Church Office Building, Salt Lake City

As membership of the LDS Church has expanded and multiplied on a worldwide basis in the 20th century, its administrative departments and agencies have so grown in size and in number that, at one point, Church offices were spread all over Salt Lake City. That picture has changed somewhat in 1972 with completion of this 28-story office building, which gathered various departments under one roof and became the state's tallest structure from 1973 until 1998.

A 360-degree observation deck is open to the public for free, and provides a good view of Antelope Island and the Great Salt Lake to the northwest, the Wasatch Mountains to the north and east, the skyline of the city to the south, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west, and Temple Square to the immediate west. Visitors can also take a free tour of the surrounding gardens, which are completely redesigned every six months, and feature an array of exotic plants and flowers.

On the tower itself, the facades all feature a closely spaced vertical pinstripe pattern of cast quartzite columns flanking the narrow windows, visually reminiscent of New York City's former World Trade Center. Take special note of the gigantic precast stone maps of the world, standing out in bold relief on both north and south sides of each wing, proclaimig a worldwide church. The lobby is dominated by a massive mural depicting the Great Commission, in addition to the statue honoring Mormon pioneer sacrifices, which depicts a husband and wife burying an infant child. The inscription reads, "That the struggles, sacrifices and the sufferings of the faithful pioneers and the cause they represented shall never be forgotten."