The Golden Dome

The golden-domed Main Building on the campus of the University of Notre Dame is considered the most striking feature on one of the most beautiful campuses in the United States. With the fame of the university and the success of its football team, the Golden Dome is one of the most recognized buildings in the world.

Located in South Bend, Indiana, the University of Notre Dame's 187-foot Main Building is topped with a Golden Dome and a 19-foot-tall statue of the Virgin Mary. The building was rebuilt in 1879 after being destroyed by fire, and the Golden Dome and Virgin Mary were added in 1882.

The dome was last regilded in 2023 using 23.75-carat gold. While nearly pure, this gold leaf is better suited for gilding than pure 24-carat gold. Less than 10 pounds of gold is needed to regild the 6,500 square feet of the dome and statue.

The Main Building houses the Office of the President, the Admissions Office, other administrative offices, and even a few classrooms. When it was destroyed in 1879, the previous building housed most of the university. The interior displays many murals, a Wall of Honor, and portraits of past presidents.

Popular campus myths include that walking up the steps of the building will delay the graduation of undergraduates and that the diplomas students receive contain gold from the most recent regilding.

The Golden Dome is visible from nearly all of campus and is beautiful from every viewpoint.