Capitol, seat of the U.S. Congress

Capitol, seat of the U.S. government at Washington, D.C. It is the city's dominating monument, built on an elevated site that was chosen by George Washington in consultation with Major Pierre L'Enfant L'Enfant, Pierre Charles (pyĕr shärl läNfäN`), 1754–1825, American soldier, engineer, and architect.
..... Click the link for more information. . The building as it now stands took many years to build and is the result of the work of several architects. In 1792 a competition was held to select an architect, but William Thornton Thornton, William, 1759–1828, American architect, b. Tortola, British Virgin Islands, He studied (1781–84) medicine at Edinburgh but received his medical degree (1784) at the Univ. of Aberdeen.
..... Click the link for more information. gained the president's approval with a plan separately submitted and was appointed. In 1793 the president set the cornerstone, with Masonic rites, and the building was begun. Later three additional architects were employed—E. S. Hallet Hallet, Étienne Sulpice (ātyĕn` sülpēs` älā`), 1755–1825, French architect. He emigrated c.
..... Click the link for more information. , George Hadfield (d.1826), and James Hoban Hoban, James (hō`bən), c.1762–1831, American architect, b. Ireland. By 1789, Hoban had immigrated to the United States.
..... Click the link for more information. . In 1814 the uncompleted building was burned by the British, and B. H. Latrobe Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1806–78, an engineer, b. Philadelphia. He served (1847–75) as chief engineer of the Baltimore & Ohio RR, laying out the line between Washington and Baltimore.
..... Click the link for more information. , who had been appointed (1803) surveyor of public buildings, undertook its restoration. He was succeeded in 1818 by Charles Bulfinch Bulfinch, Charles, 1763–1844, American architect, b. Boston. A member of the Boston board of selectmen in 1791, he was chosen chairman in 1799—an office equivalent to mayor and held by Bulfinch for 19 years.
..... Click the link for more information. , who brought the design to completion in 1830.

The building proved inadequate in size and was greatly enlarged (1851–65) by T. U. Walter Walter, Thomas Ustick, 1804–87, American architect, b. Philadelphia. In 1819 he entered the office of William Strickland in Philadelphia as a student. In 1830 he began practice, the county prison (1831) at Moyamensing, Philadelphia co.
..... Click the link for more information. , who added the extensive House and Senate wings at either end and the imposing dome, c.288 ft (90 m) in height, which dominates the composition. Elaborate murals depicting a variety of inspirational American subjects, painted (1854–79) by the Italian-born fresco artist Constantino Brumidi (1805–80), adorn much of the Capitol's interior. The building proper is over 750 ft (229 m) long, including approaches c.350 ft (110 m) wide. In 1960 the east front of the Capitol was extended 32 ft (9.8 m), and the original sandstone facade was replaced by marble. The greater Capitol Complex includes (in addition to the Capitol itself) 274 acres (111 hectares) of grounds with gardens, monuments, memorials, a carillon, and fountains; the United States Botanic Gardens (est. 1820), one of the oldest such gardens in the nation, although the present conservatory dates only to 1933; the several House and Senate office buildings; the buildings of the Library of Congress; and the Supreme Court building.

Bibliography

See I. T. Frary, They Built the Capitol (1940); L. Aikman, We, The People (4th ed. 1966).

Capitol, in Rome

Capitol, in Rome: see Capitoline Hill Capitoline Hill (kăp`ĭtəlīn') or Capitol,
..... Click the link for more information. .

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Capitol, seat of the U.S. Congress

Bibliography

Capitol, in Rome

Capitol