Washington is the most honorable city in North America. It is not only the capital of the USA, but also one of the national symbols of freedom, because the first American president, George Washington, who founded it, made a lot of efforts in the fight against the British colonists for the independence of their country.
Washington today is the main political center of America . the main offices of the judicial, executive and legislative branches of power, 174 foreign embassies, the headquarters of the largest banks and currency funds, and most importantly the presidential residence, or the White House . The Washington governs the mayor himself, but the highest authority is the Congress, which can amend the laws approved by the council and exercise control over the administration of the city . Congress building - Capitol - is in the heart of the US capital and is one of America's top attractions . You can say that the Capitol in Washington is a worthy monument on an honorable pedestal .
| Grand Capitol |
History of the Washington Capitol
The White Capitol is located on the hill of the same name, which, in turn, was named after one of the seven ancient Roman hills. The history of the creation of the Capitol is quite impressive. This monastery was built by more than one generation of architects, each of which seemed to face insurmountable difficulties.
Everything began in the spring of 1792 when President George Washington announced a competition among architects for the best construction project of a government building after an extravagant the designer of the city . . Lanfant was suspended from his duties . However, the jury members were disappointed when they were presented with a little more than a dozen worthless projects . At himself The last moment was sent with great delay by another work - its author was the 33-year-old Scot William Thornton . The most interesting thing is that this young man worked as a doctor, but, struck by the desire to win the president himself, he learned the architectural matter in a few weeks . Thornton's project was recognized as the best, and the architect was commissioned to oversee the construction of the Capitol, which began in September 1793 . The first stone of this majestic building was laid by George Washington himself .
Already at the very beginning of the construction of the Cap There were problems: the material was delivered slowly, with large interruptions, there was an eternal shortage of cash and labor . Because of this, only the foundation of the building was laid for three years . Exactly 10 years after the construction began, the government allocated for this project about 50 thousand dollars, and Thornton was replaced by Henry Latrobe, who by that time proved himself to be the best architect of Philadelphia. . He did a great job: in the year 1800, in the unfinished Capitol, the Congress was held for the first time .
In the year 1813 ode Latrobe was forced to freeze the construction because of the war with Britain, and exactly one year later the unfinished Capitol was burned by the British. Almost everything was destroyed. 20 years of hard work have become a bunch of ash and a heap of debris. Nevertheless, Latrobe began work on the restoration of the building that he had already become fond of. However, trying to make his offspring even more beautiful than before, the architect was too carried away and began to spend exorbitant amounts on building materials. The best enemy of good: Latrobe was excommunicated from project management.
In 1818, James Monroe, then US president, appointed Charles Bulfinch, the chief architect of the Capitol, widely known in Boston. This man was much less sensual and did not possess the designer taste and instinct of the ingenious Latrobe. Nevertheless, by 1823 the conservative Bullfinch, who had altered the projects of his predecessor, had completely rebuilt the central part of the Capitol, having met $ 12,000.
In 1827, the basic construction work was completed. Approximately 7 years later, a water pipeline appeared in the Capitol, and 10 years later, gas and electricity were supplied. A little later, the building was made luxurious library, which burned in the winter of 1851. Today the library is directly opposite the Capitol, literally across the street.
In the middle of the 19th century, the famous engineer from Philadelphia, Thomas Walter, was commissioned to "expand" the newly-built Congress building .After 9 years, the architect proposed to replace the wooden structure of the Belfinch by a larger cast iron dome more proportional to the size of the Capitol .Walter performs it in the style of the architecture of the European cathedrals .Also at this time he completes the northern, southern and western terraces of white marble .In 1863, a significant event occurred - a 6-meter-high Statue of Liberty was erected on the roof of the Capitol, which was created by T .Crawford .Abraham Lincoln himself, the 16th US president, was present at this historic moment .By 1865 the northern and southern wings of the government monastery were completed by Walter, thereby doubling .
Subsequently, alongside the Capitol, work was carried out on landscaping: above the landscape design worked F. L. Omstad, the best qualified "gardener" of America. Also there were several extensions, central heating was carried out and elevators were launched. And in the 70s of the 20th century the facade of the eastern side of the central part of the Capitol was extended by as much as 10 meters.
Visit to the Capitol
Every year, the famous Congress building is visited by about 4.5 million tourists. In total there are 540 rooms in the Capitol, but tourists can see only 2 rooms. On the first and second floors are the offices of the Congress, and the third is occupied by the House of Representatives, the Rotunda and the Senate. Excursions in the Capitol are absolutely free.
This government building with a rich past will not leave indifferent neither the fans of history, nor art lovers or those who are interested in the architecture of the 18-19 centuries. The majestic Capitol, strikingly highlighted in the dark, impresses with its monumentality and gracefulness at the same time. In the afternoon, he appears in the image of a divine abode, where the fate of the most important city of America is being decided.
At the entrance to the Capitol you will need to present a ticket, which you will be given absolutely free of charge in the kiosk nearby after presenting your passport. Together with the excursion group you can observe the meetings of the Congress and the Senate from special galleries. Of all 540 Capitol buildings, the famous Rotunda is open to visit, where you can appreciate the small collection of paintings and sculptures.
| Night Capitol |
| Autumn colors of the Capitol |
| Capture of US Presidents in the Capitol |
| Interior of the Capitol |
| Under the dome of the Capitol |
| Capitol in Washington |
Reviews of the Capitol in Washington (1)
Washington Top February 10, 2014
Many are aware, based on the laws of the District of Columbia, in the US capital is not allowed ... Read the entire review