Virginia State Capitol

Virginia State Capitol. The seat of government for the Commonwealth of Virginia, it houses the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere, the Virginia General Assembly. Designed primarily by Thomas Jefferson and Charles-Louis Clérisseau, the building is a pioneering example of Neoclassical architecture in the United States and a National Historic Landmark. Located on Capitol Square in Richmond, it has served as the capitol since 1788 and was the site of the Confederate States of America Congress during the American Civil War.

History

The decision to move the capital from Williamsburg to the more central Richmond was made by the Virginia General Assembly in 1779 during the American Revolutionary War. Thomas Jefferson, then serving as Minister to France, collaborated with French architect Charles-Louis Clérisseau to design the building, drawing inspiration from the Maison Carrée, an ancient Roman temple in Nîmes, France. Construction, overseen by Samuel Dobie, began in 1785 and was completed in 1792. The capitol became the center of Confederate power during the American Civil War, hosting the Congress of the Confederate States and witnessing the nearby fall of Richmond in 1865. It was also the location of the Virginia Secession Convention and the trial of John Brown.

Architecture

The Virginia State Capitol is a seminal work of Neoclassical architecture and the first public building in the New World to be modeled after an ancient Roman temple. Its design is based on the Maison Carrée, reinterpreted by Thomas Jefferson and Charles-Louis Clérisseau to serve a republican government. The exterior is constructed from Aquia Creek sandstone and features a classical portico with Ionic order columns. The interior centers around the two-story, skylit Rotunda, which houses Jean-Antoine Houdon's famous marble statue of George Washington. Other significant spaces include the restored Old House Chamber, where the Virginia House of Delegates met until 1906, and the Old Senate Chamber.

Capitol Square

The capitol building is the centerpiece of the 12-acre Capitol Square, a landscaped park designed in part by noted American architect John Notman. The grounds function as an open-air museum of Virginia history, featuring numerous monuments and statues. These include the Washington Monument designed by Thomas Crawford, the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial, and statues honoring figures like Harry F. Byrd, Stonewall Jackson, and Robert E. Lee. The square also contains the neoclassical Virginia Governor's Mansion, the oldest executive residence in continuous use in the United States.

Government functions

The building serves as the operational heart of Virginia's government, housing the executive and legislative branches. It is the meeting place for the Virginia General Assembly, comprising the Virginia Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates. The office of the Governor of Virginia is located in the building, and the Secretary of the Commonwealth also maintains offices there. The capitol has been the setting for landmark legal and political events, including the Marbury v. Madison case arguments by John Marshall and the Martin v. Hunter's Lessee decision.

Renovations and expansions

The original 18th-century structure has undergone several major alterations. A significant early addition was the east wing, completed in 1906, which provided new chambers for the Virginia Senate and Virginia House of Delegates. A comprehensive restoration and expansion project, led by architects from the firm Hillier Architecture, was completed in 2007. This project added a new, underground visitor entrance and interpretive center on Bank Street, restored the original Thomas Jefferson-designed chambers to their historical appearance, and improved public access while updating mechanical systems for modern use.

Category:State capitols in the United States Category:National Historic Landmarks in Virginia Category:Government buildings completed in 1792