Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple
The temple is the only one in Tonga, and has a floor plan similar to other southern Pacific temples, including the Apia Samoa (rebuilt in 2005) and the Papeete Tahiti temples. It was built with a modern single-spire design, similar to the Bern Switzerland Temple and the London England Temple. Most of the construction work on the temple was done by labor missionaries from New Zealand and other South Pacific Islands.
History
The Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple was announced on 2 April 1980, and dedicated on 9 August 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley. The temple was built on a 5-acre (20,000 m) plot, has 2 ordinance rooms and 3 sealing rooms, and has a total floor area of 14,572 square feet (1,353.8 m).
The temple was closed for renovation in July 2006. After completion, an open house was held September 29 to October 20, 2007, and the temple was rededicated on November 4, 2007 by Russell M. Nelson.
After he was released as president of Brigham Young University-Hawaii in 2007, Eric B. Shumway became the temple president.
In 2020, the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple was closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.