5 Worst LDS Temples

(Photo by Lionel Allorge)

What happens on the temples is the same but the outside are very different. There will be people who have a love of their temple and won't be happy with some of these choices. I understand. If someone told me the LA temple was ugly I would admit its not the prettiest but it sure doesn't belong on the list. I also would realize taste is subjective too though. Unlike my last list of the best where factors besides aesthetics were factored in this list is all about looks.

The first one is the easiest to guess since it is at the top of the page. If you thought this was some old high school from a John Hughes movie you're wrong. It is actually the Paris Temple. The temple looks like it could be a number of things besides a temple from a high school to a library. I prefer my temples to look set apart from the world not fit right in.

(Photo by Wiiii)

This next one is going to be controversial. This is one that many people felt belonged on the best temples list. I assume it is for personal reasons. It is one of only a few Canadian temple and as afar as I can tell no others built until the 90s. The Temple is the Cardston Alberta Temple. The building looks like a branch of the federal reserve bank of the Japanese Diet. In fact the picture above it the Japanese National Diet. Unless you from Canada you probably did't even realize it was the wrong building. I thought about getting some federal reserve branch pics too but it was to much work and felt like I was putting salt in this wound.

(Photo of real Cardston Alberta Temple by Ricardo630)

This next spot was a tough call. It was between Hong Kong and Manhattan. I felt fewer readers would be offended by Hong Kong but Manhattan just looks like so much like any other office building it had to get the spot. If you are a New Yorker feel free to put Hong Kong in place of your temple.

 

(Manhattan photo by Beyond My Ken)


(Hong Kong Temple photo by Ricardo630)

Up until now these were not being place in any order. But the final spot is being reserved for the worst looking temple and this is the final one that really came to mind. In fact it had to fight against a couple others to make the list. It really comes down to other factors though. The Frankfurt Germany temple looks  like a modern Mega Church you would find in a big city. Unfortunately many other European temples went for the unconventional temple look. Frankfurt is not the first but it is the worst. It's like the architect thought there is a ton of beautiful buildings in this great content let's do something different. Although it looks like Boise is the one to blame but Frankfurt is the worst looking of the bunch. Many a temple around the world wee ruined by this style.

(Frankfurt photo by Donny)


For this one I really thought about putting a picture of a UFO or Campbell's Soup can to start but I already pulled that with Cranston. You may have already been able to guess which temple this is from the fact I am saving it as the worst and I thought a UFO or Campbell's Soup can would be appropriate. If you guessed Provo Utah you are correct. Saying it looks like a UFO is a bit far fetched. They just happen to be round but the look is so unusual that is one of the best comparisons. If Andy Warhol had made it as a giant soup can piece of art and the spire was a spoon it would not be on the list. The building looks like it was a rejected Brasilia proposal. What makes it worse is it is in the same city as one of the prettiest temples. If forms should follow function you should really make pretty temples not ugly ones.

(Provo photo by Bytebear)

Finally I would like to include some dishonorable mentions. The Albuquerque New Mexico Temple looks like a cinema. The Community of Christ temple in Independence, Missouri looks like a upside down tornado. It only missed the list because it is not a temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

What do you think of the list? Do you have others that you think look worse? Did on you like make the list? Feel free to complain in the comments below.