Mosiah 1:18; 2:1, 5, 7; Alma 16:13 (constructed from about 200 to 78 B.C.)

There is little information concerning the first temple built in the land of Zarahemla. It would appear that it was constructed during the reign of king Benjamin’s father, king Mosiah (the first) or by king Benjamin himself. The temple most likely would have been built sometime after the Nephites arrived in the land of Zarahemla from the land of Nephi in about 200 B.C. and merged with the people of Zarahemla (the Mulekites). The earliest mention of the temple is in 124 B.C. (Mosiah 1:18). We do not know if the temple was within the city of Zarahemla or somewhere outside its confines. The record emphasizes that the people “gathered themselves together, to go up to the temple” (Mosiah 1:18; 2:1, 5). The temple had walls, and the people gathered within the walls to be taught (Mosiah 1:18; 2:7).

What was the height of the temple in Zarahemla? The record seems to suggest that the temple itself might not have been too tall, possibly only one-story high. If the temple were multistoried or a lofty, stepped pyramid, king Benjamin could have merely climbed a ladder, or the steps of the pyramid, and spoken from the top (or any elevated spot) of the temple to project the sound of his voice, rather than erecting a hastily built tower next to the temple for that purpose. This would suggest that the temple height was notably less than the top of the tower. The record states that before the tower was built, the people had already “pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them” (Mosiah 2:6; see section on King Benjamin’s Tower, below). The tower appears to have been built next to the temple area because that’s where the people were assembled in their tents, “with the door thereof towards the temple,” and that’s where they remained to hear king Benjamin’s words from the tower.

There appears to have been more than one temple in the land of Zarahemla. The record states that, “Alma and Amulek went forth preaching repentance to the people in their temples, and in their sanctuaries, and also in their synagogues, which were built after the manner of the Jews” (Alma 16:13). It is not clear if these additional temples were built by the Lord’s people or by those not affiliated with the church, and Alma and Amulek were merely using the temples as places to teach the gospel. There is no mention of the materials that were used to build temples in the land of Zarahemla.