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The Rotunda at the University of Virginia was designed by Thomas Jefferson as the architectural and academic heart of the University’s community of scholars. He named the University’s original buildings the “Academical Village.” As the phrase suggests, the Academical Village is based on the Jeffersonian principle that learning is a lifelong process, and that interaction between faculty and students is vital to the pursuit of knowledge.
Jefferson modeled the Rotunda after the Pantheon, a second-century temple in Rome. Construction began in 1822 and was completed in 1828, two years after Jefferson’s death on July 4, 1826. Built at a cost of almost $60,000, it was the last structure to be finished on the Lawn. Together with Monticello, the Academical Village is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Hours of Operation
The Rotunda is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Historical Tours: Historical Tours of the University of Virginia are currently unavailable. The Rotunda - A Guide for Visitors is available at each desk in English, Chinese, French, and Spanish. Feel free to explore our Visitors Center and experience a self-guided tour between the hours of 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. Rotunda staff are available to answer questions and assist.
Student Study Hours: During fall and spring semesters, the Rotunda is open to students for studying from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday - Tuesday, and until midnight during exams.
For more information about visiting the Rotunda, please call 434-924-7969.
Events
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Aug. 18, 2026, – Jan. 24, 2027
Upper West Oval Room
Nginingawula Jilamara Ngirramini kapi Jurra highlights both the enduring legacy of printmaking at Jilamara Arts & Crafts Association and artists’ contemporary innovations. The history of Jilamara
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7 to 11 p.m.
The Lawn
Rotunda Sing is an annual welcome-to-UVA tradition! Come to the Lawn and see our amazing a cappella groups perform on the steps of the Rotunda. Swing by, meet new Hoos, and join the University
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Various locations
Family Weekend offers an opportunity for families to visit with their students in the fall and celebrate their accomplishments. Families have the chance to experience the rich diversity of life on
In the News
UVA’s celebration of Declaration of Independence draws a crowd to the Rotunda
Video - Declaration Under the Dome
Thomas Jefferson and Cavman held the floor Monday in the Dome Room of the University of Virginia’s Rotunda, throwing fist bumps and high-fives and standing for selfies as hundreds of guests
Starry, starry night: Dome Room constellations will shine for the public
Thomas Jefferson wanted to bring the stars indoors.
Jefferson, in designing the University of Virginia’s iconic Rotunda, planned to paint constellations on the ceiling of the Dome Room. He never completed this part of his vision, but in 2019, three graduate students set up projectors to
Explore the 19th-century blueprints that reimagined UVA’s iconic Rotunda
Fire destroyed the Rotunda, the most iconic feature of the University of Virginia’s Grounds, in October 1895. University officials immediately pushed to rebuild.
In 1896, after a false start with McDonald Brothers architects of Louisville, Kentucky, the Board of Visitors hired the
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