The Golden Dome atop Notre Dame’s Main Building will be regilded for the first time since 2005, the University said Tuesday in a press release.
Adding a new layer of gold leaf to the 140-year-old Dome and its 17-foot-tall statue of Mary is expected to take five months. The project will begin immediately following Commencement Weekend with the installation of an extensive scaffold system on May 22.
University spokesperson Dennis Brown said in an email that the project is part of regularly scheduled maintenance of the iconic landmark.
The renovation is highly dependent on good weather and little wind, and “about 15 pounds of 23¾ karat gold” will be needed, Brown wrote.
With gold trading at near-record prices, the metal alone will likely cost more than $300,000.
The Dome and statue are restored about every 15 to 20 years and have undergone regilding on 11 prior occasions.
The project, which also includes the cleaning and repainting of the Main Building’s upper tower, is expected to be completed by mid-October.
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