The Temple is awe inspiring. It is so beautiful and has a wonderful feeling inside. It is an important spot in American history. I would recommend it to anyone who is able to visit. Warning -there are a lot of steep steps to climb if you go beyond the ground floor.
Wonderfully restored without losing the old time feel...tour guides make you feel the special story of the dedicated people who made the temple in the 1830's. Check out the rules for behavior in the temple...we all could learn from such respect and tolerance today!
We were given a wonderful tour by a member of the Community of Christ Church. She was very knowledgeable about the history of the early saints and the sacrifices they went to in their goal to build a House of the Lord. How grateful we are that this property has been preserved.
(Disclaimer: I am am member of the LDS church, so the Kirtland temple has huge significance for me)We spent several hours at the temple site and touring the temple. Even though we were the last tour of the evening, the guide took his time, was eager to share his knowledge, and didn't make us feel rushed at all. Learned a lot.It is a beautiful building, and significant for both community and religious reasons.Donation required
There is a movie you watch before going on the tour. We loved that after the movie they open the curtains and you are looking at the temple! The tour guide takes you through the temple and explains how it was constructed and the sacrifice it took the early members of the Mormon church to build it. It is not owned and run by the mainstream Mormon church but by the Community of Christ. There is a $3.00 charge per person for admission and the tour.
This is a part of the religious history of America. The Community of Christ maintains this site and has done a fine job of it. You start in a visitors center with a movie and then proceed to the temple where your guide shows you the sights. There is a 3 story stair climb to see all the sights and $3 preservation fee. There is no picture taking allowed in the temple.
I'm 65 and spent half my life active in the Mormon Church. I just don't believe all it teaches anymore. I'm still on good terms with it, it's members, and my family.This earliest of Mormon temples holds a lot of history and meaning for the LDS church, but is actually owned and run by a splinter group that parted in it's early history. As such it gives a different view of events, people, and beliefs. It's well worth the time to visit it.The one warning I give is that you can't take pictures once you enter the temple. I got around this by taking pictures of the screen during the movie prior to the tour. Most came out just fine without a flash since the movie is a series of slides, not moving scenes. In fact, once the pictures were taken I could listen more and take closer notice of many of the details in the building.
I've always wanted to visit a Mormon temple. This is their first one. It's now being used more as a community center, with various events and programs, but it still affords one with ideas of what the Mormons value/how they see the world. You take a guided tour, which is a good idea. I found very very interesting the movie presented beforehand; it offers a completely different perspective from that offered by the Mormon visitor center, about why the Mormons left this area. The Temple's explanation is more dark (the Mormons were essentially kicked out and there was dissent within) while the visitor center's version is more "sanitized," for want of a better word. There's a nice, small museum that complements what you see. I especially appreciated the flyer outlining the beliefs of the religion that runs the Temple--it's not the Mormons per se, but a "subdivision" of Mormonism, one that I gather is far more liberal. One note: please, if you have kids, keep them under control. A few were acting up during the movie--this was not only rude, but there are those of us who are truly interested in this subject. Also, it was stressed to not touch some things while in the Temple itself, but, once again, the kids ignored this--this is a very special and sacred structure, it needs to be honored as such, even if you are not a believer in their doctrine. Take some time to appreciate the grounds--kudos to their landscapers!!!
The tour of this temple is fascinating. History and religion come alive. Great experience for scout troops that are looking for significant historical sites.
This temple was the first built by the LDS Church and remains a testament of their sacrifice. It has such a special feeling inside. It is run by the Community of Christ and costs $3 to tour. Some incredible spiritual manifestations occurred here and you will learn more of them during the tour. If you go during off season, you can also take a tour of the uppermost floor.