The Los Angeles Latter-day Saint Temple is a magnificent building covering 190,614 square feet. This building was dedicated on March 11, 1956, making it the first temple in California. It was also the first temple to be topped with the iconic Angel Moroni statue. 

The Los Angeles California Temple was dedicated by then President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, David O. McKay. As with every LDS temple, it has a unique dedicatory prayer. The Los Angeles Temple dedicatory prayer is especially interesting because a large portion of it focuses on blessing the United States of America and its citizens. One inspiring passage from this sacred prayer reads:

“Help us to see the greatness of this country and to minimize its weaknesses…Help people everywhere to sense more clearly that government exists for the protection of the individual—not the individual for the government. Bless, we beseech Thee, the President of the United States, his Cabinet, the houses of Congress, and the judiciary. Give the President health and wisdom needful for the leadership now placed upon him.”

These words remind us that the great blessing of religious freedom is what allows us to worship God in these sacred buildings. 

Enjoy gorgeous Los Angeles Temple pictures

We’ll start with one of our Los Angeles Temple paintings. Anne Bradham is known for the gentle style she uses in her LDS art. She specializes in beautiful watercolors, and we love it whenever she applies her gift to LDS temple pictures. 

The soft colors that she weaves into this piece capture the sense of calm and peace that naturally attend the temple grounds. She also chose a clear, warm day as her backdrop for this picture, symbolizing the clarity and warmth we can find in our own lives when we visit the temple.

This second Los Angeles Temple picture by Mandy Jane Williams is full of rich color. We love the burst of flowers in the foreground. The distant palm trees directly behind the flowerbed guide the eyes to the temple itself, which in turn draws our gaze toward the Heavens. 

For that reason, many LDS temple pictures are often symbolic. They remind us that the purpose of each sacred building is to focus our sights on God. The tall steeples beckon us to approach our Father in Heaven to find help and guidance.

The tall steeples beckon us to approach our Father in Heaven to find help and guidance.

LDS photographer Robert A. Boyd has an entire House of Peace series. Each photo, including this Los Angeles Temple picture, lives up to its title. In this image, we see a soft spread of flowers sprinkling the hillside. The sky is clear, with only gentle traces of pink clouds, and the grounds are empty. 

Robert masterfully captures not only what the temple looks like, but--maybe more importantly--what it feels like.

Covenant Path is another beautiful series by Robert in which he captures several different LDS temple pictures right after a fresh rainfall. This particular Los Angeles Temple picture is stunning. Not only do we see the flowerbeds reflected in the pavement, but there’s also a wide stretch of orange, pink, and purple sky. 

Both features enhance the colors of the scene, capturing that sense of warm welcome that comes so naturally to this temple. Additionally, the reflection of the recent rain may be an allusion to the religious symbol of baptism and the sense of cleanliness inherent in any sacred buildings.

LDS Photographer Scott Jarvie’s pictures are characterized by their bright, rich colors. This nighttime Los Angeles Temple picture is no exception. 

In this photo, Scott emphasizes the contrast between the warm temple lights and the deep-blue of the evening sky. It’s an artistic choice that highlights the physical and spiritual glow of the temple. We love that the yellows and blues are so distinctly reflected in the pool of water situated in the foreground, guiding the eye back up to the temple in a sort of circular pattern. 

This Los Angeles Temple picture is also symbolic. It reminds us that, even in the evenings or low point points of our lives, when everything around us starts to dim, we can still find light and warmth within the temple walls.

Scott also captures the beautiful reflection pool in this next Los Angeles Temple picture. Except this photo was taken on a beautiful, clear day. The purples of the flowerbed go well with the aqua-blue of the reflection pool, creating an eye-catching base for displaying the temple. 

The vertical row of squares climbing the steeple is one of the unique features of the Los Angeles temple. We like this photo because Scott captures that feature dead center. While temple architecture can symbolize many things, we like to think that the steeple's pattern of squares illustrates our personal journey to returning to God and achieving our potential. The scriptures teach us that this journey is taken one step at a time; a truth gives meaning to each new phase of our lives.

In this Los Angeles Temple photo by Lance Bertola, we see less of the grounds and more of the building itself. The white of the temple walls stands out against the dark purples and pinks of the soaring clouds above. 

We love the title of Lance’s Los Angeles Temple picture because it adds a new layer of meaning to the image. It does not highlight the peace of the temple so much as it highlights the power. Church leaders have reminded us that angels attend us in our everyday lives when we make room for the temple. The covenants that we make with God not only seal us together as families, but they give us additional spiritual strength. We are more protected against temptation. Truly all of these things are glorious declarations.

Again, in this vertical photo of the Los Angeles Temple, we see Scott’s characteristic color at its best. The bright spot of red and pink in the left corner gets our attention and then directs our gaze toward the towering steeple. We love the crisp colors and edges in this photo. It makes the image feel real and creates the feeling that we ourselves are standing behind the reflection pool, gazing up toward the sky. 

Vertical photographs are always a unique piece to add to your home because they fit spaces you may not have thought of, such as a stairwell or a hallway.

In this next Los Angeles Temple picture by Scott, the temple stands in the distance. The image is distinctly divided between the deep green grounds and the clear blue sky. However, what we like most about this photo is the unique subject matter. Scott did not just capture the temple in this shot, he focused on the sign out front. For many public buildings, the sign may be considered unremarkable. But for an LDS temple, each sign is a bit of a victory. It marks the faithful and patient efforts of Church members in the area. 

Additionally, the sign itself is aesthetic with the flowerbed, glowing lights, and brown trim. It welcomes all who have come to walk the grounds or enter the doors.

This is another distant shot of the Los Angeles California Temple. We like how Robert has framed the temple with the arching tree branch in the top left corner. He balances the image by capturing a second tree near the bottom right corner. This simple artistic choice leads the eye down the path leading to the temple grounds. It is lined with tall grass and flowers and looks perfect for a lazy summer afternoon walk. 

Sometimes the choices we make as disciples of Christ are not easy. The path we walk may not seem lined with pretty flowers at all. However, this image is a reminder that, ultimately, God’s way leads to the deepest and most lasting happiness. 

Is the Los Angeles California Temple in your area? How did our photographers and artists do? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!  

In the meantime, check out our full collection of Los Angeles Temple pictures!