Massachusetts State House dome is not solid gold

A common belief is that the Massachusetts State House dome is solid gold; in fact the dome is constructed of wood and/or metal and is covered with gold leaf rather than being solid gold. The dome has been regilded multiple times, most recently in major restorations (including a notable regilding in 1997) using thin sheets of 23-karat gold leaf applied over the surface. The distinction between solid gold and gold leaf is often misunderstood in popular accounts of the Capitol landmark.