Bern Switzerland Temple

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Bern Switzerland Temple

Number	9	edit data
Announcement	1952-07-01
Groundbreaking	1953-08-05 by David O. McKay
Dedication	1955-09-11 by David O. McKay
Rededication	1992-11-23 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Location	Tempelstrasse 2 3052 Zollikofen Switzerland
Phone number	(41) 31-915-5252
Site	7 acres (2.8 hectares)
Total floor area	39,063 ft² (3,629 m²)
Height	140 ft (43 m)
Exterior finish	Cream terra cotta
Temple design	Modern, single spire
Ordinance rooms	4 with movie sessions
Sealing rooms	7
Clothing rental	Yes
Preceded by	Idaho Falls Idaho Temple
Followed by	Los Angeles California Temple
Official website • News & Images

The Bern Switzerland Temple (formerly the Swiss Temple) is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the LDS Church). Located in Zollikofen, a small town near Bern in Switzerland, it was the first LDS temple to be built in Europe.

The 7-acre lot was selected in July 1952 by President David O. McKay and Samuel E. Bringhurst, then president of the Swiss-Austrian Mission. Architects were Edward O. Anderson and Wilhelm Zimmer. Groundbreaking and dedication of the lot were performed by President David O. McKay on August 5, 1953. He dedicated the temple on September 11, 1955. The temple was known as the "Swiss Temple" until a standard naming convention for temples was adopted in the early 2000s.

The Bern Switzerland temple has 4 ordinance rooms, 7 sealing rooms, and has a total floor area of 35,546 square feet.

The presentation of the Endowment was particularly challenging in this temple, because it was the first international one, requiring many different languages for its attendants. It was solved by using a film, dubbed in all required languages. After that all new temples were equipped with the film instead of live presentations by temple workers — with two exceptions: the Manti Utah Temple, and the Salt Lake Temple.

After complete renewal of the interior, the temple was rededicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley on October 23, 1992.

In connection with the fiftieth anniversary of its dedication, a 4-metre-high statue of the angel Moroni was erected on top of the tower on September 7, 2005.