The Bern Switzerland Temple (formerly the Swiss Temple) is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) located in Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland. It was the church's first temple in Europe and the second outside of North America, after the Laie Hawaii Temple. The intent to build the temple was announced on 1 July 1952, by church president David O. McKay.
The temple was designed by church architect Edward O. Anderson, and the plans were redrawn into German specifications by Wilhelm Zimmer. The temple's architecture uses a modern-contemporary style.
History
There have been church members in Switzerland since the mid-19th century. The church's first missionary entered Switzerland in 1850, with the encouragement of Lorenzo Snow of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who was attempting to establish a mission in Italy and surrounding countries. Snow visited Switzerland in February 1851 to dedicate the land for missionary work, and in March 1851 the first Swiss converts were baptized. As of October 2024, there are over 9,000 church members in Switzerland.
The lot was selected in by LDS Church president David O. McKay and Samuel E. Bringhurst, then president of the Swiss-Austrian Mission. The architects were Edward O. Anderson and Wilhelm Zimmer. Groundbreaking and dedication of the lot were performed by McKay on 5 August 1953, who later dedicated the temple on 11 September 1955.
The Bern Switzerland Temple has four ordinance rooms, seven sealing rooms, and a total floor area of . Its temple district includes stakes in France, Switzerland, and the district in Jerusalem, Israel.
Originally, presentation of the endowment was particularly challenging, since it was the first international temple, requiring many different languages for its patrons. This was solved by using a film, dubbed in all required languages. Gordon B. Hinckley, as a church employee, supervised the initial making of the film and was responsible for transporting it to Switzerland. The Los Angeles California Temple, which was dedicated in 1956, was the last one designed for live endowments; since then all new temples have been equipped with recordings instead of live presentations by temple workers. For several decades, only the Manti Utah and Salt Lake temples used live presentations, but the church announced in 2021 that both temples would convert to the use of a film after extensive remodeling.
In early 1990, the temple closed for renovations. After the complete renewal of the interior, the temple was rededicated by Hinckley, who was then a member of church's First Presidency, on 23 October 1992. In connection with the fiftieth anniversary of its dedication, a statue of the angel Moroni was placed on top of the tower on 7 September 2005.
Design and architecture
The building has a modern-contemporary architectural style coupled with a traditional Latter-day Saint temple design. Designed by Edward O. Anderson and Wilhelm Zimmer, the architecture reflects both the cultural heritage of Bern and its spiritual significance to the church.
The temple is on a 7-acre plot, and surrounding landscaping of gardens, hedges, trees, and grass fields.
The structure is 140 feet tall, and is constructed with reinforced concrete with gray terracotta trimmed in white. This temple in particular is one of "...the Church's most visible and oldest structural manifestations of growth and dedication."
Renovations
Over the years, the temple has undergone several renovations to preserve its structural integrity, update facilities, and enhance its spiritual and aesthetic appeal. The most significant renovation project commenced in 1990. These changes ensure its compliance with contemporary building standards and accommodates the needs of church members.
One aspect of the renovation was the addition of more ordinance rooms; the pre-existing single 250-seat auditorium was replaced by four 70-seat ordinance rooms. This allowed a new endowment session to begin every half hour instead of every two hours.
Serving from 1955 to 1957, the first president was Samuel E. Bringhurst, with Lenora K. Bringhurst being the matron.