The US Capitol Building



As some of you may know, I am working for Congressman John Edward Porter in Washington, D.C. this summer. Thus, I have a rare opportunity to familiarize myself with our nation's Capitol, and particularly the Capitol Building itself. As a congressional staff member, I have almost complete access to the Capitol Building and can go places that the general public cannot. Several times a week I give tours there, so I have come to know quite a lot about the building and would like to share you will you some of its beauty.




This is the Rayburn House Office Building, where I work everyday. It is located directly across the street from the Capitol Building. In fact, this picture was taken from the terrace of the Capitol.


The Dome


Few people know that the Capitol Building has been rebuilt and remodeled serveral times since it was first constructed in the early 19th Century. The center dome is an excellent example. The one we see today was constructed during the Civil War and was placed on top of the previous dome. As more states entered the Union, Congress grew and the Capitol Building had to change to meet these needs. This illustration shows a cross-section of the dome.




The Rotunda inside the Capitol Dome is breathtaking, and my favorite part of the tour. It is by far the most beautiful man-made structure in America. This picture looking down from the rotunda wall does not even begin to do it justice.





The large brown and white painting that rings the wall of the rotunda about a quarter of the way up is called the frieze. Despite it's looks, it is not in relief. The painting is about eight feet tall, so the figures are life sized, if not larger. Several painters worked on the frieze, and it was not completed until the early 20th Century. The frieze is composed of scenes from American history, beginning with the personification of "America" and ending with the "Birth of Aviation." Below is one "scene" from the frieze depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence.




At the very top of the rotunda is the famous canopy painting "The Apotheosis of George Washington." Apotheosis means raising a man to the status of a god, and that is exactly what they did to George Washington. In the painting, he is seated in Heaven surrounded by thirteen angels representing the original thirteen colonies.




The Capitol Dome is topped by the statue of Lady Freedom.




Inside the Capitol



Old Senate Chamber

The Old Senate Chamber is located on the second floor of the Capitol Building, directly above the Old Supreme Court Chamber. Originally, the Senate met in what is now called the Old Supreme Court Chamber, but moved upstairs in the early 19th Century to make room for the Supreme Court. It was here in the Old Senate Chamber that Missouri Compromise was created and where the debates leading to the Civil War raged. The desks in the chamber are replicas of the original desks, which are still used in the Senate today





Old Supreme Court Chamber

The Old Supreme Court Chamber is located on the first floor of the Capitol, directly beneath the Old Senate Chamber. The Supreme Court used this room from 1819 to 1935, and such famous cases as the Dredd Scott Case and Marbury v. Madison were heard here. Since the Supreme Court moved to its present location, the chamber has been used for ceremonial purposes.





Statuary Hall, Old House of Representatives Chamber

Statuary Hall was where the House of Representatives met before the current House was built following the Civil War. The Hall is located on the seconid floor, and contains numerous statues representing the various states. The amazing thing about Statuary Hall is that there is an architechural flaw that allows people on one side of the chamber to here perfectly clear what others are whispering on the other side. It is remarkable. When John Quincy Adams was a representative following his presidency, he used to look as though he was asleep at his desk during debate, but in reality he was most likely listening to what representatives on the other side of the room were whispering.










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