Oz

Mormon Temple at sunset from the Capital Beltway (I-495)
just north of Washington, D.C.

View from the parking lot of the Visitor's Center

Rising above the Capital Beltway just north of town is the Washington, D.C., Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I stopped and took some pictures the other day, then tweaked them a bit with my photo software.

The Washington Temple is the fifth largest temple in the church's system of temples. (The largest is in Salt Lake City.) Among other things, this is where Mormons go to be married not just 'til death do us part' but, as they believe, 'for time and all eternity.' Contrary to popular myth, being Mormon does not automatically mean you get to go into one of these buildings. Members are required to meet a stringent list of requirements that include adherence to a health code, payment of tithing, service to the church, and obedience to the church's leaders.

If you commute on the Beltway in D.C., you're bound to hear references in the traffic report to "congestion/smooth sailing around the Mormon Temple and Georgia Avenue." Most folks in the area jokingly and affectionately refer to this temple as "Oz" or "The Emerald City."

Zip: 20895

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential (Janet M. Kincaid, 07/07)