You asked, we answered. Here are some of the most popular questions we get about the U.S. Capitol. The answers may surprise you!
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 weight is approximately 15,000 pounds.
Atop the U.S. Capitol dome is the Statue of Freedom, an allegorical female figure.
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.
November 17, 1800.
Construction of the U.S. Capitol began in 1793 and has been "completed" several times. The original building was finished in 1826. The most recent, and largest ever, addition to the Capitol, the Capitol Visitor Center, was completed in 2008.
