San Diego California Temple Reopens Following Major Three-Year Restoration

After more than three years behind construction barriers, the San Diego California Temple is once again opening its doors to the public, marking the completion of one of the most significant restoration projects ever undertaken on one of Southern California's most recognizable landmarks. The iconic temple, operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is hosting a rare public open house from June 18 through July 11, 2026, before its official rededication scheduled for August 23, 2026. Since Latter-day Saint temples are generally accessible only to church members after dedication, the open house represents a unique opportunity for visitors of every faith—or none—to discover a building that has fascinated motorists traveling along Interstate 5 for more than three decades.

Standing prominently near La Jolla in San Diego's Golden Triangle district, the temple has become one of the city's defining architectural landmarks. With its soaring twin Gothic-inspired spires, brilliant white exterior, and distinctive glass atrium linking its towers, the building is instantly recognizable from miles away. Rising approximately 203 feet (62 meters) at its highest point, the eastern spire is crowned by the gilded statue of the angel Moroni, a familiar symbol atop many Latter-day Saint temples around the world. Unlike the Spanish Colonial architecture traditionally associated with Southern California, the temple deliberately embraced a dramatic vertical Gothic aesthetic, making it unlike virtually any other religious building in the region.

The story of the temple began on April 7, 1984, when Gordon B. Hinckley, then serving as a counselor in the Church's First Presidency, announced plans for its construction during the church's General Conference. At the time, California's rapidly expanding Latter-day Saint population had reached hundreds of thousands of members, creating the need for another temple in Southern California after the earlier Los Angeles and Oakland temples. Construction officially began on February 27, 1988, with church president Ezra Taft Benson presiding over the groundbreaking ceremony in what would become one of the most ambitious temple projects of its era. Designed to serve approximately 80,000 church members across Southern California and neighboring Baja California in Mexico, the temple represented both the church's continued growth and its increasing international presence.

Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of the temple's creation lies in the unlikely collaboration behind its design. Church architect William S. Lewis worked alongside Dennis Hyndman and Shelly Hyndman, a Roman Catholic husband-and-wife design team who had never before entered a Latter-day Saint temple. Initially unfamiliar with the specialized requirements of temple architecture, the Hyndmans later recalled being "really in the dark" until they toured the Las Vegas Nevada Temple several years into the design process. Their fresh perspective ultimately helped create one of the church's most distinctive temples, blending traditional symbolism with modern engineering and an abundance of natural light. Throughout the structure, stained glass, geometric motifs, and soaring interior spaces guide visitors upward toward the breathtaking Celestial Room, whose 120-foot-high ceilings and expansive art-glass windows remain among the building's most celebrated features.

When the temple first opened to the public in 1993, it immediately exceeded every expectation. Church officials anticipated approximately 600,000 visitors during the six-week open house, yet more than 720,000 people ultimately toured the building between February 20 and April 3. The remarkable public interest transformed the temple into one of San Diego's most talked-about attractions that year. The communications campaign surrounding the event earned the prestigious Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America, while the San Diego Press Club honored the temple as its "Headliner of the Year" in the landmark category. Even Michael Stepner, San Diego's former city architect, praised the structure as a defining visual landmark that gives the city a distinctive identity along Interstate 5.

Following its dedication in April 1993—conducted over twenty-three separate sessions led primarily by Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson—the temple served church members continuously for nearly thirty years, apart from temporary closures for maintenance and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, however, church leaders announced a comprehensive renovation that would preserve the temple for future generations while carefully maintaining its original architectural vision. The project involved restoring the marble-clad exterior, removing decades of discoloration caused by freeway traffic and the coastal marine environment, renovating interior finishes, modernizing restrooms, redesigning several functional spaces, restoring all 144 original stained-glass windows, and reconfiguring portions of the interior to better accommodate modern temple operations. The work represents one of the most thorough preservation efforts ever undertaken on a Latter-day Saint temple.

Visitors attending the 2026 open house are being offered a rare opportunity to experience areas that are normally inaccessible to the general public. Inside the approximately 59,000-square-foot building, guests can explore the ornate baptistry supported by twelve sculpted oxen representing the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the instruction rooms used for sacred ordinances, several beautifully appointed sealing rooms where Latter-day Saint marriages are performed, and the magnificent Celestial Room, widely regarded as one of the temple's architectural masterpieces. Light remains a central theme throughout the design, with intricate leaded-glass windows filtering natural illumination into every level of the building, reinforcing the symbolic journey toward increasing spiritual light envisioned by its designers.

The reopening also marks a new chapter in the temple's leadership. Following the August 23, 2026 rededication, Richard G. Whittier will serve as temple president alongside Stephanie L. Whittier as temple matron, continuing the tradition of volunteer leadership that oversees the daily operation of Latter-day Saint temples worldwide. Once the rededication ceremony concludes, the San Diego California Temple will once again become accessible only to church members holding a current temple recommend, making the ongoing public open house a once-in-a-generation opportunity for architecture enthusiasts, historians, and curious visitors alike to step inside one of California's most striking religious landmarks before it resumes its sacred purpose.

Photos : Copyright Alvin Hernandez Revilas / Mulderville