Salt Lake City travel guide

The extensive capital of Utah (1.6 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area) is located on the eastern edge of the Great Salt Lake against the backdrop of the 3500m high Wasatch Mountains. Despite a variety of modern industries - electronics, textiles and energy - Salt Lake City is primarily known as religious center of the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" Mormons. Although nowadays also many non-Mormons live here, the (almost) almighty church still has a very strong political influence in the city - the strict Sunday rest, for instance, or the clean-swept streets of the city bear witness to this. Salt Lake City was founded in 1847, when the persecuted Mormon pioneers moved towards the West and realized their theocracy in the valley of the Salt Lake. Many monuments in the city centre, which is designed in a checkerboard pattern, remind of the old pioneer days. During the winter months the city offers many different attractions since some of Utah's best ski resorts - such as Alta, Snowbird or Park City - are only half an hour's drive from the city center.