The Washington Capitol is one of the most important and recognizable landmarks of the main US city. Every year, millions of people visit the American capital to see the symbol of the country's democracy. The most notable decoration is considered to be the Apotheosis of Washington - a fresco crowning the dome of the rotunda.
The history of the Capitol dates back to 1792. The then president, George Washington, expressed a desire to build a new government building and announced a competition for the position of chief architect. Less than a year later, construction began, and already in 1800 the first meeting was held in the building.
Over its more than 200-year history, the government building has acquired a lot of interesting facts. Here are some of them:
- the main architect of the building is a Scot;
- The first stone for the construction was laid by the President himself;
- The Capitol is named after the hill on which it is located;
- the building was repeatedly destroyed;
- the structure lends itself to regular reconstruction;
- the Capitol Rotunda is America's most recognizable landmark;
- the building has been featured in hundreds of films.
Dimensions and location of the fresco
The mural of Washington's Apotheosis is located in the rotunda. It decorates the inside of the building's dome. The distance from the floor to the image is exactly 55 meters. The area of the fresco is 433.3 m².
The figure shows figures of different sizes. Maximum height– 4.6 m. You can see the picture from the lower floors or the main hall. From here it opens best view on The Apotheosis of Washington.
History of creation
The rotunda itself was erected in 1863. Immediately after completion of construction, specialists began decorating the interior. The author of the famous fresco was the Italian artist Brumidi. For several years he worked in the Vatican and collaborated with local aristocrats. Later, the creator immigrated to the USA and devoted his life to the main attraction of Washington.
It took the master a little less than a year to create the masterpiece. And to be precise - 11 months. For the work, the artist received considerable money at that time - 40 thousand dollars. Brumidi is also the author of other images in the Capitol.
What will the fresco tell us?
The name was chosen for a reason. The fact is that it portrays George Washington as God, thereby creating a kind of apotheosis, that is, the deification of man. This artist’s decision has a deep meaning.
Washington became the first president of independent America, so in the picture he occupies a central place and stands as the liberator of the United States. Next to him, hand in hand, walk the goddess of victory - Victoria and Freedom. The first is dressed in green robes, the second is crowned with a Phrygian cap. So the author focuses on the emancipation of the country. Both goddesses are the main symbols of the long-term war for independence.
The scenes in the painting also include drawings of 13 women. They are located in a circle and adjacent to the central character of the fresco. Virgos represent the American colonies. Some of them have their backs turned, symbolizing the separation of several colonies.
Along the edge of the fresco, six mythical scenes are depicted, each of which carries certain national concepts. They are called "War", "Trade", "Science", "Agriculture", "Shipping" and "Technology". To view the scenes, you need to go up a couple of floors, since they are not fully visible from the floor.
How to get to the Capitol and see the mural?
Even though the Washington Capitol is a government building, anyone can enter it. In total, the building has 540 rooms, of which two halls are open to tourists, including the rotunda with the Apotheosis of Washington.
Entry is free for everyone. However, you still have to take a ticket. It is issued at a special cash desk upon presentation of a passport. The ticket office is open only in the mornings, from 9.00 to 10.00. You can visit the attraction throughout the day, but it is better to do it before the first half. After lunch, as a rule, there is a large influx of schoolchildren and students.
You can explore the interior of the building and admire its beauty on your own, but it is better to do this as part of an excursion group. That's how you'll know detailed history creation of the Capitol and Apotheosis and hear interesting and unknown facts.
There are a number of rules to follow when visiting a government building. It is strictly prohibited:
- carry weapons, drugs, flammable substances and other prohibited items;
- come in with food and drinks;
- attempt to enter premises not intended for excursions.
Attention! For non-compliance with the rules, the violator is asked to immediately leave the building, and in some cases may even be fined.
Capitol - official residence Congress of the United States of America, as well as one of the tallest buildings in Washington. 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 the Capitol was 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 power and fit on an area of no 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 this, a competition was announced for the design of the Capitol, but the jury was disappointed. At the very last moment, they came across the work of Scotsman William Thornton, whose project was recognized as the best. Interesting fact is that Thornton was a doctor, but upon learning about the competition, he quickly learned architecture and decided to try his luck. The newly minted architect was entrusted with supervising the construction, which started in the fall of 1793.
From the very beginning of the construction of the Capitol, problems began - a lack of hands, money, delays in materials. It took 3 years to build the foundation alone. In 1803, $50,000 was allocated for the project. Henry Latrobe was already the chief architect.
Because of the war with England, construction was stopped in 1813, 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 do everything perfectly, 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 the subtle artistic taste of his predecessor, by 1823 the central part of the structure was ready. At the same time, the architect kept it to $12,000. The main work was completed by 1827. A few years later, plumbing and electricity were installed in the Capitol.
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 here.
In the mid-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 leadership, the southern, northern and western terraces were completed. In 1863, the 6-meter-tall Statue of Liberty was erected on the roof of the Capitol. The 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln, was present at this historical moment.
In the 1970s, the eastern side of the façade of the central part was extended by 10 meters.
The Capitol will be of interest to art connoisseurs, history buffs and those interested in the architecture of past centuries. The monumental building is beautifully illuminated at night, delighting with its grandeur. If you are just planning a trip, take a look at our catalog.
Arriving in the USA, you can’t help but see the Capitol in Washington. Every person in the world knows that this is the symbol of the country, and any guidebook has its description and photos, explaining in detail to tourists what exactly can be seen and when to do it.
William Warby / flickr.com
People who are not keen American history and those who do not follow international news sometimes confuse the White House with the Capitol. Guides often talk about funny cases when tourists at the end of the route began to demand to be shown 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 United States that have international symbolic significance and are the face of the country. These are three government houses built in the center of Washington, and always attract travelers from all over the world.
Rob Crawley / flickr.com
The symbols of the country, the way of life of its citizens and American democracy itself are:
- The White House is the place of work and residence of the president.
- The Capitol is the place where congressmen work.
- The Supreme Court is the embodiment of the Constitution and the guarantor of the rights of Americans.
Where is the Capitol located?
The Capitol building in Washington is located on Jenkins Hill. The House of Congress stands on the top, and the rest of the hill is occupied by a park surrounding the residence of congressmen on all sides.
Google Maps / google.ru
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 examine:
- Rotunda.
- Dome Hall.
- National Statuary Hall.
- Basement.
- Observation deck.
Although the Capitol is impressive in general, because the width of the building 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
Which are located:
- in the south - the House of Representatives of the States;
- in the north - the Senate itself.
The chambers can be seen from the upper galleries. 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:
- “The Apotheosis of Washington” is a giant fresco painted by Constantine Brumidi for the Capitol in 1865 and decorating the inside of the vault;
- Frieze painting - walking around the base of the large vault, the tourist gets acquainted with the main events in the history of the country, starting from the arrival in New World Christopher Columbus to the Wright Brothers' first airplane;
- Paintings in the rotunda hall - painting subjects are dedicated to the development of the United States as a state, the formation of the nation’s values, the discovery of the continent, and so on;
- Sculptures in the National Hall - all exhibits depict people who went down in the history of the state, and are gifts to the Capitol from different states;
- The basement in which the crypt of George Washington is located - Washington himself 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;
- "Stairway to Heaven" is a metal structure leading from the crypt to observation deck, it has exactly 365 steps;
- Panorama of the city, opening from observation deck– from here you can see all of old Washington and, of course, you have the 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 your eye from a bird’s eye view.
About the dome
During the tour, guides tell tourists a lot and in detail about the dome of the Capitol. For its time, as well as for today, this element of the House of Congress was the most complex, from a technical point of view, architectural achievement in America.
Daniel Huizinga / flickr.com
Its height, excluding the structure itself, is 57 meters. Its construction, like the building as a whole, was slow and difficult. Congressmen first met in their seats 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 part of the outer walls were missing.
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 the start of construction in 1793.
In 1804, the Washington Capitol was almost completely burned down. According to one version, it suffered from arson by British royal troops, however, there is another theory that the fire started - careless handling of fire in the upper part of the building.
Be that as it may, the wooden floors of the dome burst into flames instantly, and thanks to the construction impregnations used, designed 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 was a favorite subject for most American painters of that time. Even landscapes with views of the White House are several times less numerous than canvases with the burning roof of Congress.
The modern dome is the work of the architect and engineer Thomas Walter. Its frame is made of cast iron and its weight is 4000 kilograms. The work was based on the roof vaults of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome and St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
In 1863, the work was completed with the installation on the top of Liberty, cast in bronze and rising 6 meters above the arch. The Congress House itself became a tourist attraction in 1960, when the first tourists walked through its halls.
Video: visiting the Capitol in Washington.
When to visit?
Tourists can explore the Capitol throughout the week, except Sunday. 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. If you don't have a pass or a pre-purchased group excursion, you don't need to leave. Groups of people who want to walk through the galleries and halls gather “on the spot” in literally 20-30 minutes.
The Statue of Armed Liberty, above the Capitol dome, wears a wreath of five-pointed stars on its head and holds a sword and shield in its hands.
In winter I visited Washington. Its architecture impressed me, an amateur
The main source of my knowledge about the capital of the United States, in addition to the newspaper Abroad and the magazine America, was Dan Brown's novel The Lost Symbol :)
And of course I visited the Capitol, Headquarters of the High Council of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry And Masonic Temple of Washington in Virginia. Today is the Capitol. I think, unlike the last ones listed, there is a lot of information about him, so I will limit myself to short remarks and quotes from Brown.
The first thing that surprised me is that getting to the Capitol is absolutely simple: you need to register the time of your visit on the website a few days in advance. At this point, a guide will be waiting for you and a small group (all free). The tour starts from the newly built tourist center Capitol.
The second thing that was surprising: any US citizen can register his desire to visit the Capitol a week in advance on the website of his state senator, and he is obliged to provide an assistant who will conduct a more complete individual tour, including visits to the senator’s office. By the way, after our trip to the legislative branch of America, my wife and I learned that we could see not only the historical part of the building, but also attend a meeting of the Senate (watch from the gallery) - for this we had to take a special ticket from the center.
Nevada Indian Work by Benjamin Victor (2005)
The Capitol is full of marvelous chandeliers. Right: A chandelier that looks like Captain America's shield.
The Americans had its 1812(British invasion). The Capitol building was burned down, the only room remaining untouched by fire was the Old Chamber of the Supreme Court
In 1865, Italian artist Constantino Brumidi completed The Apotheosis of Washington, a four thousand six hundred and sixty-four square foot mural on the roof of the Capitol Rotunda.
Brumidi, nicknamed the "Michelangelo of the Capitol", laid claim to the Rotunda just as Michelangelo laid claim to Sistine Chapel: having painted the most extensive canvas of the hall - that is, its ceiling. Like Michelangelo, Brumidi created many of his works in the Vatican. However, in 1852, the artist emigrated to America, preferring a new shrine to the largest world shrine: the American Capitol, which is now all decorated with examples of his work - from the trompe l’oeil in the corridors of Brumidi to the cornices on the ceiling in the chambers of the vice president. However, the huge fresco on the roof of the Rotunda is considered to be the painter’s greatest masterpiece.
“The central panel depicts George Washington,” Langdon explained, pointing to the middle of the dome. “As you can see, he is served by thirteen maidens, and he, in white robes, ascends on a cloud above mere mortals. This is the moment of apotheosis... that is, the transformation of Washington into a god.
Larger. “The Apotheosis of Washington” by Constantino Brumidi (Costantino Brumidi 1805–1880) 1865
And quite big. “The Apotheosis of Washington” by Constantino Brumidi (Costantino Brumidi 1805–1880) 1865
– Along the perimeter there is a number of strange, archaic-looking images: the ancient gods communicate advanced knowledge to our founding fathers. Here Minerva gives inspiration to our greatest inventors - Ben Franklin, Robert Fulton and Samuel Morse. – Langdon pointed a finger at everyone. – And here Vulcan is helping us build a steam engine. Nearby, Neptune shows how to lay a transatlantic telegraph cable. Here is Ceres, the goddess of harvest and fertility (from her name comes the English “cereal”, “cereals”); she sits on a mechanical McCormick reaper - the invention of this machine allowed America to become a world leader in food production. In a word, this fresco more than openly shows how people receive great wisdom from the gods. – Langdon looked at Sato. – Knowledge is power, and correct knowledge allows a person to perform miracles and become like God.
The huge dome of the Capitol has been a symbol of Washington, the capital of the United States of America, for many years. This impressive building serves as the meeting place for Congress, the highest legislative body of the United States.
Construction of the Capitol began five years after the adoption of the US Constitution in 1788. The “Fathers of the Nation” George Washington and Thomas Jefferson attached special significance 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 debates raged in society, among statesmen, and among architects: how, by what means can the ideals of American democracy best be embodied in stone and metal? All participants in the discussion understood that they were about to build the most important public building in America.
In those years, the ideas of classicism brought from the Old World were already widespread in North American architecture. Thomas Jefferson called for the construction of the Capitol to turn to the image of the Roman Pantheon - a rotunda topped with a dome. In 1791, the architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant proposed the location of the House of Congress on the top of Jenkins Hill, which he considered best suited for the purpose: "It stands like a pedestal awaiting a monument." L'Enfant also proposed the option of a circular domed centric building with its façade facing west. This idea was destined to become the most fruitful.
In March 1792, an advertisement appeared in American newspapers about a competition for best project US Congress building. Both professionals and amateur architects were invited to participate; At the same time, there were no requirements for the choice of style, symbolism, or building material.
It is characteristic that all the participants in the competition considered their country as the heir of European civilization, therefore any influence of the local Indian tradition was completely rejected. All projects submitted to the competition corresponded to European architectural trends. Three of the presented projects were clearly inspired by ancient 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 version 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), adjoined by two wings to house the two chambers of Congress: the north - for the Senate, southern - for the House of Representatives. The eastern and western entrances are marked by imposing central porticoes. Logical, compact and monumental, Thornton's 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 for the foundation of the future building. However, construction proceeded slowly, and architects replaced each other with kaleidoscopic speed. The construction of the Capitol was begun by Stephen Hallett, two years later he was replaced by George Hadfield (1795-98), and then construction was led by James Hoban (1798-1802). Under him, the Senate wing was completed (1800), and on November 17, 1800, the first session of the US Congress was held here. The House of Representatives wing was not completed until 1811. At this stage, the work was led by the architect Benjamin Latrobe.
In 1814, the newly completed Capitol building was partially burned by British soldiers during the Anglo-American War. Reconstruction of the building began in 1815. In 1818, the work was led by Boston architect Charles Bulfinch, and it was completed only fifteen years later. However, it almost immediately became clear that in this form the Washington Capitol was too small to fully meet its functions. In addition, its huge wooden dome was too fire hazardous.
Throughout the 1830-1840s. Several proposals were discussed regarding how the Capitol should be reconstructed: adding new wings on the east and west or expanding the existing north and south. The debate ended with the announcement of a new design competition, which took place in 1850-1851. And in 1855, Philadelphia architect Thomas W. Walter began a monumental task: he had to virtually rebuild the wings of the Senate and House of Representatives and crown the Capitol building with a new dome - three times larger than the previous one.
To the old sandstone building, Walter added huge white marble wings of the Senate and House of Representatives, built in the neoclassical style (1855-1859). After this reconstruction, the building stretched 214 m in length and 107 m in width. A new huge dome with a diameter of 30 m and a height of 82 m rose 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-Mansar. Like the dome of the Cathedral of the Invalides, the dome of the Washington Capitol is double - a smaller shell is located inside a larger one, which creates an additional sense of height. The outer, large dome is very thin and is supported by 36 cast iron ribs. Below it is a smaller dome with an oculos - an open central part, through which the large pictorial composition “The Apotheosis of Washington” is visible. The total weight of the cast iron parts of the dome is more than 4000 tons.
In December 1863, the dome of the Capitol was crowned with a 6-meter bronze statue of “Armed Liberty.” This date is considered the date of final completion of construction. Meanwhile, already in the 1810s. The Washington Capitol is one of the main attractions of Washington. The majestic building, which became a symbol of American democracy, quickly gained popularity. In the 1st half of the 19th century. Countless engravings and colored lithographs were produced showing views of the Capitol. The silhouette of the Capitol became a unique symbol of America; it was depicted on china, tapestries, embroidery, cast in bronze, and even used as a screensaver for the 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 Greenough, Randolph Rogers and John Trumbull. Its 540 rooms house an extensive art collection. The Hall of the National Sculpture Collection is a real portrait gallery, where sculptural portraits of historical figures are collected different countries, presented to the US Congress by representatives of fifty countries of the world.
In addition to the halls and offices of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Washington Capitol housed the Library of the US Congress until 1897 and the Supreme Court until 1935.
