Newport Beach California Temple

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The Newport Beach California Temple

The Newport Beach California Temple is the 122nd temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple was announced on April 21, 2001 and dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley on August 28, 2005. It is the sixth operating temple in California.

Like its sister temple in Redlands, the temple in Newport Beach uses interior and exterior architectural themes consistent with what was used in the Spanish missions of the early Western US and Mexico.

In response to opposition from residents of the surrounding community, the LDS Church made several modifications to the original design. The exterior was changed from white marble or granite to a more pink granite, considered more appropriate for Orange County. The steeple was lowered from 110 feet to about 90 feet, and the exterior lighting is turned off each night at 10 o'clock (unlike most temples, which are lit throughout the night).

The temple is topped by a cupola holding the traditional statue of the angel Moroni. As with many contemporary LDS temples, the Newport Beach California Temple is built on the grounds of an existing stake center and shares parking with it. The temple has a total of 17,800 square feet, two ordinance rooms, and three sealing rooms.

The temple is located near the campus of the University of California, Irvine and the upscale Fashion Island shopping mall, and has overcome initial controversy over its size and appearance to become a prominent landmark in the community.^{[citation needed]}