Capitol (Washington)

United States Capitol - the home of the US Congress

Capitol (United States Capitol) — is the home of the US Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, and the conceptual urban-planning center of the District of Columbia. It is joined to the Washington’s Monument and Lincoln’s Monument by an 1800-meter National Mall. East of the parliamentary center, the Congress Library and the residence of the Supreme Court of the USA are spread (until 1935, court sessions were held in the Capitol itself).

The first stone was laid into the Capitol’s foundation by George Washington on September 18 of 1793. The construction of a pompous building in Empire style was carried out under several generations of architects. As early as in November 1800, the Congress met for the first time in the unfinished Capitol, but in 1814 it was burned by the English and restoration works took five more years. In 1820-1827, South and North wings of the building were at last joined by a walking gallery, over which the dome rose.

Thirteen years later, the Capitol was perceived to be not spacious enough and its expansion began. At the same time, it was decided to keep the unique features of the original building – in particular, column capitals, decorated with tobacco leaves and maize cobs instead of Mediterranean fauna, which was characteristic for the architecture of Classicism. Instead of the old dome, a new one of cast iron was erected – 87 meters high and weighing over 4000 tons. Its pattern is traditionally believed to be St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome, although structurally, it is closer to the Les Invalides of Jules Hardouin Mansart.

At Lincoln’s order, who desired to emphasize the unity of the nation, the construction of the Capitol was continued during the Civil war between the North and the South. On December 2 of 1863, the architecture of the building was given a final touch – 6-meter allegoric figure of Liberty was set atop the dome. From within, the Capitol’s dome is decorated with the first mural in the United States, portraying “Washington’s Apotheosis” in the company of Olympic gods (author – Italian master Constantino Brumidi, 1865).

In XX century, the Capitol was just insignificantly renovated (elevators and centralized heating were installed), and only in 1959-1960 its East front was extended by ten meters. At present, there are close to 540 facilities in the Capitol; and a 53-hectare park was laid out around it.