The Portland Oregon Temple

For any of you who didn't notice, I've updated some of my earlier posts with new images.

Portland Oregon Temple

The Portland Oregon Temple is one of my absolute favorite temples.   This temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was completed in 1989. I've been to the grounds twice and inside once (the other time was a Sunday so it was closed).   The Portland Temple is modern, detailed, ornate, sleek, bright, rich, original, symbolic, and spiritual.

For those of you who have not been there, it is just off of a freeway (and visible from the freeway) yet the grounds feel secluded due to the dense forest.  Its use of the six spire sloped roof style of temples.  This brings with it priesthood symbolism with the three towers on the west representing the Aaronic Priesthood and its presidency of a bishop and two counselors.  The eastern three towers represent the Melchizedek Priesthood and its presidency, either a stake presidency composed of three presidents or the First Presidency of the church composed of the prophet and his two counselors, all presidents.  The temple is covered in the same symbols that are found on the Salt Lake Temple - representations of the earth, moon, sun, and stars in stone, on the spires, and on the doors.

The Portland Temple spires were intentionally sculpted so they would compliment the forest that fills the grounds.  The spires are essentially made of a series of pointed arches that taper in as they go up.  On the east spires there are stars all over the spires while on the west side no stars are present.  The spires are made of white fiberglass and work well against the brilliant white marble stone that coats the main body of the temple.

The sloped roof of the temple is a nice green slate which helps the structure match the evergreen forest that covers the grounds.

The doors of the temple are done in a nice dark wood.  Symbolic stars are carved into the doors.  The same white stone and dark wood that are found on the temple exterior also run throughout the temple.  The contrast between the two, and the richness of both, makes this temple strikingly beautiful.

Upon entering the temple, you notice an atrium filled with natural light and lush vegetation.  This atrium is open to the public.  To see other atriums, click here.

Inside or outside the temple you might notice the walls glowing.  This is because there are actually windows made of stone cut so thin that it is translucent.  If you look at this picture closely you'll notice that you can see the sun stones illuminated from within the temple.  When I was there, I noticed the earth stones glowing when I was in the downstairs chapel.

Portland Oregon Temple Baptismal Font

Unfortunately, I have not seen the baptistery.  I do have this picture of it and I have been to the Las Vegas Nevada Temple's baptistery which is really similar.  In the photo you can see the stone windows.  I also love the glass used on the railings.  It has a design etched in it and similar glass is used throughout the temple.  I also notice that the floor has a nice design which appears to either be the Star of David or the Seal of Melchizedek.

One unique feature of this temple are the triangular staircases.  These are either in or next to the spires.  These staircases are different from normal staircases because you go up a flight of stairs, step onto a landing, turn 300 degrees, go up a flight, step onto a landing, turn 300 degrees, and so on.  In this way the staircase is triangular (or perhaps hexagonal if you want to include the landing).  I really liked this as it made the temple feel like a special building and not just any architecture.  It also showed creativity.  In addition, the number 3 is filled with symbolism - particularly about God and the Godhead.

Portland Oregon Temple Endowment Room

The endowment rooms are special.  They have the dark wood mentioned earlier.  The wood has a bright gold pattern on it that really stands out.  The grains in the woodwork are also laid out so they form a diamond pattern, something that must have been carefully planned out and shows skill.  The altar is made of the rich dark wood with gold accents.  The shapes on the altar echo the small domes found on the temple exterior and help to tie the architecture together.  The room also feels different from the world due to its orientation.  The room is approximately square, but the altar, screen, and focus is set on a corner of the room.  The seating is also oriented with the rows of seats on either side of the aisle at 90 degrees to each other.  Finally, the altar and veil are on a raised platform that is sectioned off with a small wood barrier that makes it feel extra special.  By the way, this picture doesn't do the room any justice.

Portland Oregon Temple Celestial Room

Going from the endowment room you enter a cross shaped room between the four endowment rooms.  Following one of the legs of the cross leads you into one of the most spectacular celestial rooms ever envisioned.  As you enter the room you are actually walking beneath a staircase that leads to a mezzanine level of the room.  The room is richly decorated and includes gold colored tapestries covering the stone windows along two walls.  This room is also set at an angle and the two walls covered in tapestries are the east facade on the temple exterior.  The gold tapestries contrast nicely with the brilliant white stone.  The tapestries also get thinner as they go up until at the top all you can see is the brilliant white stone windows and any light glowing through them.  This wonderfully represents the eternal progression found in the celestial kingdom.  A small sealing room can be accessed directly off the celestial room and is actually in the east center tower of the temple.  The celestial room also has three bright brass chandeliers that shine with a gold color.  They are virtually identical to the chandelier in the remodeled Logan Temple celestial room, although they are brighter and golder and they work very well in this room.  Modern sconces are found on the columns along the wall with the tapestries and add a lot of class to the room.

Portland Oregon Temple Celestial Room Staircase

If you decide to venture up the staircase, you will get to see some more features of the celestial room.  The stair railing includes glass panels with an etched pattern in them.  This keeps the room light and airy.  The mezzanine level above provides nice views of the chandeliers.  Seating is also present on this upper level.  The multilevel nature of this celestial room reminds us that in the celestial kingdom there are multiple degrees of glory.  A door leads from the mezzanine level to a number of sealing rooms , perhaps to remind us that to attain the highest degree of glory in the celestial kingdom we must be married eternally through the sealing ordinance.

The temple's special chapel, which is essentially a temple assembly hall, is also found off the celestial room mezzanine.  This keeps with the common pattern of having priesthood assembly halls on the top level of temples.  The ceiling of the room follows the slope of the roof.  It must be nice to attend a special temple meeting in this upper room of the temple, especially in the late afternoon on a clear day when the sun would make the stone windows glow.  In that event you would see the sun stones at the top of each window.

The Portland Oregon Temple is one of the six spire sloped roof temples, but it is different than most with a unique floor plan.  It is also a lot larger than most other six spire sloped roof temples.  The spires are far, far more detailed and the symbolism is more advanced than in most other six spire sloped roof temples.  The floor plan of the Portland Oregon Temple was altered slightly and used for Las Vegas Nevada Temple, another one of my favorites and the only example of the six spire sloped roof temple style that can compare to the Portland Temple.  If you have been in a six spire sloped roof temple, but not Portland or Las Vegas, don't think you know what those two are like.  These temples are different.  Although I like the other six spire sloped roof temples, the Portland Oregon Temple is the gem of the style.  If you get the chance I highly recommend that you visit this temple.  Even if you aren't a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it would still be worthwhile just to see the atrium, the beautiful grounds, and the exterior architecture.

I'm not sure why they only built two temples with this floor plan as it truly is a spectacular style, but I am so glad that they made this temple, and that they used its floor plan for the Las Vegas Nevada Temple.

If you know more about this temple, please comment.  You can also comment if you have questions or just want to point out something that you liked.

Latter-day Saint Temple Courtyards and Atriums

Temples built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are usually surrounded with beautiful gardens giving a place for anyone to sit and enjoy the temple and the beauty of nature.  A few temples have an atrium or courtyard giving a special experience.  I want to discuss a few of these and hope that you will comment and tell me about any temples that I've missed.


The Portland Oregon Temple

I loved it when I went to the Portland Oregon Temple and found a small atrium just inside the front doors.  In the photo to the left (from Google Maps) the atrium is on the north (top) of the temple.  It is those two sections with a glass roof in between a spire and a small dome.  The atrium was really nice and was open to the public.  This came in handy for me as I was able to show it to a friend who isn't a Latter-day Saint.  Non-members frequently feel left out of the temple, and having this nice garden that we let them go into is a way to help them feel welcome.  The temple atrium is filled with beautiful plants.  Pictures of the atrium can be seen here, here, here, and here.

The Las Vegas Nevada Temple

The Las Vegas Nevada Temple uses the same floor plan as the Portland Oregon Temple and consequently it also has an interior garden.  This time I'm calling it a courtyard because it is open air.  In the areal photo the courtyard is around the spire with the Angel Moroni (this is on the right center of the photo.  That green patch is a bunch of plants in a beautiful garden including fountains.  While the grounds are also beautiful and filled with gardens, the courtyard, by its enclosed nature, is a quieter garden to sit in and contemplate.  Again it is open to the public.  I couldn't find pictures of the interior (and unfortunately I didn't take any photos on my several visits to this temple).


The San Diego California Temple

Unfortunately, I have never been to the San Diego California Temple.  I have read about it and know that it has an atrium.  In the photo on the left the atrium is between the two towers and is an eight sided star shape (technically the symbol is The Seal of Melchizedek).  From what I've read, the atrium is just outside the Celestial Room (possibly by the sealing rooms?).  For this reason, it is not open to the public but provides a wonderful scenic garden to inspire patrons to the temple.








 

Bountiful Utah Temple

The first temple I ever went inside was the Bountiful Utah Temple.  I went there for the temple open house before I was 12.  I have since been there many times.  One unique feature of this temple is the courtyard/atrium near the baptistery.  It is underground, yet open air.  On the level above cars can drive around the atrium making it the center of a sort of round about.  In the picture it is the center of the circle on the top.  If you park in the underground parking  lot you enter the temple just before the atrium and then walk around the atrium and finally get to the recommend desk, meaning this atrium is open to the general public.  Here is a picture of it.  Here is another showing how it is beautiful even in the winter.  The atrium is circular with glass all around.  I always loved going to the Bountiful Temple to do baptisms because I got to walk around this atrium.

The Salt Lake Temple (a long while ago)

Most people don't realize that the Salt Lake Temple used to have a greenhouse built in.  The room was attached to the garden room.  In fact, early plans of the temple had the entire garden room as a greenhouse attached to the temple on one side.  Real plants were planned to fill the room making it a literal garden.  The completed temple had the garden room inside the temple with a painted mural of the Garden of Eden.  The garden room originally also had a greenhouse attached to it seen here allowing real plants to be in the garden room.  The greenhouse is on the right side of the photo.  You will need to look closely as it isn't very big and resembles a small shack attached to the temple.  Ultimately this is probably the best use of a temple atrium because it is used to reinforce and facilitate the teachings of the endowment.  Architecturally it never quite matched the temple exterior, which is probably why it was removed.  I think it would have been nice to be in the garden room and look forward to where there are 3 arches up a few stairs with curtains in front of them (if you've been in the room you should know what I'm talking about), and have these areas open and leading to a naturally lit garden with real plants.  I think it would add a lot to the temple ceremony and provide a wonderful representation of the Garden of Eden.  I think it would be nice to add the greenhouse again.  It could be made to resemble the sealing room annex on the north of the temple, only with more glass.  I think this would work and is how the Salt Lake Temple was intended.  (I added the photo next to this paragraph which makes the greenhouse much easier to see).
 
The Oakland California Temple

From what I've read and seen in pictures, I understand that the Oakland California Temple has a courtyard garden enclosed on 3 sides.  In the picture this is on the north (top).  I mentioned in an earlier post that the courtyard has sculptures including this one (I like dogs by the way).  The sculptures are looking towards one of the two relief sculptures of Jesus Christ teaching.  I like the idea of this partially enclosed sculpture garden as an area to contemplate Christ and the temple.

Those are the temples that I know have (or had) an atrium or courtyard.  I think several others used to have them before additions took over the courtyards.  With our current focus on small temples, I don't expect to see many more of these, although the Rome Italy Temple complex forms a square garden between the temple, visitor's center, stake center, and family history center.  I think several other temples have this type of setup that creates a more private garden.  I do hope that we occasionally see an atrium or courtyard in a new temple.  The high school I attended had numerous small gardens with a single tree surrounded by glass that went into 2-3 classrooms and a hallway.  This brought a lot of natural light into the rooms and was really nice.  This idea could be used even in our smaller temples as it would only require a small space.

Please comment and let us all know what you think about temple atriums, courtyards, and enclosed gardens.  If you know of any I've missed please comment as well.