United States Capitol

United States Capitol
The west front of the U.S. Capitol in Spring 2007, facing toward the National Mall.
United States Capitol is located in Central Washington, D.C.
United States Capitol
Location of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
United States Capitol is located in the District of Columbia
United States Capitol
United States Capitol (the District of Columbia)
United States Capitol is located in the United States
United States Capitol
United States Capitol (the United States)
General information
Architectural styleAmerican neoclassic
Town or cityCapitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
CountryUnited States
Coordinates38°53′23″N 77°00′32″W / 38.88972°N 77.00889°W / 38.88972; -77.00889
Construction startedSeptember 18, 1793
Completed1800 (first occupation)
1962 (last extension)
ClientWashington administration
Technical details
Floor count5
Floor area16.5 acres (67,000 m2)[1]
Design and construction
Architect(s)William Thornton, designer
(see Architect of the Capitol)
Website
www.capitol.gov Edit this at Wikidata
www.aoc.gov/us-capitol-building
United States Capitol
Added to NRHPDecember 19, 1960[2]
The U.S. Capitol in November 2023, on a sunny day.

The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the United States Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government. It is located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Although no longer at the geographic center of the city of Washington, the Capitol forms the origin point for the street-numbering system of the district as well as its four quadrants.

Central sections of the present building were completed in 1800. These were partly destroyed in the 1814 Burning of Washington, then were fully restored within five years. The building was enlarged in the 1850s by extending the wings for the chambers for the bicameral legislature, the House of Representatives in the south wing and the Senate in the north wing. The massive dome was completed around 1866 just after the American Civil War. Like the principal buildings of the executive and judicial branches, the Capitol is built in a neoclassical style and has a white exterior. Both its east and west elevations are formally referred to as fronts, although only the east front was intended for the reception of visitors and dignitaries.

  1. ^ "The United States Capitol: An Overview of the Building and Its Function". Architect of the Capitol. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  2. ^ "List of NHLs by State". National Park Service. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.