Where It's Located
The San Salvador El Salvador Temple is located at Avenida El Espino y Calle El Pedregal, Colonia San Benito, Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad, El Salvador. The temple occupies a 6.5-acre (2.6-hectare) property in the affluent Antiguo Cuscatlán district, near the Multiplaza Panamericana Mall.
The temple sits prominently above Avenida El Espino and is surrounded by landscaped grounds. A meetinghouse and other temple-related facilities are located next to the temple.
Getting There
International travelers will generally fly into El Salvador International Airport (SAL) near San Salvador.
The temple's location in Antiguo Cuscatlán makes it convenient to combine a temple visit with exploring the greater San Salvador area.
San Salvador offers a mixture of historic architecture, museums, restaurants, markets, volcano scenery, and access to some of El Salvador's Pacific beaches.
A Bit of History
The San Salvador El Salvador Temple was announced on November 18, 2007. It became the first temple in El Salvador and the fourth temple in Central America.
It followed the:
- Guatemala City Guatemala Temple — dedicated in 1984
- San José Costa Rica Temple — dedicated in 2000
- Panama City Panama Temple — dedicated in 2008
The temple therefore represented an important milestone in the continuing expansion of temple worship throughout Central America.
Temple Site
The Church selected a prominent location in Antiguo Cuscatlán, one of the more developed areas of the San Salvador metropolitan region.
The elevated setting gives the temple a commanding appearance above Avenida El Espino. The grounds are extensively landscaped, creating a peaceful contrast with the surrounding urban environment.
The temple property also includes a meetinghouse, patron housing, a residence for the temple president, a cafeteria, and Distribution Services.
Groundbreaking and Construction
The groundbreaking and site-dedication ceremony took place on September 20, 2008, with Don R. Clarke presiding.
Construction followed the Church's announcement the previous year and ultimately produced a substantial regional temple designed specifically to reflect the culture and architecture of El Salvador.
Open House and Dedication
The public open house was held from July 1 through July 23, 2011, lasting 22 days. This gave members of the public an opportunity to tour the completed temple before its dedication.
The temple was dedicated on August 21, 2011, by President Henry B. Eyring.
An interesting historical detail is that the dedication took place on the 84th birthday of President Thomas S. Monson, who was serving as President of the Church at the time.
The San Salvador El Salvador Temple is currently the 135th dedicated temple in operation.
Design and Architecture
The San Salvador El Salvador Temple contains approximately 27,986 square feet (2,600 square meters) of floor space and sits at an elevation of approximately 2,710 feet (826 meters).
Its exterior is finished with Branco Sienna granite from Brazil.
The building features a single attached central spire topped with an angel Moroni statue, giving the temple a distinctive vertical presence above the surrounding landscape.
Spanish Colonial Inspiration
One of the most interesting aspects of the temple is its connection to the architectural heritage of El Salvador.
The design features graceful arches and conches throughout, drawing inspiration from the Spanish Colonial architecture of the region.
This gives the temple a visual connection to the Spanish Colonial buildings found throughout Central America.
Rather than simply using a generic temple design, the architects incorporated details that connect the building to its specific location.
The Flor de Izote
Perhaps the most distinctly Salvadoran feature is the use of the Flor de Izote, the national flower of El Salvador.
The flower motif appears throughout the temple, including in the art-glass windows.
The use of the national flower gives the building a strong cultural connection to El Salvador and is one of the details that makes the temple particularly distinctive.
Materials From Around the World
The temple incorporates materials from several different parts of the world.
The exterior uses Branco Sienna granite from Brazil, while the interior includes mahogany wood from Honduras and nearby countries.
The temple's limestone flooring comes from Israel.
The result is a building that incorporates materials from throughout the Americas and beyond while maintaining a distinctly Salvadoran visual identity.
Inside the Temple
The San Salvador El Salvador Temple contains:
- Two instruction rooms, arranged in a two-stage progressive design
- Two sealing rooms
- One baptistry
These facilities provide the essential spaces for Latter-day Saint temple ordinances.
Temple Services
The temple has an arrival center and a distribution center on the property.
There is no public visitors' center and no patron housing listed as available on the temple property, although the site does contain a patron housing facility associated with the temple complex.
Since the temple has been dedicated, normal interior access is reserved for Latter-day Saints who meet the requirements for temple worship.
Exploring San Salvador
A visit to the San Salvador Temple can easily be combined with exploring the capital and surrounding areas.
Some of the region's highlights include:
- San Salvador Volcano
- Lake Ilopango
- El Boquerón
- Historic downtown San Salvador
- National Palace
- El Rosario Church
- Pacific Coast beaches
The country's relatively small size also makes it possible to explore several different regions during a single trip.
Travelers interested in nature can visit volcanic landscapes, lakes, forests, and waterfalls, while those interested in history can explore archaeological sites and colonial-era landmarks.
Why the San Salvador Temple Matters
The temple's greatest significance is that it became El Salvador's first temple.
For Latter-day Saints in the country, this represented a major change in access to temple worship. Instead of having to travel outside the country, members could attend a temple within El Salvador.
It also represented another major step in the development of the Church's temple network throughout Central America.
The temple's architecture reinforces that significance by incorporating local cultural elements rather than simply reproducing a generic international style.
A Temple With a Salvadoran Identity
The San Salvador Temple is particularly notable for the way its design incorporates the country's identity.
The combination of:
- Spanish Colonial architectural influences
- Graceful arches and conches
- Flor de Izote motifs
- Salvadoran landscaping
- Brazilian granite
- Honduran mahogany
- Israeli limestone
creates a building that is simultaneously international and distinctly Salvadoran.
The Flor de Izote is especially meaningful because it connects the temple directly to a national symbol of El Salvador.
Planning a Temple Trip
The San Salvador El Salvador Temple is an operating temple, so Latter-day Saints can plan a temple visit today.
Travelers should check the temple's current operating schedule and make the appropriate arrangements before traveling. The temple information page provides a link to the official schedule.
Those who are not eligible for temple worship cannot tour the interior during normal operations, and there is no public visitors' center.
Final Thoughts
The San Salvador El Salvador Temple is a significant landmark in both Latter-day Saint and Salvadoran history.
As El Salvador's first temple and the fourth temple built in Central America, it represents an important milestone in the growth of temple worship throughout the region.
Its architecture is especially distinctive. The Spanish Colonial influences, Brazilian granite exterior, graceful arches, Flor de Izote art-glass motifs, Honduran mahogany, and Israeli limestone give the temple an international character while keeping its design firmly connected to El Salvador.
Announced in November 2007, groundbreaking took place in September 2008, the public open house occurred in July 2011, and President Henry B. Eyring dedicated the temple on August 21, 2011.
For Latter-day Saint travelers from the United States, a trip to the San Salvador El Salvador Temple offers a memorable combination of temple worship, Spanish Colonial architecture, Salvadoran culture, volcanoes, tropical landscapes, and Central American history.
Scott & Riah
Brough Made
broughmade.com
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