For Further
Information
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions answered below are among the most frequently
asked about the
Capitol. You
may also wish to read more detailed information about the
Capitol's history and its works of
art.
- What is the function of the Capitol?
- The Capitol houses the meeting chambers of the Senate (in the
north wing) and
the House of Representatives (in the south wing), the two bodies
that compose the
legislative branch of the American government. It also includes
the offices of the
congressional leadership, and it is used for ceremonies of
national importance such as
presidential inaugurations and the lying in state
of eminent persons. The Capitol is also a museum of American art and history and is visited by
millions of people every
year. An overview of
the building and its
function and photographs of the Capitol's east
front (54k .jpg) and west
front (54k .jpg) are also available.
- Who designed the Capitol?
- The original design was drawn by Dr. William
Thornton, but there have been ten Architects of the Capitol. Detailed information about each
Architect's contributions to
the
building's design and construction is available, as is a
summary of the responsibilities of the Architect of
the Capitol.
- When was the Capitol built?
- The Capitol was begun in 1793 and has been
"completed" several
times. The original building was
finished in 1826. The growth of the Congress compelled its
expansion in
the
middle of the 19th century; the extensions and new dome were
finished in 1868. An
addition to the east front
in
1958-1962 added more rooms to the Capitol. The most recent work,
the restoration of
the west
front and terraces and the in-filling of courtyards, was
completed in 1993. Detailed information about the
Capitol's
construction is also available.
- When did the Congress first meet in the
Capitol?
- November 17, 1800.
- What is the Capitol made of?
- The original building, completed in 1826, was made of brick
clad in sandstone.
The north and south wings and connecting corridors added in the
mid 19th century and
the replica of the east front constructed in the 20th century are
made of brick clad in marble; the dome is made of 8,909,200
pounds
of cast iron. Detailed
information about the building's
construction and the dome are also
available.
- What are the dimensions of the Capitol?
- Its length, from north to south, is 751 feet 4 inches; its
greatest width is 350 feet.
Its height above the base line on the east front to the top of
the Statue of Freedom is 288 feet.
- How much did it cost to build the
Capitol?
- Because the Capitol has been built over almost 200 years, it
is impossible to
calculate a meaningful total construction
cost.
- What is the name of the statue on top of the
dome?
- It is the Statue of Freedom, an allegorical female figure.
Detailed information about the
statue and a photograph
(21k .jpg)
are also
available.
- Why does the Statue of Freedom face east, away from
the
mall?
- The Capitol's east front was planned, and still serves, as
its principal entrance
(being the
only front on level ground), and the statue thus faces those who
arrive from this
direction.
- Where and what is the Capitol Rotunda?
- The Rotunda is a circular room in the center of the building
beneath the Capitol
dome. It is 96 feet in diameter and rises 180 feet from the
floor to the
canopy, with a volume of approximately 1.3 million square feet.
Detailed information about the
Rotunda is also
available.
- How many statues are there in the National Statuary
Hall Collection?
- Ninety-six. Each state may contribute two statues; all but
four states (Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, and
Wyoming) have done so.
- How many women are represented in the National
Statuary Hall
Collection?
- Six: Mother Joseph (Washington), Esther Hobart Morris
(Wyoming),
Jeanette Rankin (Montana), Dr. Florence Sabin (Colorado), Maria
Sanford (Minnesota),
and Frances E. Willard (Illinois).
- What is the largest statue in the Statuary Hall
Collection?
- The statue of King Kamehameha I, donated by the state of
Hawaii. The bronze
statue is 9'-10" tall and stands on a 3'-6" granite
base; their combined wieght
is approximately 15,000 pounds.
- Is there a "whispering gallery" in the
Capitol?
- The half-dome shape of National Statuary
Hall
produces an acoustical effect whereby, in some spots, a speaker
many yards away may be
heard
more clearly than one closer at hand. The modern-day echoes
occur in different
locations from those in the 19th century, when the floor and
ceiling of the hall were
different.
- Is there any symbolic significance to the numbers of
columns and steps in
various locations in the Capitol?
- No. The numbers of columns and steps were determined
for aesthetic and practical,
rather than
symbolic, reasons.
- Was the Capitol used as a prison during the Civil War?
- No. However, a building known as the "old brick Capitol" was. The old brick
Capitol was built for the use of the Congress after the Capitol was burned by invading British
troops during the War of 1812; it stood on part of the site now occupied by the Supreme Court
Building. Congress occupied the old brick Capitol between 1815 and 1819, while the Capitol was
being rebuilt. The old brick Capitol was then used for various purposes; during the Civil War it
served as a prison for the confinement of Confederate captives and of suspected collaborators.
Following the Civil War the building was converted to residences. It was removed before the
October 1932 laying of the cornerstone of the Supreme Court building.
- Is anyone buried in the Capitol?
- No. A tomb area was built for the remains of George
Washington beneath the
Crypt, but his will specified
that he wished to be buried at his home at Mount Vernon, and his
descendents honored
this wish.
- Which is taller, the Capitol or the Washington
Monument?
- The Washington Monument, standing 555 feet tall, is 267 feet
taller than the
Capitol. Because the base of the Washington Monument is 30 feet
above sea level, and
that of the Capitol is 88 feet above sea level, the top of the
Washington Monument is
209 feet higher than the top of the Capitol.
Office of the Curator, September 1997
Architect of the Capitol, Office of the
Curator
This page revised September 29, 1997
URL: http://www.aoc.gov/info/faqs.htm