Finishing touches for Colorado Capitol gold dome

The state Capitol’s dome $17 million renovation is nearly complete.

On Wednesday morning, gilders rappelled down the dome to begin touching up gold leaf that was damaged when the dome was surrounded by scaffolding earlier during the project. The work is expected to take a week.

It’s one of several remaining “punch list” items that need to be checked off before the dome and the observation deck is scheduled to reopen to the public on Oct. 2.

The renovation was necessary because the exterior metal surfaces of the dome deteriorated and the cast iron that supported the dome rusted. The observation deck has been closed to the public since 2006, when a piece of iron fell.