The temple sits on a 4.47-acre (1.81 ha) lot with six spires rising above the pines of the nearby forest. A cobblestone path leads to its doors.[1] Prior its current, major reconstruction, the temple had a total of 16,366 square feet (1,520.5 m2),[1] four ordinance rooms, and three sealing rooms. The temple serves Latter-day Saints from the countries of Sweden, Norway, and Latvia.
The April 1981 announcement of the Stockholm Sweden Temple was received with virtually no opposition. There were numerous sites explored for the building of the temple, but the one decided upon by church leaders was in VästerhaningeinHaninge Municipality, just south of Stockholm. Municipal officials and merchants welcomed the temple project, and later the Municipality showed further support by changing the name of the street on which the temple is located to Tempelvägen ("The Temple Road").[2]
On July 29, 1988, an explosion, caused by a bomb placed outside the temple, caused minor damage to a side door of the structure.[5] In 2020, like all the church's other temples, the Stockholm Sweden Temple was closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.[6]
In September 2022, the church announced the temple would close the following year to allow for extensive renovations and reconstruction, which would nearly double the temple's square footage.[7] Temple operations shut down beginning 26 March 2023.[8]
While preparing to renovate the temple, the church discovered several issues with the structure that could not be repaired, most notably its foundation was not constructed below the frost line and heaving over the decades had caused cracking. This resulted in replacing, rather than simply renovating the building. The new temple will resemble the original structure, but be slightly longer and wider, and include the addition of a basement. Demolition of the original temple began in earnest in January 2024.[9]
The temple itself was built on a part of the ancient Åby Grave Field (Åbygravfältet).[3][10] During 1982–1983, prior to construction of the temple, an archaeological excavation of the future temple grounds was carried out. Hundreds of gravesites, most of which contained cremations and were marked by stones laid out in intricate patterns, were discovered. The graves dated primarily from the Pre-Roman and Roman Iron Ages, with the latest dated circa 100–200 CE.[10] In 2000, directly across Tempelvägen from the temple grounds, the remains of a pentagon-shaped structure were excavated.[11] These remains were described in the media as an ancient Norse temple.[12][13] The ancient and modern temples are only 165 feet (50 m) apart.[1]
^ abcHawkins, Chad S. (2016). Temples of the New Millennium: facts, stories, and miracles from the first 150 temples. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book. pp. 70–71. ISBN9781629721491.
^Evans, Richard (2 June 1985). "Building of temple in Sweden is greeted with 'open arms'". Church News. Salt Lake City. p. 11.
^ abPalm, Håkan (25 March 1984). "Nordic temple rites 'a pinnacle'". Church News. Salt Lake City. p. 7.
^Van Orden, Dell (14 July 1985). "Temple in Sweden — longed-for day arrives". Church News. Salt Lake City. pp. 3, 8.
^"Templet i Stockholm - Information". jesukristikyrka.org (in Swedish). Jesu Kristi Kyrka av Sista Dagars Heliga. 25 March 2023. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
^Ludvigsson, Anna (27 January 2024). "Nu rivs Sveriges enda mormontempel" [Sweden's only Mormon temple now being demolished]. Mitt i (in Swedish). Stockholm. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
Media related to Stockholm Sweden Temple at Wikimedia Commons
