The design of the Barranquilla Temple was inspired by the neoclassical architecture of Colombia’s Republic period. Notable features of the Temple’s exterior include carved stone parapets and an open tower topped with a dome and cupola. The lacey carved stone parapets are similar to those that decorate many of the older homes and significant buildings near Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Below the tower, a tiered hierarchy of pilasters (superposition) gives emphasis to the building’s main entry, and like many of the area’s important local buildings the temple is clad in limestone. Rising two stories above a small-hilled site, the massing is reminiscent of many of the smaller early temples of the church but the detailing is rooted in the region. The temple’s plan is rectangular and symmetrical with a central corridor. Interior wood doors and millwork are adorned with hand carved motifs of the cayena (hibiscus) flower, the official fl ower of Barranquilla City. The flower motif is also found in the art glass windows of the upper floor and can be found in the exterior’s landscaping
Photo Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Intellectual Reserve