Placed among the breathtaking mountains and volcanoes of Quetzaltenango Valley, the Mayan-inspired Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple stands high atop a knoll on the western edge of Quetzaltenango—commonly known as Xela—near the city zoo, Parque Zoológico Minerva, and across from Los Cerezos condominiums. A patron accommodation facility also shares the beautifully landscaped grounds, which are open to the public. The Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple was the second temple built in Guatemala, following the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple (1984). The Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple was announced by President Gordon B. Hinckley during his remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony for Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple. Ground was formally broken for the Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple on a beautiful spring morning to an audience of more than 700 Church leaders and other special guests including the mayor and a congressional delegate.