A Beloved Backdrop Returns to Temple Square

The historic oak doors of the Salt Lake Temple have returned to the sacred structure as renovation crews continue moving the temple toward completion. According to a Church Newsroom release, crews began reinstalling one set of the east doors on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, while crews had installed the west doors a few weeks earlier.

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and many visitors to Temple Square, the doors carry meaning beyond their function as an entrance. The Church of Jesus Christ described them as a familiar backdrop for thousands of family photos connected to weddings, reunions, missionary milestones, vacations and other cherished moments.

A Step Toward Reopening

Richard Sutton, senior director in the Temple Department over the Salt Lake Temple Celebration, connected the installation directly to the public celebration the Church will hold in 2027. “Today’s installation of the Salt Lake Temple doors marks movement toward the Salt Lake Temple Celebration, held April through October 2027, when all the world is welcome to come inside the house of the Lord,” he said.

Sutton also pointed to the temple’s return to its sacred purpose after the renovation concludes. “This really serves as that key milestone that this temple is going to be completed; we’re going to have it open and then rededicated. And the Salt Lake Temple will be back in operation for worship of Jesus Christ.”

A Project Years in the Making

Tom Lindhardt, senior project manager with the Special Projects Department of the Church, described the scale of the renovation in personal terms. “Once in a lifetime’s kind of an understatement for a project like this,” he said.

Lindhardt said the door installation carried special meaning because of the long effort behind the project. “We’ve been working on this project for so long… and today, putting the doors back on is just one milestone that’s exciting because it represents finishing the temple.”

Careful Work at the Temple Entrance

Media gathered on Temple Square as crews began installing the east doors, giving observers a close look at the careful work involved. Austin Gifford, project manager with Fetzer Architectural Woodwork, said the first closing of the doors brought some natural pressure because crews needed to confirm that the doors moved and hung correctly.

“It’s always a little nerve-wracking when you close those doors for the first time, and just to make sure that everything’s swinging nicely and that they’re hanging nicely,” Gifford said. He added that the team moved forward with confidence because skilled carpenters and installers stood ready to make adjustments, and the two doors closed well enough that they would not need much more work.

Historic Craftsmanship Returns

The Church Newsroom release also discussed the history, distinctive circular designs, and interlocking letters of the iconic oak doors. Those letters, according to the release, are believed to represent “House of the Lord,” a phrase found on temples of the Church around the world.

Craftsman Karl Conrad Schaub, who designed the east doors, was said in family tradition to have modeled them after the craftsmanship of Danish carpenter Herman August Thorup. The release noted that his journals do not confirm that detail.

Preserving a Familiar Part of Temple Square

Lindhardt emphasized the importance of preserving the historic craftsmanship of the doors and returning them to public view. “These doors represent so much,” he said.

“They’re historic doors and it’s exciting to be able to keep that historic craftsmanship and be able to use that in the project and be able to reuse it and let the world see it and be open for the first time since the temple was originally dedicated,” Lindhardt continued. His comments reflected the practical and emotional value the doors hold within the broader renovation.

The Doors and the Temple Project

Jacob W. Olmstead, manager in the historic sites division in the Church History Department, connected the doors’ detailed design to the care behind the larger temple effort. “The design and the attention to detail and the meticulous nature of crafting these doors, I think, is really symbolic of the temple project as a whole,” he said.

Olmstead said the doors also reflect “the immense faith and the immense value that Latter-day Saints place on the house of the Lord.” He added that the temple connects worshippers with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through the promises they make there.

A View Visitors Know Well

Jehoshua Fajardo, superintendent with Jacobsen Construction, said returning the doors to their original location meant a lot for those involved in the renovation. “Being able to restore this part of history back into its original location is very exciting,” he said.

Fajardo also pointed to the experience future visitors will have when they come to the area. He said people who continue to visit Temple Square will again enjoy the view and experience of the Salt Lake Temple with the doors restored.

The 2027 Salt Lake Temple Celebration

As renovation work nears completion, the Church will invite guests from around the world to attend the Salt Lake Temple Celebration. The celebration will run from April 5 through October 1, 2027, according to the Church Newsroom release.

The celebration will give the public an opportunity to experience the renovated Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square. Sutton said the event will help answer questions for people who previously visited Temple Square while the dedicated temple remained closed to public entry.

An Invitation to Come Inside

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“People who’ve had questions — maybe they’ve come to Temple Square while the temple was dedicated and they couldn’t go inside — this will be an opportunity to say, ‘What happens in there? What does it look like?’” Sutton said. “And it will be open to everybody and we hope everyone will come.”

The Church will make tickets available beginning Tuesday, September 1, 2026. With the doors back in place, the Salt Lake Temple renovation moved visibly closer to the 2027 celebration, rededication and return to worship.

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Do the doors to the Salt Lake Temple have special significance to you? Share your thoughts and memories in the comments below!

Holly Wallace

Holly Wallace is a writer and storyteller drawn to meaningful questions and overlooked details. Her work explores Latter-day Saint life and culture through faithful inquiry, inviting readers to pause, consider, and engage more deeply with what matters most.