Washington D.C. Temple

The Washington D.C. Temple is the 18th constructed and 16th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is located in Kensington, Maryland, United States, just north of Washington, D.C., near the Capital Beltway. The intent to build the temple was announced on November 15, 1968, by church president David O. McKay. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on December 7, 1968, with the dedication by Spencer W. Kimball on November 9, 1974. The temple was dedicated after an open house that attracted over 750,000 people. The temple was the first built by the church east of the Mississippi River since 1846, when the original Nauvoo Temple was dedicated.

The Washington D.C. Temple is known for its six gold-tipped spires and 18-ft tall gold statue of the angel Moroni. Built at a cost of about $15 million in 1968, the temple is the church's tallest; its easternmost spire is 288 feet tall.