5 Historic Churches to Visit Near Salt Lake City

Are you coming to Utah and looking to experience a few of the many cultures embedded in the Salt Lake Valley?  Well you’re in luck! We will go through 5 of the most historic churches located near Salt Lake City. While many people think of Utah and only think of the prominent LDS religion, there are actually members of many religions located around Salt Lake City.  We will take you through churches for five different religions and show you how to get a taste of their culture by visiting these historic sites.

#1 – Salt Lake LDS Temple, Salt Lake City.

50 N West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84150

The Salt Lake LDS temple took 40 years to make, and it is the largest LDS temple in the world by floor area at 253,015 square feet.  This temple is also the most well known temple of the LDS religion in the world. Located in Temple Square, the temple is close in relation to other church buildings as well including the Church History Museum, the Tabernacle (not to be confused with the ‘Tavernacle’, a popular local piano bar), the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Beehive House, as well as a few others.  Travelers could easily make a day out of visiting the temple and a few of the other historic sites close by. If you really want to be blown away, come in the winter time when Temple Square is decked out in Christmas lights! (Usually going up around Thanksgiving and being taken down just after the new year)

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#2 – Cathedral of Madeleine, Salt Lake City.

331 E S Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

The Cathedral of Madeleine is a Roman Catholic Church that is located in Salt Lake City.  It was completed in 1909 and is the only US cathedral under the patronage of St. Mary Magdalene.  The exterior of the church is mostly Romanesque architecture while the inside is Gothic. You can find events going on at the church through their calendar; but currently they have Sunday tours going on most Sundays through June that would be great to check out.

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#3 – Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Salt Lake City

279 S 300 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

This Cathedral is the oldest of its type between the Mississippi river and the Pacific Ocean, and was the 14th Greek Orthodox  parish community in the United States. An interesting fact about this historic site is that it is the second Holy Trinity Cathedral in Salt Lake City; the first was actually outgrown by an influx of Greek immigrants to Utah.  This building was consecrated in 1925. A great time to visit this historic church is during the annual Salt Lake City Greek Festival; which usually takes place in early September (check the church’s official festival page for exact dates).

#4 – First Presbyterian Church, Salt Lake City

12 C St E, Salt Lake City, UT 84103

This historic church was built in 1905, but the First Presbyterian church was actually established in 1871.  Before the church grew and relocated to this building, their old building was actually the first home of Westminster College. One interesting thing about this church is that they offer an informal service every Sunday at 4:43 PM.  This allows people to go skiing in the morning, and still be able to attend service in the evening.

5)    Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, Salt Lake City

231 E 100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

This church was built in 1874 and is the second oldest non-LDS church and the first Protestant church established in Utah.  Their website is super helpful and tells what you can expect if you want to visit the church. This church is located about in the middle of Temple Square and the Cathedral of Madeleine, so visitors could make a day out of visiting all three.