Stephenson Governor Cupola

Cupolas have been around since the 8th century with the first reported sightings on Islamic buildings. It was in the late 1600s and early 1700s, however, that cupolas began appearing in Europe, where they quickly gained in popularity. Both functional and aesthetically pleasing, early cupolas were used most often to provide ventilation to stairways and attics by drawing hot air upward and out of the buildings.

The Governor cupola gained its name through traditional use on state capitol buildings as a large, decorative structure. Shortly after appearing on state buildings, the Governor cupola soon became a familiar sight in a decorative capacity on governors’ residences. Since then, it has become commonly known that homes adorned with Governor cupolas often house people of great wealth and status.

Like most cupolas, Governor cupolas have three main sections: the roof, the center, and the base. The roof, traditionally made of copper, is in a pagoda style to bring a unique look to your home or building. The middle section, contains framed louvers, which can be opened to vent or left closed for decoration. The base has four sides and is usually built of cedar wood, simple to mount on almost any roof. Today’s Governor cupolas are easy to install, making it a breeze to convert your home into a stately building.