Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple Pictures

About the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was first established in Pennsylvania in 1839, growing to 450 members within a year, though membership later declined as many Saints migrated west to Salt Lake City. The Church's presence grew again as European converts arrived, and the first Pennsylvania stake was eventually organized in 1960 with 1,100 members across southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. During his opening remarks at the 178th Semiannual General Conference on October 4, 2008, President Thomas S. Monson announced that the City of Brotherly Love would be home to the state's first temple. Church leaders selected a site at the northeast corner of Logan Square along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and President Henry B. Eyring presided over the groundbreaking and site dedication on September 17, 2011 — fittingly, the 224th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution just blocks away at Independence Hall.

Designed in the neoclassical style to match its stately neighbors — including the Philadelphia Free Library and the former Family Court Building nearby — the temple rises 208 feet and is clad in granite quarried in Maine, with interior stonework imported from Egypt and Italy. Original art glass and an oil-painting wall mural depicting landscapes significant to American and Church history, including the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers, decorate the interior. The surrounding plaza features a reflecting pool and public gardens open to visitors year-round. During the public open house, held August 10 through September 9, 2016, more than 140,000 people toured the temple — over half of them not members of the Church. The night before the dedication, roughly 1,700 youth gathered at Temple University's Liacouras Center for a cultural celebration titled "We the People," held on Constitution Day. President Eyring dedicated the temple on September 18, 2016.

Philadelphia Temple Photos, Art & Prints

Set among some of Philadelphia's grandest architecture along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the temple's neoclassical granite facade and matching wall height give it a stately presence alongside the Cathedral Basilica and the Free Library. The landscaped plaza, reflecting pool, and gardens surrounding the temple offer photographers a formal, historic setting rarely found among Latter-day Saint temples. Our collection features photography and fine art capturing the Philadelphia Temple amid the classical architecture of Center City.

Philadelphia Temple prints make a meaningful and inspirational gift for members throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and for anyone who loves the history and architecture of Philadelphia. Perfect for weddings, mission homecomings, new homes, and other milestone occasions.

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