High atop the gold dome of the State House

The view from the top of the Boston skyline's brightest sight is equal parts inspirational and dizzying as it looks over Beacon Street. In 1802, Paul Revere & Sons put a copper shield on the dome to stop water leaks. About 70 years later, the dome was gilded with 23 carat gold leaf. The dome was most recently regilded in 1997 for $300,000 — more than 100 times more costly than the original gilding. During that process, six pounds of gold leaf were delivered in a shoebox to the State House. The leaf is as thin as the cellophane that wraps around a box of cigarettes, Kraus said.
John Tlumacki/ Globe Staff; Caption by Glenn Yoder/ Boston.com Correspondent

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The view from the top of the Boston skyline's brightest sight is equal parts inspirational and dizzying as it looks over Beacon Street. In 1802, Paul Revere & Sons put a copper shield on the dome to stop water leaks. About 70 years later, the dome was gilded with 23 carat gold leaf. The dome was most recently regilded in 1997 for $300,000 — more than 100 times more costly than the original gilding. During that process, six pounds of gold leaf were delivered in a shoebox to the State House. The leaf is as thin as the cellophane that wraps around a box of cigarettes, Kraus said.