We visit Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The city is not only the capital of Utah, but also the center of the Mormon church, with Temple Square at its heart. After our city tour, we continue on to Antelope Island, the largest island in the Great Salt Lake, known for its large bison herd.
Salt Lake City lies in the Salt Lake Valley, surrounded by the majestic Wasatch Range and the Oquirrh Mountains. It's early May, and the mountains are still snow-capped, a beautiful contrast to the modern city with its rich historical heritage! Salt Lake City was founded in 1847 by Mormons under the leadership of Brigham Young after their arduous escape to the West. Religious persecution and the murder of their founder, Joseph Smith, had driven them here from the East. The Mormons transformed the barren Salt Lake Valley into a prosperous oasis and established the center of their church here. The Mormons (also known as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or LDS for short) continue to shape Salt Lake City to this day.
The heart of Salt Lake City is Temple Square. However, the entire square is currently a major construction site! The holiest building for the Mormons, the six-towered Temple, is completely scaffolded, but the golden angel Moroni at its apex blows his fanfare, undaunted. We visit the adjacent Tabernacle with its unusual, turtle-shell-like architecture. We are constantly approached by friendly missionaries from the church, people from all parts of the world, who encourage us to enter the buildings and are available to answer our questions.
From the rooftop garden of the modern, enormous LDS Conference Center, we have a fantastic view of Temple Square with its historic buildings and the snow-capped mountains in the background. Salt Lake City is also a winter sports center. The city hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics and will do so again in 2034. Next to Temple Square, we see the Church Office Building, a striking 28-story skyscraper and the Church's administrative center. We go inside the convention center and experience the impressive organ in the gigantic main auditorium during a free organ concert.
Afterward, we climb Capitol Hill, where the majestic Utah State Capitol stands. Its exterior is reminiscent of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and it is the seat of government. Nearby, we find several historic buildings, such as the beautiful old City Hall in the Romanesque-Victorian style and the White Memorial Chapel, a lovely example of historic church architecture.
Back in the city center, we see the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The once luxurious Hotel Utah now serves as an event venue and community center for the Church and bears witness to its opulent past.
Nearby stands the Lion House with its stone lion above the entrance. Along with the Beehive House next door, it was the residence of Brigham Young. Brigham Young needed a lot of living space, as he had 57 children! In his time, polygamy was still permitted among Mormons. The Eagle Gate Monument spans the street and symbolically marks the eastern entrance to the historic center.
Our tour of downtown ends at the Brigham Young Monument, a memorial to the second president of the Church and the first governor of Utah.
We leave the bustling city and head into nature to Antelope Island State Park, the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway.
The Great Salt Lake is the largest lake in the United States west of the Mississippi and up to five times saltier than the ocean! Its shallow depth and fluctuating water level make it a fascinating natural phenomenon. However, due to drought and water extraction, it is shrinking more and more, having lost over half its size in recent years. We experience the rough beauty of the island and enjoy the expansive view across the lake, where the snow-capped mountains are reflected. The highlight of the island is the free-roaming bison herd, which has lived here since 1893 and now numbers in the hundreds. We are fortunate enough to observe these animals from a safe distance, but also very closely as they cross the road.
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The complete channel playlist for our trip to the USA can be found here: • USA Roadtrip
Visit in May 2024
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:42 Arrival
01:57 Temple Square with Tabernacle
03:37 LDS Conference Center
05:40 Capitol Hill
08:09 Church Office Building and Lion House
11:13 Antelope Island State Park
13:49 Bison
15:58 Outro
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