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.
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 cubic feet.
The Washington Monument, standing 555 feet tall, is 267 feet taller than the U.S. 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 Building.
The original design for the Capitol Building was drawn by Dr. William Thornton and the current dome on the Capitol was designed by Thomas U. Walter, but there have been 12 Architects of the Capitol who have all made contributions to the building.
The Capitol's East Front was planned, and still serves, as its principal entrance (being the only front on level ground), and the statue faces those who arrive from this direction.