Last updated on January 25, 2024.

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.

Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Utah State Capitol
Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Utah State Capitol

 

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.

Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Utah State Capitol
Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Utah State Capitol

 

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.

Rotunda at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Rotunda
Father Escalante Discovers Utah Lake - 1776, by Lee Greene Richards (1934) at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Father Escalante Discovers Utah Lake – 1776, by Lee Greene Richards (1934)
Brigham Young and Pioneers Entering the Valley, by Lee Greene Richards (1934) at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Brigham Young and Pioneers Entering the Valley, by Lee Greene Richards (1934)

 

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.

House of Representatives at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
House of Representatives
Supreme Court at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Supreme Court
Utah State Capitol from the 3rd floor in Salt Lake City
Utah State Capitol from the 3rd floor

 

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.

4th Floor Gallery at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
4th Floor Gallery
Philo T. Farnsworth statue at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Philo T. Farnsworth statue
State Seal of Utah at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
State Seal of Utah

 

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.

Beehive at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Beehive

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.

Lion sculpture at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Lion sculpture

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.

Mormon Battalion monument at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
Mormon Battalion monument

 

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.

View of Council Hall at the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City
View of Council Hall
Council Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah
Council Hall
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Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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