These 9 Churches in Utah Will Leave You Absolutely Speechless

This list includes impressive churches (by Utah standards – cathedrals in Europe would give all of these a run for their money). I know that there are many, many impressive LDS temples and tabernacles throughout the state. I could easily write three articles full of LDS churches. However, it’s important to remember that Utah includes members of many religions.

I included just one house of worship per religion in this article, and tried to include either the largest, most impressive building, or one that had the most historical meaning. For instance, I’ve included the Cathedral of the Madeleine because it is easily the largest and most impressive Catholic cathedral in the state, though St. Joseph’s in Ogden is also beautiful.

Not all religions in Utah are recognized on this list. Perhaps their churches are more humble, or represent current architecture that is standard for many buildings in the state. It’s also entirely possible that I’ve missed an impressive house of worship for a religion not listed here.

Michael Whiffen/flickr

It took the LDS Church 40 years to built its flagship temple in Salt Lake City, and as a result, it was actually the sixth temple to be dedicated. It was completed in 1893 and dedicated by church President Wilford Woodruff. While it’s not the first LDS temple, it’s the one most identifiable to people all over the world.

JJG53/flickr

The Cathedral of the Madeleine was completed in 1909, at a cost of $344,000. It was dedicated by Cardinal James Gibbons of Baltimore. The exterior of the cathedral is Romanesque architecture; the interior is Gothic.

Advertisement

Ray Krebs/flickr

This is actually the second Holy Trinity Cathedral in Salt Lake City; the first was quickly outgrown by an influx of Greek immigrants to Utah. The new cathedral, featuring Byzantine architecture, was consecrated in 1925.

Advertisement

Grant Montgomery/flickr

This church, on C Street in the Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City, cost $175,000 to build. It was formally dedicated in 1906. Its three iconic stained glass windows were created in 1905 by R. T. Giles and Company in Minnesota.

Related Stories

This Terrifying Bridge in Utah Will Make Your Stomach Drop

Here Are The 12 Oldest Towns In Utah...And They’re Loaded With History

9 Historical Landmarks You Absolutely Must Visit In Utah

Ken Lund/flickr

This temple is the site of the largest Color Festival in the country. The Rajasthani-style temple gives tours to over 40,000 people every year. It also enjoys a favorable relationship with the LDS church; the LDS Foundation donated $25,000 for the temple’s dome in 1999.

First Baptist Church/Facebook

Dedicated in 1954, this is one of the newest churches on the list. It’s actually the second Baptist church built in Salt Lake, but the only one currently occupied. It sits at the corner of 1300 East and 800 South.

By slc.history, via Wikimedia Commons

The B’nai Israel Temple was the first Jewish synagogue in Utah, completed in 1883. The Temple is no longer used as a synagogue, but it’s still standing and occupied by an architectural firm.

First United Methodist Church/flickr

Completed in 1906, this Victorian Eclectic architectural style church was designed by architect Frederick Albert Hale. The church’s stained glass windows are original, as is its pipe organ, the oldest in the state.

Advertisement

By Jonathan Mauer, via Wikimedia Commons

Built in 1874, Cathedral Church of St. Mark is Utah’s second-oldest, non-Mormon church and the first Protestant church established in the Salt Lake Valley.

You’ve probably noticed that all but one of these churches is located in Salt Lake City. Why? I’m not a historian, but I have a theory. With the exception of the Mormons, other religious congregations had to have a large enough population of congregants to come up with the large sums of money needed to built large churches. While you’ll find smaller non-Mormon churches throughout the state, the largest were typically built in the late 1800s and early 1900s in Salt Lake City. It was easy for the LDS church to build magnificent houses of worship, even in small towns, because the Church could fund those buildings from its headquarters in Salt Lake.