Erected over a largest section of a vast cave system in the mountains on Ilum, the temple was meant to fortify and protect the entrance to the caves and give visiting Jedi a place to rest and recover from the planet's harsh environment. The mouth of the cave was located at the base of a towering cliff face, and the temple itself was constructed around that site from natural stone. The exterior of the temple was marked by reliefs and sculptures denoting legendary figures and moments throughout the Jedi Order's history. Tall, narrow windows of multi-colored glass punctuated the upper levels of the temple's rounded walls to let in natural light.
The temple's doors were constructed of the light-absorbing stone mined from the caves and accented by a silvery alloy. Because of the temple's infrequent use, the doors often became obscured by debris, fallen ice, or banks of snow. Instead of maintaining it, the Order came to view the obstruction as a portion of the Gathering rite, a tradition in which Jedi Padawans would find and choose their kyber crystals in order to construct their lightsabers.
