United States Capitol in Washington (USA) - meeting place of the U.S. Congress
Where is located United States Capitol?
Address of United States Capitol is Washington, D.C., USA
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When was built United States Capitol?
Built date of United States Capitol is 1793 - 1824
Facts, informations and history of United States Capitol
The meeting place of the Congress of the United States, as well as meetings of government representatives and the Senate.
The first dome to house the order has a long history. Since George Washington laid the cornerstone in 1793, the Capitol has been built, torn down, rebuilt, enlarged and rebuilt again.
When the building was completed in 1824 by Charles Bulfinch, it was then very susceptible to fires and needed constant reconstruction. In 1855, architect Thomas U. Walter was given the task of replacing the old dome with a new, larger and fire-resistant dome. The stronger structure required a lot of materials, so Walter designed a double dome - a smaller dome inside a larger one - which creates the illusion of height.
The larger dome is very thin and supported by 36 steel ribs. Below it is a smaller dome with an opening roof. Although the structure looks like it is made of stone, most of the Capitol is made of cast iron.
The building was finally completed in December 1863 and still stands today serving as a symbol of America's democracy.
The original design of the Capitol Building was drawn by Dr. William Thornton, while the current dome was designed by Thomas U. Walter, in total there were 11 Capitol Hill architects who contributed to the building.
The bronze Statue of Liberty, located at the top of the dome, is a distinctive feature of the Capitol, standing nearly 6 metres tall and weighing about 6,800 kilograms.
Building began in 1793, but was not completed until almost twenty years later. Then, in a Masonic ceremony, President Washington laid the cornerstone at the southeast corner of the building on September 18, 1793.
The Senate began meeting at the Capitol in 1800, when the Senate wing was completed.
On 24 August 1814, British troops set fire to the building during the war, fortunately a rainstorm prevented it from being completely destroyed.
Rebuilding began in 1815 and included the redesign of rooms on both the Senate wings and the newly built side, which were completed by 1819.
Building continued until 1826, adding a central section with a front staircase and columned portico, as well as an internal Rotunda rising above the first low dome of the Capitol.
On the ground floor is an area known as the Crypt. It was thought to be the burial place of George Washington, with a ringed balustrade in the centre of the Rotunda. However, according to the provisions of his last will and testament, Washington was buried at Mount Vernon. The crypt contains exhibits on the history of the Capitol.
Underground tunnels and a private underground connect the main Capitol building to each of the Congressional office buildings in the surrounding complex.
The Capitol currently covers 16,275 square meters (1.6 hectares) and has a floor area of 67,000 square meters (6.7 hectares).
The length of the building is 229 metres (from north to south), the width reaches 107 metres.
The height to the top of the statue is 88 metres.
The building includes an approximate number of 540 rooms and has 850 doors and 658 windows, including 108 in the dome itself.
There were 8,909,200 pounds of steel used in the construction of the building.
Architect of United States Capitol
How many meters have United States Capitol?
Height of United States Capitol is 88 meters
Construction/building type
Building United States Capitol is of type Dome, Government headquarters
Architectural style
Architectural style of United States Capitol is Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is an architectural style that draws on classical architectural forms from the ancient Greek and Roman periods. It involves the design of buildings that are characterised by simple forms, proportions and harmonious compositions. Neoclassicism is also distinguished by a large amount of ornamentation and decoration, which refers to ancient decorative motifs. ... czytaj więcej.
Other dimensions, parameters and frequently asked questions
What area have United States Capitol?
United States Capitol have area of 16,275 square meters
What material is the building made of?
United States Capitol is made of the following materials: Stone, cast iron
Cost
Build cost of United States Capitol is $ 1 million
Other names
The building is also known by other common names or in the original language, i.e. United States Capitol
Official website
The official website of the building, where up-to-date information can be found, is http://www.visitthecapitol.gov
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