This evening after work we drove 15 minutes to Friedrichsdorf to attend the temple. The evening was perfect in every way. It was my first time hearing the instruction in German and I loved being able to understand.
The grounds are so beautiful, nestled in a quiet neighborhood.
Here is some information about this temple.
Friedrichsdorf Temple:
Announcement: 1 April 1981
Groundbreaking and Site Dedication: 1 July 1985 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Public Open House: 29 July–8 August 1987
Dedication: 28–30 August 1987 by Ezra Taft Benson
Public Open House: 13–28 September 2019
Rededication: 20 October 2019 by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Site: 5.6 acres | 2.3 hectares
Exterior Finish: Bethel white granite from northern Vermont; copper roof
Architectural Features: Single detached spire with an angel Moroni statue
Ordinance Rooms: Four instruction rooms, four sealing rooms, and one baptistry
Total Floor Area: 32,895 square feet | 3,056 square meters
Elevation: 669.90 feet | 204.18 meters
Temple Locale
Situated several miles north of Frankfurt in the historic city of Friedrichsdorf, the Frankfurt Germany Temple stands on slightly elevated land near a major highway where drivers can glimpse its graceful detached spire. Ancillary buildings are on site including an entrance annex, a residence for the temple president (known as the “villa”), a temple missionary housing facility, a patron housing facility (known as the “hostel”), and a stake center. The immaculate park-like grounds—open to the public—are beautified with colorful shrubs and flowers.
Temple History
The Frankfurt Germany Temple was the fifth temple built in Europe and the second built in the current boundaries of Germany, following the Freiberg Germany Temple (1985).
Construction of the Frankfurt Germany Temple met significant opposition during its early planning phases, but President Gordon B. Hinckley told local officials that they would not regret their decision to permit construction of the temple. It “will be a thing of beauty in this lovely area,” he said. “It will be a source of pride to local residents, who will come to speak of it as ‘our temple.'” Conditions of receiving a building permit including preserving and restoring the 1890s villa, refraining from erecting a fence around the property, and giving some of the land to the city for public parking.
President Gordon B. Hinckley broke ground for the Frankfurt Germany Temple the day after he concluded the dedicatory services for the Freiberg Germany Temple. The next day, he dedicated the Stockholm Sweden Temple.
The Frankfurt Germany Temple and Freiberg Germany Temple originally belonged to separate nations: Frankfurt to the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and Freiberg to the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), a socialist state created by the Soviet Union. The two nations reunited in 1990, three years after the dedication of the Frankfurt Germany Temple.
During its week-and-a-half open house period, the Frankfurt Germany Temple was toured by some 70,000 visitors.
As an apostle, Elder Ezra Taft Benson was called to minister in Europe in 1945, following the devastation of World War II, and again in 1963 to serve as president of the European Mission, headquartered in Frankfurt. In August 1987, it was his special treat to return to Frankfurt—now as president of the Church—to dedicate the Frankfurt Germany Temple.
The Frankfurt Germany Temple was dedicated in eleven sessions over three days with approximately 12,570 members attending, largely coming from the nations of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.
On September 7, 2015, the Frankfurt Germany Temple closed for renovation and enlargement. A few months later, a new stake center was dedicated that had been under construction next to the temple, and the former meetinghouse was demolished to make room for a missionary housing facility. The discovery of foundation issues during the renovation doubled the anticipated construction time from two years to four years. The baptistry was relocated to an underground extension, and a visitors’ center was created in the annex building. Approximately 29,000 guests toured the temple during its public open house.
You’ll see in each of the stained glass windows along the sides of the building a golden rod that leads to the Tree of Life depicted on the back side of the building. The imagery of holding onto the rod, as taught by Nephi in the Book of Mormon reminds us to hold tight to our covenants and the teachings of Jesus Christ. Everything about the temple and what we learn inside points to Jesus Christ.
I think it’s beautiful how this temple is a part of the neighborhood with walking paths and beautiful landscaping.
One of the unique things about the grounds here is that the lawns are mowed by a robot! Adam and Aaron would be all over this for our yards at home! The grass looked perfectly manicured. We learned that a little GPS operated lawnmower does all the work.
Here’s what it looks like:
After our temple session we walked over to a local restaurant for some dinner. It was delicious–real German comfort food. What a wonderful evening it was!
Our Frankfurt Germany Mission 