Capitol of the United States
This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| Capitol of the United States | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | United States Capitol |
| Caption | West facade of the United States Capitol |
| Location | Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. |
| Coordinates | 38°53′17″N 77°00′32″W |
| Built | 1793–1868 (major phases) |
| Architect | William Thornton; Benjamin Henry Latrobe; Charles Bulfinch; Thomas U. Walter |
| Architecture | Neoclassical |
| Governing body | Architect of the Capitol |
Capitol of the United States is the principal meeting place of the United States Congress and an iconic landmark on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., serving as the seat for the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Designed in Neoclassicism by architects including William Thornton and Thomas U. Walter, the building symbolizes the legislative authority established by the United States Constitution and is closely associated with national ceremonies such as presidential inaugurations and joint sessions of Congress.
Overview
The Capitol occupies a prominent site facing the National Mall and is adjacent to the Supreme Court of the United States and the Library of Congress, forming part of the federal complex planned after the Residence Act and influenced by designs such as the L'Enfant Plan and the Burns Commission urban concepts. Its dome and pediments incorporate sculpture and iconography referencing figures like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and allegories from classical antiquity associated with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison era symbolism. The building is administered by the Architect of the Capitol and maintained under statutes enacted by the United States Congress and overseen by committees including the United States House Committee on House Administration and the United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.
History
Construction began after President George Washington laid out the federal city following the Residence Act of 1790 and the selection of site by Pierre Charles L'Enfant. Early plans submitted by William Thornton won a competition and were refined during the administrations of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, with later contributions by Benjamin Henry Latrobe and Charles Bulfinch. The building expanded through the 19th century during the presidencies of James Monroe and Abraham Lincoln; the iconic cast-iron dome was completed under Millard Fillmore and Franklin Pierce with design work by Thomas U. Walter. The Capitol endured episodes such as the British burning of Washington in 1814 during the War of 1812 and interior restorations after Civil War expansions, and has been the site of political milestones including debates over the Missouri Compromise, the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, and the certification of presidential elections like that following the 1876 United States presidential election.
Architecture and Grounds
The Capitol's architectural vocabulary reflects Neoclassical architecture and references to Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, with features such as the central dome, the north and south wings housing the Senate chamber and House of Representatives chamber, and the east and west fronts used for ceremonial occasions. Sculptors and artists including Constantino Brumidi and Vincenzo Ragusa contributed murals and frescoes such as the Apotheosis of Washington in the dome, while bronze work and statuary include pieces by Enrico Causici and plaster models from Antonio Canova-inspired workshops. The surrounding Capitol Grounds were designed and reconfigured by landscape architects like Andrew Jackson Downing and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and contain monuments and memorials linking to people such as Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, and events memorialized alongside the nearby National Mall.
Function and Role in Government
As the site where the United States Congress convenes, the Capitol is central to legislative processes including the drafting, introduction, and passage of bills such as the Bill of Rights amendments, reconciliation measures, and major statutes like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Social Security Act. The chambers host leaders including the Speaker of the House and the Vice President of the United States in their constitutional roles presiding over the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively, and serve as venues for joint sessions, impeachment trials, and State of the Union addresses delivered to legislators and guests from institutions like the Supreme Court of the United States and the Department of State. Committees such as the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hold hearings in adjacent office buildings including the Dirksen Senate Office Building and the Cannon House Office Building, which are part of the Capitol complex.
Significant Events and Ceremonies
The Capitol hosts nationally significant ceremonies including presidential inaugurations, State of the Union addresses, lying in state ceremonies for figures like Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, and joint sessions for electoral vote counts certified after presidential elections such as 1876 United States presidential election and modern contests. Historic events at the Capitol include speeches by figures like Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela (as a guest), legislative milestones such as the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and protests and demonstrations tied to movements including Women's suffrage and Civil Rights Movement. Security incidents and disruptions have occurred, including the British burning of Washington in 1814 and modern security breaches that prompted responses involving the United States Capitol Police and federal agencies.
Security and Preservation
Security of the Capitol is primarily the responsibility of the United States Capitol Police in coordination with agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service for certain events, and the National Guard during extraordinary circumstances. Preservation efforts are overseen by the Architect of the Capitol and involve conservationists, curators from the Smithsonian Institution for artworks, and contractors versed in historic masonry and cast-iron restoration, addressing challenges documented following events like the War of 1812 damage and 20th-century structural upgrades including electrical modernization and seismic assessments under federal historic preservation statutes like the National Historic Preservation Act.
Public Access and Visitor Information
The Capitol Visitor Center provides public programs, guided tours, and educational exhibitions coordinated with outreach from institutions such as the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration, and requires coordination with individual congressional offices for gallery access during sessions of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Visitors commonly access the Capitol via public transit nodes including the Capitol South (Washington Metro) and Union Station (Washington, D.C.), and engage with nearby cultural institutions like the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian Institution museums on the National Mall. Security screenings, timed-entry procedures, and special passes are administered per guidelines developed after incidents including the British burning of Washington and post-9/11 security policy changes.
Category:Buildings and structures in Washington, D.C. Category:Seats of national legislatures