History And Curiosities Of The Washington Capitol
The United States Capitol is located in the city of Washington DC, on Capitol Hill. This building houses the Congress of the United States, made up of the House of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Since its origin, at the end of the 18th century, it has been considered a symbol of democracy and freedom for the American giant.
The history of one of the symbols of the United States
The Capitol was built in the last years of the 18th century, after Thomas Jefferson launched a design competition in which many of America’s most renowned architects participated.
The prize, at that time, was $500; a French architect was about to win. However, its design would have been too expensive to build, so the search for another was continued. Ultimately, the William Thornton design was chosen.
From the beginning, the Capitol was destined to become one of the most iconic symbols of the United States. It was named the Capitol in relation to ancient Rome, a model of a self-governing nation for the founders.
The building’s style, neoclassical and white, is also reminiscent of Rome. In the same way, history has been captured over time in the form of paintings and sculptures inside. Great care has also been taken that the transformations of the building and complex do not undermine the majesty and original appearance of the Congress building.
The spectacular dome of the Capitol
The current dome was built between 1855 and 1866, following the design of the architect Thomas U. Walter. This was influenced by various designs of European domes, such as St. Paul’s Cathedral (London) or the Pantheon in Paris.
Walter created a double dome with a large oculus inside, in which you can see The Apotheosis of Washington , an impressive large fresco painted in 1865. Two years earlier, in 1863, the Statue of Liberty had been placed in the top of the dome. From the base of the dome to said statue, it is 66 meters high.
Did you know…? Curiosities of the Washington Capitol
A magnificent building like this holds interesting stories and some curiosities. We want to tell you some:
- There are still rooms and galleries for men only and women only in the House of Representatives and the Senate. They are a reminder of the time when gender segregation was mandatory.
- There are marble bathtubs in the basement that senators used to bathe in. In their day, they were among the best: Italian artists carved blocks of marble to make them.
- There are elevators that only senators can use.
- There is an exclusive subway line for Capitol staff. In addition, there are kilometers of underground tunnels.
- Washington’s body was supposed to be buried in the Capitol. For this, a crypt was designed inside the building, but Washington preferred that his remains remain on Mount Vernon. Thus, the crypt remains empty.
- There is a nuclear shelter just below the crypt.
Dark moments in the history of the Capitol
At one time, there was a law that prohibited any building in Washington DC from being taller than the Capitol. It was approved in 1899, but it did not last long. It was dropped in 1910 and today the Capitol is the fifth tallest building in the District of Columbia.
On the other hand, throughout its history they have had terrible events in it. Several bombs have exploded inside and there has been some shooting. Furthermore, it was one of the targets of the 9/11 terrorists.
The visitor center
Relatively recently, between 2001 and 2008, the Capitol Visitor Center was built. It is located in the east wing of the building and to build it they had to excavate a large area in front of it.
It is from there that the visits to the Capitol begin. First, you go to Emacipaton Hall and then, from the upper floor of the center, you access the Rotunda, a spectacular circular room measuring 33 meters in diameter and 60 meters high from which you can see the inside of the fabulous dome of the building.
