The US Capitol
Architectural Symbol of Democratic Ideals
US Capitol in Washington, DC.
For almost two centuries, America's governing bodies, the Senate and the House of Representatives, have gathered under the dome of the US Capitol.
The U.S. Capitol Building
Built: 1793-1829 and 1851-1863
Style: Neoclassical
Architects:
• William Thornton
• Benjamin Henry Latrobe
• Charles Bulfinch
Dome: Thomas Ustick Walter
Built: 1793-1829 and 1851-1863
Style: Neoclassical
Architects:
• William Thornton
• Benjamin Henry Latrobe
• Charles Bulfinch
Dome: Thomas Ustick Walter
Learn About the US Capitol Building
When French engineer Pierre Charles L'Enfant planned the new city of Washington, he was expected to design the Capitol. But L'Enfant refused to submit plans and would not yield the authority of the Commissioners.
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Most of the designers who entered the competition and submitted plans for the U.S. Capitol were inspired byRenaissance ideas. However, three entries were modeled after ancient classical buildings. Thomas Jefferson favored the classical plans, and suggested that the Capitol should resemble the Roman Pantheon with a circular domed rotunda.
Burned by British troops in 1814, the Capitol went through several major renovations. Like many buildings constructed during the founding of Washington DC, most of the labor was done by African Americans - some paid, and some slaves.
The most famous feature of the US Capitol, the cast-iron Neoclassical dome by Thomas Ustick Walter, was not added until the mid-1800s. The original dome by Charles Bulfinch was smaller and made of wood and copper.
Pictures of the US Capitol Building
- See historic illustrations and plans for the proposed Capitol Building in the Library of Congress collection of Early Architectural Drawings.
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