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The Utah State Capitol is the center of government for the state of Utah. It sits on a former munitions storage area once called Arsenal Hill (now Capitol Hill). The land was donated by Salt Lake City to the state in 1888 for the purpose of building the capitol, but construction didn’t begin until 1912. The building was completed in 1916.
Tours
Free guide tours of the capitol are available Monday through Friday on the hour from 10am to 3pm (as of January 2024). Self-guided tours are possible during opening hours. The building is open Monday through Thursday from 7am to 8pm and Friday through Sunday and holidays from 7am to 6pm. I visited on a Sunday so I wasn’t able to take a tour.
2nd Floor
I entered the capitol on the 2nd floor, which is also the main floor. The floor is covered in marble and I was able to hear echoes bouncing around in the cavernous interior.
The Dome
The dome, which is 165 ft. above the floor, is covered in paintings. The painting on the ceiling of the dome was done by William Slater and shows California gulls flying among the clouds. The four pendentives were painted by Lee Greene Richards and represent four important moments in Utah history: Father Escalante Discovers Utah Lake – 1776; Peter Skene Ogden at Ogden River – 1828; Fremont First Sees Great Salt Lake – 1843; and Brigham Young and Pioneers Entering the Valley. Richards also painted the cyclorama, depicting eight more important scenes in Utah history.
3rd Floor
I climbed the stairs to the 3rd floor. This is where the House of Representatives and Senate chambers are located. There’s also a ceremonial Supreme Court chamber. The court moved downtown to the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse on Washington Square in 1998. All of the chambers were closed during my visit.
4th Floor
The 4th floor has a sculpture gallery in the hallways, featuring sculptures, busts and statues of several important people from Utah. One that stuck out to me was Philo T. Farnsworth, an inventor who contributed a lot to the development of the television. The sculpture was made by James Avati in 1990.
Statues and Sculptures
There are several statues and sculptures on Capitol Hill. In front of the building are two beehive sculptures presented to the state in 1976. The beehive is an important symbol of Utah, representing the hard-working spirit and cooperation of its people.
Four lions made of Italian marble guard the east and west entrances of the capitol. The original lions were made by Gavin Jack and placed there in 1915, but they were replaced during renovations between 2004 and 2008. The new lions were made by Nick FairPlay.
A monument dedicated to the Mormon Battalion also stands on the grounds. It’s dedicated to the 500 pioneers who volunteered to join the US Army during the Mexican-American War. It was erected in 1927 and sculpted by Gilbert Riswold.
Council Hall
Finally, Council Hall is across the street from the capitol. It served as Salt Lake City Hall from 1866 to 1894. It was dismantled and relocated to its current location in 1962, and now houses the Utah Office of Tourism.
