEDICATED
1 March 2026
DEDICATED BY
Elder Gerrit W. Gong
DEDICATION ORDER
214
LOCATION
65 Enterprise Road
Highlands
Harare
Zimbabwe
PHONE
(#) #
Description
Church membership is growing steadily in Zimbabwe where there are 26,000 members organized into six stakes and two districts—three of those six stakes being headquartered in Harare. Prior to the temple announcement, Zimbabwe was the country with the second highest number of Church members without a temple (Nicaragua having the highest). Members desiring to participate in temple worship currently drive 13 hours to reach the Johannesburg South Africa Temple. Other nearby African nations will also benefit from the temple including Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
History
Elder James E. Faust of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated Zimbabwe for the preaching of the gospel in 1991. The first stake in the southern African nation, the Harare Zimbabwe Stake, was organized in 1999, with Edward Dube, who currently serves on the Presidency of the Seventy, as stake president.
Since 1985, members of the Church in Zimbabwe have traveled to the Johannesburg South Africa Temple to participate in temple worship, a journey of about 24 hours by bus.
Announcement
Announcement
Church President Thomas S. Monson announced the Harare Zimbabwe Temple on 3 April 2016, at the Sunday morning session of the 186th Annual General Conference. The Temple was one of four announced. The other temples will be built in Quito, Ecuador; Belém, Brazil; and a second temple in Lima, Peru.[1]Monson, By President Thomas S. Choices. 2 Apr. 2016, www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/04/choices?lang=eng.
[INSERT] Temples at Time of Announcement
Announced
- –
Under Construction
- –
Dedicated
- –
ANNOUNCED ORDER175
| Date | 2016 04 03 |
| By | Thomas S. Monson |
| Role | President |
| Via | source |
⮜Preceded by Quito Ecuador
Followed by Belém Brazil⮞
Announced 2016 04 03
Location Announcement
text
Render Released
Render Released
On October 1, 2020, an official exterior rendering of the Harare Zimbabwe Temple was released to the public, featuring a 17,250-square-foot temple with a spire rising over the main entrance. Church facilities will stand on either side of the temple.
OFFICIAL RENDER

Groundbreaking Announced
text
Groundbreaking
The groundbreaking of the Harare Zimbabwe Temple was presided over by Elder Edward Dube, first counselor in the Africa South Area presidency and a Zimbabwe native, on Dec. 12, 2020. His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, was also in attendance and spoke to the congregation.
In his remarks to those in attendance, Elder Dube said, “The Harare Zimbabwe Temple will be a beautiful and stunning building. Like every temple, it will stand not only as a manifestation of the faith of Latter-day Saints who live close by in this country and the neighboring countries of Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique, but also a manifestation of the faith of Saints all around the world.”[2]”Groundbreaking Held for the Zimbabwe Harare Temple,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 12 Dec. 2020.
GROUNDBREAKING ORDER
202
| Date | 2020 12 12 |
| By | Edward Dube |
| Role | Seventy |
| Attendees | ## |
⮜Preceded by Okinawa Japan
Followed by Mendoza Argentina⮞
Dedication announced
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on 18 August 2025 the open house and dedication dates for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple.
A media day will be held for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple on Monday, January 19, 2026. Invited guests will tour the temple Tuesday, January 20, and Wednesday, January 21, 2026, and a public open house will be held from Thursday, January 22, through Saturday, February 7, 2026, excluding Sundays.
Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the temple on Sunday, March 1, 2026. The dedicatory session will be broadcast to all congregations in the Harare Zimbabwe Temple district.[3]”Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 18 Aug. 2025.
Open House
Over 27,770 people toured the house of the Lord during the open house, which ran from January 22 through February 7, 2026.[4]“Elder Gerrit W. Gong Dedicates the Harare Zimbabwe Temple.” news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org, 1 Mar. 2026, news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-gerrit-w–gong-dedicates-the-harare-zimbabwe-temple.
OPEN HOUSE
| Start Date | 2026 01 22 |
| End Date | 2026 02 07 |
| Days | 15 |
| Attendees | 27,770 |
| Per day av. | 1,851 |
Dedication
The Harare Zimbabwe Temple was dedicated March 1, 2026, by Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Joining the Elder Gong for the dedication weekend was his wife, Sister Susan Gong, as well as two General Authority Seventies and their wives — Elder Steven R. Bangerter, executive director of the Temple Department, and his wife, Sister Susan Bangerter; and Elder Denelson Silva, first counselor in the Church’s Africa South Area presidency, and his wife, Sister Regina Silva.
With the coming of the house of the Lord in Harare and other new temples around the globe, the Lord is inviting Latter-day Saints to create “a new gospel temple culture,” said Elder Gong, mindful especially of those who previously had to travel long distances to worship in the temple. “Instead of going to the temple once in our life, or once a year on a temple trip, we can plan and come ourselves to the Lord in the house of the Lord more often,” he said.[5]Taylor, Scott. “Elder Gong Dedicates First House of the Lord in Zimbabwe.” Church News, 2 Mar. 2026, www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2026/03/01/harare-zimbabwe-temple-dedication-elder-gerrit-w-gong.
DEDICATION ORDER
214
| Date | 2026 03 01 |
| By | Gerrit W. Gong |
| Role | Apostle |
| Sessions | 1 |
| Attendees | # |
⮜Preceded by Alabang Philippines
Followed by Davao Philippines⮞
Construction Duration
| Span | Duration |
|---|---|
| Announced to Groundbreaking | 4 y, 8 m, 9 d |
| Groundbreaking to Dedication | 5 y, 2 m, 20 d |
| Announced to Dedication | 9 y, 10 m, 28 d |
Dedicatory Order
GLOBAL
214
REGION
AFRICA
9
COUNTRY
ZIMBABWE
1
STATE
–
–
COUNTY
–
–
CITY
HARARE
1
Text for Summary tab
Groundbreaking Announced
Announced
- São Paulo East Brazil
- Mexico City Benemérito Mexico
- Santos Brazil
- Barcelona Spain
- Vitória Brazil
- Maceió Brazil
- Oslo Norway
- Charlotte North Carolina
- Bakersfield California
- La Paz Bolivia
- Sunnyvale California
- Vienna Austria
- Harrisburg Pennsylvania
- Viña del Mar Chile
- Toluca Mexico
- Cuernavaca Mexico
- Cusco Peru
- Iquitos Peru
- Jakarta Indonesia
- Osaka Japan
- Savai’i Samoa
- Kananga Democratic Republic of the Congo
- West Jordan Utah
- Lehi Utah
- Cincinnati Ohio
- Des Moines Iowa
- Springfield Missouri
- Tulsa Oklahoma
- Tacoma Washington
- Missoula Montana
- Colorado Springs Colorado
- Buenos Aires City Center Argentina
- Huntsville Alabama
- Florianópolis Brazil
- Culiacán Mexico
- Tuguegarao City Philippines
- Retalhuleu Guatemala
- Eket Nigeria
- Chihuahua Mexico
- Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
- Fort Bend Texas
- Piura Peru
- Calabar Nigeria
- Coeur d’Alene Idaho
- Yuma Arizona
- Beira Mozambique
- Spanish Fork Utah
- Kahului Hawaii
- Flagstaff Arizona
- Puerto Montt Chile
- Norfolk Virginia
- Naga Philippines
- Santiago Philippines
- Iloilo Philippines
- Rapid City South Dakota
- Russia
- Shanghai People’s Republic of China
- Dubai United Arab Emirates
- Monrovia Liberia
- Busan Korea
- Chiclayo Peru
- Pachuca Mexico
- Tula Mexico
- Hamburg Germany
- Laoag Philippines
- Mbuji-Mayi Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Luanda Angola
- Cape Coast Ghana
- Goiânia Brazil
- Huancayo Peru
- Roanoke Virginia
- Cancún Mexico
- Brisbane Australia South
- Edinburgh Scotland
- Rosario Argentina
- Maracaibo Venezuela
- Victoria British Columbia
- Uturoa French Polynesia
- Honolulu Hawaii
- Juchitán de Zaragoza Mexico
- Santa Ana El Salvador
- Medellín Colombia
- Santiago Dominican Republic
- Dublin Ireland
- Milan Italy
- Abuja Nigeria
- Kampala Uganda
- Maputo Mozambique
- Queen Creek Arizona
- El Paso Texas
- Milwaukee Wisconsin
- Summit New Jersey
- Price Utah
- Reynosa Mexico
- Chorrillos Peru
- Rivera Uruguay
- Campo Grande Brazil
- Porto Portugal
- Uyo Nigeria
- San Jose del Monte Philippines
- Nouméa New Caledonia
- Liverpool Australia
- Caldwell Idaho
- Greenville South Carolina
- Portland Maine
Dedication Announced
Under Construction
- Bengaluru India
- Neiafu Tonga
- Phnom Penh Cambodia
- Pago Pago American Samoa
- Freetown Sierra Leone
- Smithfield Utah
- Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ephraim Utah
- Heber Valley Utah
- Managua Nicaragua
- Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala
- Torreón Mexico
- Querétaro Mexico
- Port Vila Vanuatu
- Port Moresby Papua New Guinea
- Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Montpelier Idaho
- Modesto California
- Fort Worth Texas
- Kaohsiung Taiwan
- Knoxville Tennessee
- San Luis Potosí Mexico
- Cleveland Ohio
- Teton River Idaho
- Santa Cruz Bolivia
- Ribeirão Preto Brazil
- Londrina Brazil
- Santiago West Chile
- Austin Texas
- Cagayan de Oro Philippines
- Wichita Kansas
- Cody Wyoming
- Tarawa Kiribati
- Grand Rapids Michigan
- Tacloban City Philippines
- Cali Colombia
- Antananarivo Madagascar
- Birmingham England
- Lethbridge Alberta
- Lagos Nigeria
- Natal Brazil
- Benin City Nigeria
- Budapest Hungary
- Singapore
- Wellington New Zealand
- Winchester Virginia
- Vancouver Washington
- Tampa Florida
- Brazzaville Republic of the Congo
- Lone Mountain Nevada
- Fairbanks Alaska
- Kumasi Ghana
- Cape Town South Africa
- Brussels Belgium
- Jacksonville Florida
- João Pessoa Brazil
- Fairview Texas
Under Renovation
- San Diego California
- Anchorage Alaska
- Salt Lake*
- Kona Hawaii
- Manhattan New York
- Stockholm Sweden
- Orlando Florida
- Provo Rock Canyon Utah
*Open House announced, rededication not scheduled
Dedicatory Order
Presidents and Matrons
| Temple President | Temple Matron | Years Served |
|---|---|---|
| Dunstan George Bernard Tiwayi Chadambuka | Pertunia Mudarikwa Chadambuka | 2026– |
Details
Location
The temple will be built on a 6.7-acre site in the Highlands area of Harare.
The Harare Zimbabwe Temple will be constructed on the site of the stake center for the Harare Zimbabwe Stake on Enterprise Road in the Highlands neighborhood of Harare. President Russell M. Nelson toured the site while visiting Harare on April 17, 2018, as part of his world ministry.
Site
LOCATION
Address
#
Elevation
| Feet | Meters |
|---|---|
| # | # |
Site
| Acres | Hectares |
|---|---|
| # | # |
Exterior
#
Cladding
#
Water Course
#
Windows
#
Spandrel panel
#
EXTERIOR
Exterior Finish
#
Architectural Features
#
Specifications
| Feet | Meters | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | # | # |
| Width | # | # |
| Length | # | # |
| Footprint | #2 | #2 |
| Heading | # | # |
Symbolism
Inscription
#
HOLINESS TO THE LORD
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
INSCRIPTION DETAILS
| Order | # |
| Location | # |
| Language | # |
| Type | # |
| Color | # |
| Setting: | # |
| Font | # |
| Glyph | # |
| Church Name | # |
| Temple Name | # |
| Dates | # |
Cornerstone
#
ERECTED
####
CORNERSTONE DETAILS
| Location | |
| Faces | |
| Material | |
| Set | |
| Edge | |
| Type | |
| Finish | |
| Language |
Spires and Finial
Spires
text
SPIRE
| Spires | # |
| Location | # |
| Finish | # |
| Type | dome, steeple, tower, spire |
| shape | # |
| Tower shape |
Finial
text
FINIAL
| Material | # |
| Placed | # |
| Finish | # |
| Height | # |
| Weight | # |
Interior
Interior
text
Entry
text
GENERAL INTERIOR
| Area | 32,240 f2 (2,995.19 m2) |
| Floors above grade | |
| Floors below Grade | |
| Baptistries | |
| Initiatories | |
| Endowment Rooms | |
| Sealing Rooms |
Baptistry
text
BAPTISTRY
| Baptistries: | |
| Location: | |
| Exterior Windows: | |
| Artwork: | |
| Artwork Type: | |
| Oxen: | |
| Type: | |
| Hoof: | |
| Color: | |
| Layout: | |
| Font Exterior: | |
| Interior: | |
| Shape: | |
| Bowl Shape: | |
| Pillar: | |
| Stairs: | |
| Font Well: |
Initiatory Spaces
text
INITIATORY
| Style | detached, attached, combined |
| Type | stationary, progressive |
| Rooms | # |
Instruction Rooms
text
Creation Room
text-images
Garden Room
text-images
World Room
text-images
Terrestrial Room
text-images
INSTRUCTION ROOM
| Rooms | # |
| Type | # |
| Capacity | # |
| Murals | y/n |
| Total Muraled Rooms | # |
| Mural Type |
Celestial Room
text-images
Sealing Room
text-images
SEALING ROOM
| Sealing Rooms | |
| Largest Capacity |
Contractors
Architect
text
Projects by
Project Manager
text
General Contractor
text
Projects by
Other Contractor
text
Projects by
Region
TEMPLES IN AFRICA by country
| Angola | 1 | Luanda |
| Cabo Verde | 1 | Praia |
| DRC | 4 | Kananga · Kinshasa · Lubumbashi · Mbuji-Mayi |
| Ghana | 3 | Accra · Cape Coast · Kumasi |
| Ivory Coast | 1 | Abidjan |
| Kenya | 1 | Nairobi |
| Liberia | 1 | Monrovia |
| Madagascar | 1 | Antananarivo |
| Mozambique | 1 | Beira · Maputo |
| Nigeria | 7 | Aba · Abuja · Benin City · Calabar · Eket · Lagos · Uyo |
| ROC | 1 | Brazzaville |
| Sierra Leone | 1 | Freetown |
| South Africa | 3 | Cape Town · Durban · Johannesburg |
| Uganda | 1 | Kampala |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | Dubai |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | Harare |
Total: 29
References
| ↑1 | Monson, By President Thomas S. Choices. 2 Apr. 2016, www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/04/choices?lang=eng. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | ”Groundbreaking Held for the Zimbabwe Harare Temple,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 12 Dec. 2020. |
| ↑3 | ”Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, 18 Aug. 2025. |
| ↑4 | “Elder Gerrit W. Gong Dedicates the Harare Zimbabwe Temple.” news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org, 1 Mar. 2026, news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-gerrit-w–gong-dedicates-the-harare-zimbabwe-temple. |
| ↑5 | Taylor, Scott. “Elder Gong Dedicates First House of the Lord in Zimbabwe.” Church News, 2 Mar. 2026, www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2026/03/01/harare-zimbabwe-temple-dedication-elder-gerrit-w-gong. |
Last updated on: 15 May 2026
