United States Capitol Rotunda. Capitol (Washington). Washington DC Capitol Building Mural Apotheosis of Washington

Arriving in the USA, one cannot fail to see the Capitol in Washington, that this is a symbol of the country is known to every person in the world, and in any guidebook there is a description and a photo that explains in detail to tourists what exactly you can see and when to do it.

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People who are not keen on American history and do not follow international news sometimes confuse the White House with the Capitol. Tour guides often talk about curious cases when tourists at the end of the route began to demand to show them the Oval Office and only after long explanations from the guide they realized that they were in a completely different building.

Three Symbols of America

There are three buildings in the USA that have international symbolic significance and are the face of the country. These are three government houses built in the center of Washington, and invariably attract travelers from all over the world.

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The symbols of the country, the way of life of its citizens and of American democracy itself, are:

1. The White House is the place of work and residence of the president.
2. The Capitol is where congressmen work.
3. The Supreme Court is the embodiment of the Constitution and the guarantor of the rights of Americans.

Where is the Capitol located?

The Washington DC Capitol Building is located on Jenkins Hill. The Congress House stands on top, and the rest of the hill is occupied by a park that surrounds the residence of congressmen from all sides.

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The most convenient way to get here is by metro, you need to get off at one of the stations:

• union station;
• Massachusetts Avenue.

Each of them is located at an equal distance from the House of Congress.

What's waiting inside?

When visiting the Capitol in Washington, travelers inspect:

1. Rotunda.
2. Dome Hall.
3. National Sculpture Hall.
4. Basement.
5. Observation deck.

Although the Capitol is impressive in general, because the width of the structure is 107 meters, and its length is -229, its dome deserves special attention. The large dome is located strictly in the center, between the North and South wings.

Robert Leverington / flickr.com

In which are located:

• in the south, the House of Representatives of the States;
• to the north is the Senate itself.

From the upper galleries of the chamber can be seen. But it is much more interesting to look not at the places of work of politicians, but at the sights of the building.

The attention of tourists is attracted by:

1. The Apotheosis of Washington, a gigantic fresco painted by Constantine Brumidi for the Capitol in 1865 that adorns the vault from the inside;
2. The frieze painting – walking around the base of a large vault, the tourist gets acquainted with the main events in the history of the country, starting from the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World and ending with the rise of the first plane of the Wright brothers;
3. Paintings in the hall of the rotunda - painting subjects are devoted to the development of the United States as a state, the formation of the values ​​of the nation, the discovery of the mainland, and so on;
4. Sculptures in the National Hall - all exhibits depict people who entered the history of the state, and are gifts to the Capitol from different states;
5. The basement, which houses the crypt of George Washington - Washington itself has nothing to do with this room, he is buried in a different place, the hall of the Museum of Historical Artifacts is located here;
6. "Stairway to Heaven" is a metal structure leading from the crypt to the observation deck, it has exactly 365 steps;
7. Panorama of the city, opening from the observation deck - from here you can see the whole old Washington and, of course, there is an opportunity to appreciate the clarity of the lines of the Capitol Park, its landscape design is invisible while walking along the alleys, but immediately catches the eye from a bird's eye view.

About the dome

During the tour, the guides tell tourists a lot and in detail about the dome of the Capitol. For its time, however, and for today too, this element of the Congress House was the most complex, from a technical point of view, the architectural achievement of America.

Daniel Huizinga/flickr.com

Its height, excluding the building itself, is 57 meters. Its construction, like the building as a whole, was slow and difficult. The first time congressmen sat in their seats was in 1800. At that time, it was a completely unfinished building connected by scaffolding. There was no roof over the northern part of the house, and there was also no part of the outer walls.

Every citizen, passing by, could watch the work of politicians through the voids. This was seven years after George Washington laid the foundation stone for the Capitol and Thomas Jefferson announced construction began in 1793.

In 1804, the Washington Capitol almost completely burned down. According to one version, it suffered from arson by the British royal troops, however, there is another theory of the start of the fire - careless handling of fire in the upper part of the building.

Be that as it may, the wooden floors of the dome flared up instantly, and thanks to the construction impregnations used to protect the wood from time, water and insects, the dome blazed like a candle flame, despite the pouring rain.

Jun Wang/flickr.com

The fire in the Capitol is a favorite subject for most American painters of that time. Even landscapes with views of the White House are several times smaller than canvases with the burning roof of the Congress.

The modern dome is the work of architect and engineer Thomas Walter. Its frame is smelted from cast iron, and the weight is 4000 kilograms. The vaults of the roofs of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome and St. Paul's Cathedral in London were taken as the basis for the work.

In 1863, the work was completed with the installation on the top of Freedom, cast in bronze and towering 6 meters above the arch. The House of Congress itself became a tourist attraction in 1960, when the first sightseers passed through its halls.

Video: visit to the Capitol in Washington.

When to visit?

Tourists can visit the Capitol throughout the week, except for Sundays. Doors are open from 8:30 to 16:30. You can view possible excursions and book tickets for them on the portals and.

The building is closed for inspection on the following days:

• Thanksgiving Day;
• Christmas;
• New Year;
• Independence Day;
• Inauguration Day.

On other calendar days, the Capitol can be seen. In the absence of a pass and a pre-purchased group tour, you do not need to leave. Groups wishing to walk through the galleries and halls gather "on the spot" in just 20-30 minutes.

The Capitol is the official seat of the United States Congress and one of the tallest buildings in Washington DC. The first stone of the Capitol was laid by George Washington himself. Today it is one of the most recognizable buildings in the United States.

How was the Capitol built?

Initially, the Capitol in Washington was planned to be built for the work of the House of Representatives and senators. As mentioned in the US Constitution, the structure must symbolize federal authority and fit in an area of ​​\u200b\u200bno more than 16 square meters. km. Pierre Lanfant, an architect of French origin, was involved in the construction. However, he did not find a common language with the board and his services were refused.

After that, a competition was announced for the Capitol project, but the jury was disappointed. At the very last moment, they came across the work of the Scot William Thornton, whose project was recognized as the best. An interesting fact is that Thornton was a doctor, but after learning about the competition, he quickly learned architecture and decided to try his luck. The newly minted architect was entrusted with the supervision of the construction, which started in the autumn of 1793.

From the very beginning of the construction of the Capitol, problems began - lack of hands, money, delays in materials. Only the construction of the foundation took 3 years. In 1803, $50,000 was allocated for the project. Henry Latrobe was already the chief architect.

Due to the war with England in 1813, construction was stopped, and a year later the building was burned almost to the ground. Latrobe did not give up and started all over again. However, in an effort to make everything perfect, the architect began to spend very large sums, which is why he was removed.

In 1818, Charles Bulfinch was appointed chief architect of the Capitol. Despite the fact that Bulfinch did not have a fine artistic taste, like his predecessor, by 1823 the central part of the structure was ready. At the same time, the architect kept within $12,000. The main work was completed by 1827. A few years later, the Capitol was equipped with running water and electricity.

The pride of Charles Bulfinch was the wooden dome located above the Rotunda, which symbolizes the unity of America. Now there is a sculpture museum and a painting gallery.

In the middle of the 19th century, the wooden dome was replaced with a cast-iron one. At that time, the project was led by Thomas Walter. He was also tasked with expanding the building. Under Walter's direction, the south, north and west terraces were completed. In 1863, the Statue of Liberty, 6 meters high, was erected on the roof of the Capitol. This historic moment was attended by the 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln.

In the 1970s, the eastern side of the facade of the central part was extended by 10 meters.

The Capitol will be of interest to art connoisseurs, history lovers and those who are interested in the architecture of past centuries. The monumental building is beautifully illuminated at night, admiring its grandeur. If you are just planning a trip, take a look at our catalog.

Which Washington is rightfully proud of is the Capitol. Everyone has probably seen a photo of this magnificent building made of white marble. It is located on top of Capitol Hill, surrounded by other important institutions - the residence of the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress. Also nearby are monuments and

The word "Capitol" is associated with the hill of the same name in Rome. In ancient times, the Senate met there and important popular assemblies were held. Where did such a name come from in the New World, several thousand kilometers from Rome? The hill in the United States is considered to be the center - rather, ideological than geographical - of the District of Columbia. has an interesting history, which you will learn by reading this article.

building construction

The idea of ​​building a house for the meetings of Congress belongs to George Washington. He laid the first stone in the foundation of the building. It happened on September 18, 1793. It is difficult to say who was the architect of the building, since the main architects were constantly changing, and each subsequent one brought something of his own. But the main features were designed in the Empire style. The building had not yet been completed when Congress met within its walls in 1800.

The former metropolis - Great Britain - could not come to terms with the independence of the States. In 1814, British troops burned the Capitol (Washington). It took five years to restore it. But the construction work did not end there either. From 1820 to 1827, a transition was erected between the north and south wings of the building, over which a monumental dome was built. Thirty years later, Congress decided that the US Capitol was not large enough.

Grand restructuring

As soon as it was considered necessary to expand the building for the meetings of the Congress, it was decided to rethink its design. The project remained the same: classicism columns and generous Empire decor. However, unique details have been added. So, they began to decorate not the bay leaves of the Mediterranean, but the "local" representatives of the flora - corn cobs and tobacco leaves. The old dome was replaced by a new, cast-iron one, eighty-seven meters high. The walls of the building were specially calculated so that they could withstand its weight of four thousand tons.

In 1863, the building was given the finishing touch. A six-meter authorship by T. Crawford was erected on the dome. So the US Capitol, the photo of which you see, has acquired a modern look. The prototype of this building is considered to be the Roman Cathedral of St. Peter, although some connoisseurs see in it a resemblance to the Parisian Les Invalides (architect Mansart Jr.).

Interior

During the 20th century, only minor and architecturally inconspicuous modernization of the building was carried out. Central heating was installed in the Capitol (Washington) and elevator shafts were installed. But by the middle of the century, this building seemed too small. Therefore, in 1960, the eastern facade was extended by ten meters. Thus, as a result of numerous reconstructions, this white marble miracle appeared on the pedestal of Capitol Hill - the Congress building.

It's just as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. In 1865, the artist Constantine Brumidi decorated the dome with the first fresco in the United States. It depicts George Washington surrounded by the Olympian gods. Brumidi painted not only the dome, but also the Hall of Columns. Frescoes and friezes reflect more than two hundred years of history of the state.

Capitol - Washington: conceptual connection

Architects have worked hard to ensure that the building of the US Congress fits correctly into urban development. The dome and the highly recognizable Rotunda of the Capitol can be seen from everywhere. No wonder: after all, a building eighty-eight meters high crowns the top of the most significant hill in the district. In addition, all the main streets of Washington lead to the Capitol, thus indicating the state symbolism of this place.

In order not to close the majestic building, there is no urban development around it. It is surrounded only by a spacious park with lawns, with a total area of ​​about 55 hectares. The National Mall, a kilometer and 800 meters long, connects the Congress building with two monuments: Lincoln and Washington. No less significant for the Americans are the buildings nearby, which are part of the complex of government institutions: the Supreme Court and Previously, they were located in the Capitol. The sessions of the Court were moved to a new building only in 1935.

Tours of the Capitol Building in Washington DC

Every year, the most famous building in the United States is visited by about four and a half million tourists. Currently, there are about 540 rooms in the white marble building of the Capitol. However, tourists are allowed only at two. You can only go inside as part of a guided tour. However, they are absolutely free in the Capitol. You just need to present your passport at the box office and take a ticket with a number.

The group is immediately escorted to the upper floors, as the lower two are occupied by simple office space. Above are the House of Representatives (in the south wing) and the Senate (in the north). Above these halls there are special loggias for the public, because all meetings of the Government are not hidden from the people. Transparency (transparency) is the first rule of democracy. The elevator will take tourists to the top floor, to the observation deck, which offers a stunning panorama of the city. Unfortunately, the Statue of Liberty can only be seen from below with binoculars. She is interesting in that her mantle has a fringe - a kind of tribute to the indigenous population of North America.

Functionality

It is very important to emphasize that the Capitol (Washington) is not only an architectural masterpiece. In addition to aesthetic value, this building has a deep ideological meaning. She continues to function. There are meetings of the two main branches of the US government - the Senate and the House of Representatives. The fact that government officials have gathered under the dome of the Congress can be recognized by the flags around the building. If all of them are up, then the session is in progress. Only two American banners in front of the entrance since the First World War are constantly flying on flagpoles. And so it will be as long as there is a great democratic country - the United States of America.

The huge dome of the Capitol has been a symbol of Washington, the capital of the United States of America for many years. This imposing building serves as the seat of Congress, the highest legislative body in the United States.
Construction of the Capitol began five years after the adoption in 1788 of the US constitution. The "fathers of the nation" George Washington and Thomas Jefferson attached special importance to this building: it was supposed to become a visible embodiment of the new state, its political system and social structure. It is not surprising that in society, and among statesmen, and among architects, disputes were in full swing: how, by what means can best be embodied in stone and metal, the ideals of American democracy? All participants in the discussion understood that they had to build the most important public building in America.

In those years, the ideas of classicism brought from the Old World were already widely spread in North American architecture. Thomas Jefferson called for the construction of the Capitol to refer to the image of the Roman Pantheon - a rotunda topped with a dome. In 1791, the architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant suggested that the House of Congress should be located on the top of Jenkins Hill, which, in his opinion, was best suited for this purpose: "It stands like a pedestal, waiting for a monument." L'Enfant also proposed a variant of a centric building, round in plan, with a facade facing west. This idea was destined to become the most fruitful.
In March 1792, an announcement appeared in American newspapers about a competition for the best project for the building of the US Congress. Both professionals and amateur architects were invited to participate in it; at the same time, there were no requirements for the choice of style, symbols, building material.

Characteristically, all participants in the competition considered their country as the heir to European civilization, so any influence of the local, Indian tradition was completely rejected. All projects submitted for the competition corresponded to European architectural trends. Three of the projects presented were clearly inspired by antique classical buildings. The authors of other projects turned to the experiences of Renaissance architects or looked for sources of inspiration in English architecture of the 18th century.
The winner of the competition was the gifted amateur architect William Thornton. He proposed a variant of the classical building, inspired by the architecture of Andrea Palladio, consisting of a rotunda topped with a high dome (its image is reminiscent of the domes of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome and St. Paul's Cathedral in London), to which two wings adjoin to accommodate the two chambers of Congress: - for the Senate, south - for the House of Representatives. The east and west entrances are marked by imposing central porticos. The logical, compact and monumental Thornton Capitol fit well into the landscape - the top of Jenkins Hill served as a successful "pedestal" for it.

So, the choice was made, and in 1793, President George Washington laid the cornerstone in the foundation of the future building. However, construction progressed slowly, and architects succeeded each other with kaleidoscopic speed. The construction of the Capitol was begun by Stephen Hallet, two years later he was replaced by George Hadfield (1795-98), and then the construction was headed by James Hoban (1798-1802). Under him, the wing of the Senate was completed (1800), and on November 17, 1800, the first session of the US Congress took place here. The House of Representatives wing was completed only in 1811. At this stage, the work was led by the architect Benjamin Latrobe.

In 1814, the newly completed Capitol building was partially burned down by British soldiers during the Anglo-American War. Reconstruction of the building began in 1815. In 1818, the work was headed by the Boston architect Charles Bulfinch, and they were completed only fifteen years later. However, almost immediately it became clear that in this form, the Washington Capitol is too small to fully meet its functions. In addition, its huge wooden dome was too flammable.

During the 1830-1840s. several proposals were discussed as to how the Capitol should be reconstructed: add new wings to the east and west, or expand the existing north and south. The disputes ended with the announcement of a new design competition, which took place in 1850-1851. And in 1855, Philadelphia architect Thomas W. Walter embarked on an ambitious task: he had to actually rebuild the wings of the Senate and the House of Representatives and crown the Capitol Building with a new dome - three times the size of the previous one.

To the old sandstone building, Walter added huge neoclassical white marble wings of the Senate and House of Representatives (1855-1859). After this restructuring, the building stretched 214 meters long and 107 meters wide. A new huge dome with a diameter of 30 m and a height of 82 m was raised above it. When designing this gigantic structure, Walter, who visited France in 1838, took as a model the dome of the Cathedral of the Invalides in Paris, created in 1679-1706. J. Hardouin-Mansart. Like the dome of the Les Invalides Cathedral, the dome of the Washington Capitol is double - the smaller shell is inside the larger one, which creates an additional sense of height. The outer, large dome is very thin and is supported by 36 cast iron ribs. Under it is a smaller dome with an oculos - an open central part through which a large pictorial composition "The Apotheosis of Washington" is visible. The total weight of the cast-iron parts of the dome is over 4,000 tons.

In December 1863, the dome of the Capitol was crowned with a 6-meter bronze statue "Armed Liberty". This date is considered the date of final completion of construction. Meanwhile, already in the 1810s. The Washington State Capitol has become one of the main attractions of Washington. The majestic building, which has become a symbol of American democracy, quickly gained popularity. In the 1st half of the XIX century. countless engravings and colored lithographs with views of the Capitol were released. The silhouette of the Capitol has become a kind of symbol of America, it was depicted on chinaware, tapestries, embroideries, cast in bronze, and even used as a screen saver for notes of patriotic songs and marches. For more than a century and a half, the Washington Capitol has been depicted on American banknotes.

The interior of the Capitol is decorated with an abundance of sculptures, frescoes and mosaics made by famous American artists Horatio Greenug, Randolph Rogers and John Trumbull. Its 540 rooms contain an extensive collection of works of art. The Hall of the National Sculpture Assembly is a real portrait gallery, which contains sculptural portraits of historical figures from different countries, donated to the US Congress by representatives of fifty states of the world.
In addition to the halls and offices of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the walls of the Washington Capitol until 1897 housed the Library of Congress and until 1935 the Supreme Court.

The Capitol is called the tallest building in the city, because its height reaches 88 meters. If you take the elevator to the top floor, you can see a stunning panorama of Washington. The snow-white Capitol was built on Capitol Hill, that is, it was named after the famous ancient Roman hill. The Capitol building has a rather impressive history of creation. Several generations of architects have been involved in the construction of this abode of city power. Every architect faced insurmountable difficulties. Today, the Capitol building is one of the most important buildings. It is noteworthy that tourists are allowed into some parts of the Capitol, here you can get to know its history and architecture better.

Construction of the Capitol Building

It was Thornton's project that was recognized as the best, and the architect began to oversee the construction, which began in 1793. George Washington himself laid the first stone of the famous Capitol building. Since the start of construction work, a number of problems have arisen. The material was slowly delivered to the construction site, there was always a shortage of labor and money. Most likely, for this reason, the foundation was equipped for three whole years. Ten years after the start of construction work, the US government allocated fifty thousand dollars for this project. Instead of Thornton, Henry Latrobe, who was the best architect in Philadelphia, became the overseer of the work. In the unfinished building in 1800, the Congress held its first meeting.

The war with Great Britain in 1813 led to a freeze on construction, and the unfinished building was burned down by the British exactly one year later. Almost twenty years of work was practically destroyed. However, Latrobe fell in love with this project so much that he began to rebuild it. He wanted to make the building more beautiful than his predecessor, and he got carried away spending exorbitant money. He was removed from this project. The next architect was Charles Bulfinch, who completed the central part of the Capitol building for twelve thousand dollars.

The main building work was completed by 1827. The Capitol was then provided with running water and gradually electricity with gas. A luxurious library was created in the building, although it was destroyed by fire in 1851. Philadelphia engineer Thomas Walter took up the expansion of the new Congress Building in the mid-nineteenth century. A significant event occurred in 1863: a six-meter statue of Liberty was installed on the roof of the Capitol building. During such a historic moment, President Abraham Lincoln was present.

Visit to the Capitol

Approximately 4.5 million tourists visit the famous Capitol every year. Although the Capitol building has 540 rooms, only two rooms are open to tourists. Congressional office space is located on the first two floors of the Capitol. The third floor houses the Senate, the Rotunda and the House of Representatives. Guided tours of the Capitol are free of charge. It is quite easy to get to the Capitol building. The main building of the United States of America is located in the center of Washington, in addition, all the main streets lead to it.

Especially history buffs should not miss the Capitol government building, which has a rich past. And connoisseurs of art are offered to see the architecture of the 18-19th centuries. Especially at night, the majestic Capitol is superbly illuminated, at such a time the building is striking at the same time with its grace and monumentality. Even during the day, the Capitol building resembles a divine abode, because the fate of the most important American city is decided here.

To enter the Capitol, you must present a ticket, which can be obtained at a nearby kiosk for free, although you will need to present your passport. If you come with a tour group, then from special galleries you can watch the process of the work of the Senate and Congress. Among the 540 rooms of the Capitol, the Rotunda, which is open to the public, deserves special attention. Here is a small collection of sculptures and paintings, appreciated.