The Salt Lake Temple Towers and Spires
The Salt Lake Temple has six towers that are each topped with a spire. There are three towers and spires on the East face and three on the West face of the temple. The spires topping the East towers are raised six feet higher than the spires on the West side. The Salt Lake Temple towers and spires have multiple symbolic meanings.
The towers and spires represent the Holy Priesthood of God, which is the authority given to man by God The Father, through Jesus Christ, to act in His Name and on His behalf. The priesthood is the power that governs the LDS Church and the sacred ordinances administered within the Salt Lake Temple, and all other temples. The three higher towers and spires on the East face represents the Melchizedek Priesthood, or higher priesthood. These three east spires also represents the Three Members of the Godhead: God The Eternal Father, His Son, Jesus Christ and The Holy Ghost. Since the spires represent the Melchizedek Priesthood, the three also represent the three members of the LDS Church First Presidency, which is the highest governing priesthood body of the church. The First Presidency is comprised of the Church President/Prophet/Presiding High Priest of The Church and his two counselors.
The West towers represent the Aaronic Priesthood, also known as the lesser priesthood. The three spires on the west tower represent the Presiding Bishopric of the church, which is comprised of the Presiding Bishop and his two counselors.
The spires draw the eyes upward to Heaven. This symbolizes the need for people to look to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ; and to remind us that the priesthood, and the covenants made in the temple, are to help people prepare for salvation and exaltation in God's Kingdom.
Though not the original intent of the temple planners and architects, many Latter-day Saints view the white-bordered, arched windows on the towers as an emblem of the specific offices of the priesthood. The five windows on the East towers represent the five offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood; which are: Elder, High Priest, Patriarch, Seventy and Apostle. The four windows on the West towers represent the 4 offices of the Aaronic Priesthood; which are: Deacon, Teacher, Priest and Bishop.
