The Recife Brazil Temple sits on in the city of Recife, capital of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, shaded by mango trees and towering royal palms, and is surrounded by a beautiful garden. The temple exterior is finished with Asa branca granite from Brazil and features a single spire topped with a gold statue of the angel Moroni. This temple is larger than many Mormon temples being built in order to accommodate the 137,500 members of the Church in northern Brazil. Previously, the closest temple was in São Paulo.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, during a visit to members and Mormon missionaries in Brazil, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony on 11 November 1996. During the open house held prior to the dedication, 78,386 visitors toured the Mormon temple. President Hinckley and President James E. Faust each conducted two dedicatory sessions for the Recife Brazil Temple on 15 December 2000. More than 7,000 people attended.
The Recife Brazil Temple has a total of , two ordinance rooms, and three sealing rooms.