Washington DC – The U.S. Capitol (A Behind-the-Scenes Look)

During an internship that I did several years ago, I had the unique opportunity of giving tours of the U.S. Capitol to visitors.  So I had seen the inside of the Capitol, but it had been a while.  When we visited the newly minted Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) recently, we decided to take a private tour around my old stomping grounds.  I had forgotten how stunning the building is. 

To see the inside of the Capitol, you have to go on a tour which is available through your Senate or Congressional office.  Or if you’re really lucky, you have a husband like the CPA who works for the Senate and who can take you behind-the-scenes. 

Entering through the Hart Senate building early on a Saturday morning, we found that there were not many people around.  Walking through the underground tunnels, we saw even fewer people.  By the time we made it to the Capitol, we thought we were going to have the place to ourselves.  We soon realized (as we ran into large groups of tourists) that tours are in fact given on Saturdays as well.  But for most of our visit, we were left to meander the halls alone.

First, we entered the Capitol through the Patent Corridor.  This is the way that most tours enter if they are coming from the Senate side. 

The Patent Corridor is part of the Brumidi Corridors, named after the artist who painted the ornate ceilings and walls.

At the beginning of this corridor (to the left) you can see one of the many suspended stairways that are found throughout the Capitol building.  This one is reserved for Senators only.

Moving down the hall, we saw the Small Senate Rotunda which is found in the Old Senate wing of the Capitol.  It was originally designed as a way to lighten up the dark hallways and to be used as an air shaft. 

The beautiful tile in this room was put into place in 1902.

With the Small Senate Rotunda in the North wing of the Capitol, it stands to reason that there would be a Small House Rotunda in the South wing.  This rotunda was designed by architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe in 1804 and is considered one of the most architecturally significant spaces in the building.  It is also one of the oldest rooms in the Capitol. 

Here is the view from the first floor. 

And then a little closer from the second floor. 

Next we went to one of the main features of the Capitol – the inside of the dome or the Rotunda. 

The Rotunda:

• Is 96 feet in diameter
• Is 180 feet high

• Connects the Senate and the House sides of the Capitol
• Was constructed in 1824

The room is absolutely amazing. It is filled with beautiful portraits, each of which has a unique story, as well as statues of previous presidents.

The dome itself is encircled by a frescoed frieze which was painted just below the 36 windows seen in the upper part of the dome.  It was done by Constantino Brumidi and was intended to look like sculpture work.

These scenes represent America’s history (some were painted by Brumidi and some by Filippo Costaggini after Brumidi died) such as the gold rush in California, the Revolutionary War, and the discovery of America by Columbus. 

Above the frieze and at the top of the rotunda is the canopy over the eye of the inner dome, also painted by Constantino Brumidi.  It is called the Apothesis of Washington and was painted in 1865.  The canopy covers 4,664 sq. feet and the figures that you see are 15 feet tall.  There are six groups of these figures representing war, science, marine, commerce, mechanics, and agriculture. 

Directly underneath the canopy of the dome is the center of the Rotunda.  This is significant as it is the place where distinguished citizens (such as former presidents) lay in state on the historic catafalque that originally held the casket of President Lincoln.  Laying in state allows for people to visit and pay their last respects to those individuals who have included President Kennedy, President Eisenhower, and President Reagan, among others. 

Just outside the Rotunda is the National Statuary Hall.  The Hall is on the House side of the Capitol and was originally the places where the House of Representatives met for 50 years.  The reason they stopped meeting in the Hall is because the curved ceilings caused an echo effect, making it difficult to communicate in the room. 

The Hall is now used to house some of the state statues (each state has contributed at least one statue that portrays someone of importance from that state.)  

Walking back down a level, we went to see what’s known as the Crypt.  It lies directly underneath the Rotunda and was completed in 1827. 

The star in the floor is also directly under the Rotunda and is the place from where all the streets in Washington are laid out and numbered. 

After leaving the Crypt, we went back upstairs to head towards the Senate Floor. Here is a hall we passed through along the way.  Minton Tile lines the floor and can be found throughout the Capitol. 

The window in this hall offers a beautiful view of the Washington Monument, which is one mile away.

We made it to the Senate Floor (which was closed because it was Saturday and the Senate was not in session).  The outside waiting area is just as beautiful as the inside though.

 

When the Senate is in session, visitors to the Senate Floor must have a special pass before entering these doors. Once inside, they are allowed to sit in the balcony and watch the precedings on the Floor below. 

If you’re one of the visitors who is there to meet with a Senator, you just may be taken to the place of honor – the Senate Reception Room. 

This is one of the most beautifully decorated rooms in the Capitol.  It serves as a public meeting room where Senators meet with guests or with their colleagues.

And finally, my favorite place in the whole building, the hall where the enormous Battle of Lake Erie painting is kept.   

I don’t know if the hallway has a special name, but as you can see, it is quite beautiful with stately columns and marble handrails surrounding the staircase. 

The painting is 27 feet wide and 17 feet high.  It is encased by a gilded frame with a crest at the top and this wooden emblem at the bottom. 

It was painted by the artist William Henry Powell and was completed in 1873. 

So that’s it, the United States Capitol.  From the ornate chandeliers to the…

intricate details of the stained glass, there is no other place like it. 

I definitely recommend a visit when you’re in town.  Even if you don’t have your own personal tour guide (thanks CPA) your congressional office will do quite nicely. 

 

Sources:

Senate.gov

The Architect of the Capitol

Photos by Tabitha