Utah State Capitol

The Utah State Capitol sits on a hill north of downtown, visible from most of the city and approached by a grand terraced stairway through the Capitol Hill grounds. Completed in 1916, the building uses Utah granite and Georgia marble throughout, with a dome modelled on the Capitol in Washington. Free guided and self-guided tours run Monday through Friday.

The interior is worth seeing: the dome gallery, the restored legislative chambers, and the murals depicting Utah history. The grounds around the building are particularly well maintained and serve as something of a civic park for the city, with views south across the entire valley. A walk up from downtown takes about 15 minutes through tree-lined streets.

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The Capitol dome is modelled on the national Capitol in Washington but is faced with Utah's own granite rather than white marble. The dome houses a small gallery at its base, and on clear days you can see across the entire Salt Lake Valley from the steps — a view that puts into perspective just how completely the mountains surround the city.