What the Rome & Paris Temples Look Like Now + Other Important Temple Updates

With four temples scheduled to be dedicated soon (Provo City Center, Sapporo Japan,Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and Fort Collins Colorado), many others currently under construction are now beginning to take shape.

There are currently 12 temples under construction (Hartford Connecticut, Paris France, Star Valley Wyoming, Rome Italy, Meridian Idaho, Cedar City Utah, Tucson Arizona, Concepción Chile, Lisbon Portugal, Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo, Barranquilla Colombia, Fortaleza Brazil), one scheduled for a groundbreaking (Durban South Africa), and another seven announced (Urdaneta Philippines, Winnipeg Manitoba, Arequipa Peru, Rio de Janeiro Brazil, Abidjan Ivory Coast, Port-au-Prince Haiti, Bangkok Thailand)—evidence that the Latter-day Saints are indeed a temple-building people.

Here are the latest updates and photos from some of these Houses of the Lord nearing completion.

Anticipated finish date: Late 2016, early 2017

Announcement: October 1, 2011

Groundbreaking: Only two temples have not had a traditional groundbreaking ceremony, the Paris France and Tokyo Japan temples.

A few facts: The Paris France Temple will be the first temple in France. It will not have towers, spires, or an angel Moroni crowning it, making it the fourth temple to be built that way. The others are the Laie Hawaii, Cardston Alberta, and Mesa Arizona temples.

Photo from ldschurchtemples.com taken November 2015, courtesy of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken January 18, 2016, by Salomon.

Image a rendering of the completed Paris France Temple from ldschurchtemples.com.

Anticipated finish date: Mid to late 2017

Announcement: October 4, 2008

Groundbreaking: October 23, 2010 by Thomas S. Monson

A few facts: The Rome Italy Temple will be the first temple in Italy, the 12th in Europe. Aside from the temple, meetinghouses, gardens, and visitor's center typical to temple grounds, the Rome Italy Temple site will also have a family history center and a lodging facility for temple workers and patrons who must travel long distances.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken September 27, 2015, by Marc Bohman.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken February 2, 2016, by Italy Rome Mission.

Image a rendering of the completed Rome Italy Temple from ldschurchtemples.com.

Anticipated finish date: Late 2016

Announcement: October 2, 2010

Groundbreaking: August 17, 2013, by Thomas S. Monson

A few facts: The Hartford Connecticut Temple will be the first temple built in Connecticut, the second in New England, and the 85th in the United States.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken October 2015, by Mark Everette.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken January 20, 2016, by AJ Buruca Photography.

Image a rendering of the completed Hartford Connecticut Temple from ldschurchtemples.com.

Anticipated finish date: Early 2017

Announcement: October 1, 2011

Groundbreaking: April 25, 2015, by Craig C. Christensen

A few facts: The Star Valley Wyoming Temple will be the first temple in Wyoming. A member of the Quorum of the Twelve named Moses Thatcher prophesied about a temple being built in Star Valley, a valley he also named.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken January 1, 2016, by Kendell Call.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken February 9, 2016, by Kendell Call.

Image a rendering of the completed Star Valley Wyoming Temple from ldschurchtemples.com.

Anticipated finish date: Late 2017

Announcement: April 2, 2011

Groundbreaking: August 23, 2014, by David A. Bednar

A few facts: The Meridian Idaho Temple will be the fifth temple in Idaho, following the Idaho Falls, Boise, Rexburg, and the Twin Falls temples. Unique in its structure, the temple will not have any steeples or spires, joining the ranks of the Paris France Temple and three other temples. However, it will have an angel Moroni to top a beautiful, gold dome structure.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken January 30, 2016, by Billy Knorpp. 

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken February 18, 2016 courtesy of Justin Richards.

Image a rendering of the completed Meridian Idaho Temple from ldschurchtemples.com.

Anticipated finish date: Late 2017

Announcement: April 6, 2013

Groundbreaking: August 8, 2015, by L. Whitney Clayton

A few facts: The Cedar City Utah Temple will be the seventeenth temple in Utah. It is also the same city where Joel Hills Johnson penned one of the greatest temple hymns of all times: "High on a Mountain Top."

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken January 29, 2016, by Blaine Cox.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken February 23, 2016, by Mark S. Minchey.

Image a rendering of the completed Cedar City Utah Temple from ldschurchtemples.com.

Anticipated finish date: Late 2017 to early 2018

Announcement: October 6, 2012

Groundbreaking: October 17, 2015, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf

A few facts: The Tucson Arizona Temple will be the sixth temple built in Arizona, following the Mesa, Snowflake, Gila Valley, Gilbert, and the Phoenix temples. Originally, the temple was designed to be topped with a 95-foot steeple that would require a special permit to build. However, the plans were altered and a cupola similar to the one on the famous Florence Cathedral in Italy replaced the steeple.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken January 29, 2016, by Stan Kartchner.

Photo fromldschurchtemples.com taken February 19, 2016, by Stan Kartchner.

Image a rendering of the completed Tucson Arizona Temple from ldschurchtemples.com.