US Capitol

Introduction

The United States Capitol crowns Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. and houses the Senate and House of Representatives, serving as the symbol of federal legislative power. Designed by William Thornton, the neoclassical domed building was cornerstone-laid by George Washington in 1793, survived the 1814 British burning and repeated expansions, and received its current cast-iron dome in 1866. A 6-meter bronze Statue of Freedom tops the dome, facing east. The East Front hosts presidential inaugurations, while the West Front overlooks the National Mall and the Lincoln Memorial. The underground Capitol Visitor Center offers guided tours into the Rotunda, National Statuary Hall and the Old Supreme Court Chamber, and the public may observe sessions of Congress. The Capitol is both the political heart of the nation and its most recognizable architectural symbol of democracy.

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