The groundbreaking for the Auckland New Zealand Temple was held on June 13, 2020, and members in the area are looking forward to the day when the building will be complete. The Auckland temple is the second temple of the Church in New Zealand—the first being the Hamilton New Zealand Temple—and will serve about 114,000 Latter-day Saints. Here are some unique facts about the rich history of the site of the Auckland New Zealand Temple that you may not know about.
The Church purchased the property where the temple will be built in 1996 as a potential site for a meetinghouse or religious learning facility, Church Newsroom Pacific reported. Originally, it was occupied by Māori tribes of Tainui descent. When the property was purchased, a well-known leader gave the land a traditional Maori site blessing.
A few archaeological sites have been recorded in the area. During the construction of the nearby meetinghouse and New Zealand Missionary Training Center, the Church consulted archaeologists who found signs of early inhabitants. According to Church Newsroom Pacific, European settlement in the area dates back to the mid-nineteenth century.
Learn more about the history in the area and how the Church has worked to preserve it at Church Newsroom Pacific.
